Millions needed for park updates
Trent Hills developing 20-year plan to revamp parks
A consultant has developed a 20-year plan for parks and recreation services in Trent Hills that includes a multi-million dollar facelift for two parks.
The plan says we have enough recreational services for the population we will have, with some minor adjustments, and offers ideas to rejuvenate 1.93-acre Hillside Park in Campbellford and 2.1-acre Hastings Village Green in Hastings. But those plans will cost several million dollars to implement.
The 146-page draft is available online and next Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. there will be an open house at the Sunny Life Wellness and Recreation Centre where you can learn more and provide comments.
A revised draft, which replaces a plan done in 2003, will make its way to council for final approval.
The current draft was prepared by thinc design and Mehak, Kelly & Associates under a $130,000 contract that was awarded last year. Development charges will pay $105,000 of the cost.
The report says that it became clear after surveying residents that there were two priority projects – Hillside Park in Campbellford on Bridge Street East between Ranney and Booth Streets, and Hastings Village Green in the centre of Hastings.
“Subsequently, the consulting team held two 90-minute focus groups with key stakeholders to discuss preliminary recommendations for the sites,” the report says. It includes suggested layouts for both parks.
The only reference to cost is in tiny type in the footnotes.
It recommends allocating $1 million to $2 million for Hillside to install a bandshell, amphitheatre seating, a natural playground and a washroom.
The tab for Hastings is estimated at $800,000 to $1.5 million for elements including a bandshell, picnic shelter, furniture, plants, and a washroom.
Early on, the report notes that in online comments and a phone survey, residents were clear that they weren’t willing to pay higher taxes for more parks and recreation services.
The lengthy report concludes there is likely no need to add another ice pad in the municipality over the next 20 years but recommends monitoring usage. It suggests spending $500,000 on improvements to the Warkworth Arena.
“No additional ball diamonds will be needed over the term of the master plan, based on current population and hours of use. This reflects overall low use now, and largely exclusive use of diamonds on weeknights.” Diamonds often sit vacant on weekends, it notes.
Some residents want a baseball complex with several diamonds and better facilities that could serve tournaments, but the report notes that the current diamonds are under used.
“Both ball diamonds, which require considerable staff resources to maintain now, and have been improved for local use over time, generate limited revenue,” it says. As well, people want to keep diamonds in their communities which means a single, multi-diamond complex would not be the best idea.
As well it concludes “based on current prime time use levels and anticipated population growth, no soccer fields will be required during the term of the master plan.,”
The consultants recommend that the municipality clear up some existing uncertainty about legal arrangements since it has no formal agreement with the Percy Agricultural Society for use of the Warkworth diamond and the agreement between the municipality and the Campbellford Agricultural Society for that diamond has expired.
“Although the (Campbellford) diamond needs washroom upgrades and LED lights, a new agreement should be executed before these investments are made,” it says, noting that the municipality owns the new bleachers and waste receptacles but not the diamond or the buildings.
Trent Hills has 29.75 acres of municipally owned parkland as well as 32.2 acres of parkland owned by other groups (Parks Canada, Crowe Valley Conservation Authority, Campbellford Lions Club, Percy Agricultural Society), for a total of 71.88 acres (26.04 hectares) of public parkland. In addition, many residents use Ferris Park on a regular basis.
The report says that new parkland parcels are expected to add 6.4 hectares (15.9 acres) over the next decade in new subdivisions: Haven-on-the-Trent and Camelot in Campbellford, and Hastings Hilltop, New Street and Hastings Meadow Park in Hastings.
The draft plan suggests adding outdoor basketball courts to new park parcels in Campbellford and Hastings and to an existing park in Warkworth. It estimates they would cost $200,000 each.
In Hastings, it suggests installing a mobility mat on the beach on the south bank of the Trent River to provide access to the water’s edge for all. It also recommends spending $45,000 to add distance markers to the Millennium Lilac Trail in Warkworth and the Rotary Trail around the canal in Campbellford.