After providing residents with the opportunity to provide feedback on three options for upgrades to Nose Creek Park over the last few months, staff from the Parks Department came to the City council meeting Nov. 16 to ask for approval to go ahead with some significant changes in 2016.
Council approved including the cost of the renovations and enhancements in the 2016 Capital Budget process, currently being undertaken by the Council Budget Committee.
“Two key items that were brought up (at the open houses) are the washrooms and amphitheatres or existing buildings to be renovated,” said Scott Fediow, parks development technician.
The second of three design options is the one the majority of people taking part in the public engagement indicated as their preference, capturing 41 per cent of the votes. The cost to complete the enhancements and upgrades under this design is $2.47 million.
This design sees the existing stage moving to the southeast corner of the pond and being turned into a covered stage with covered seating. The cost to complete this part of the project is $1 million, the bulk of the overall budget.
“(This will allow) for a more year-round use than the current stage that is there right now,” Fediow said.
The existing boardwalk will be replaced and expanded to run the length of the eastern edge of the pond. More picnic tables will be added and the landscaping will be redone. The cost of all these elements combined is $510,000.
Renovations to the washrooms is also a key feature of the proposed project. The existing concession area and washrooms will be removed and replaced at a cost of $500,000, while new washrooms will be added in the northeast area of the park for $460,000.
Alderman Candice Kolson voted against the motion to include the Nose Creek Park renovations in the 2016 Capital Budget, citing concerns about the finer details of the project.
“I’m a details oriented person. I love that they want to put money into the park, I think it’s an excellent thing. I just want to make sure that at the end of the day we spend $2.4 million and everybody’s happy,” she said.
Kolson said as a result of voicing her concerns at the Nov. 16 meeting, Parks staff is going to work a little bit closer with her and she’s hoping some of those concerns will be alleviated.
As a result of council’s approval of funding for the project, staff will send the project out for tender in the first quarter of 2016 with construction tentatively set to being in the second quarter, according to Fediow.
