Rocky View County hosted an open house on its master plan for parks and open space, June 16.
“We held the open house to gather information from residences and users as to what they feel would be a good plan for Rocky View for the next 20 years,” said Patty Murray, manager of parks and recreation for Rocky View County.
About two years ago, Rocky View identified the need for a master plan.
Staff is now working on that plan, which will provide guidance for the long-term development of parks and open spaces in the county. The plan will be based on the need to preserve natural landscapes and will incorporate important cultural components such as community centres and historical sites.
“We need a master plan so we can attempt to assemble larger plots of land to use for regional recreational facilities and schools,” said Councillor Gordon Branson. “This will give an enhanced opportunity to provide connectivity to small, separate developments. The hope is to make an overall parks and open spaces plan that would help guide development.”
The draft vision of the plan states, “Rocky View County’s diverse network of parks and open spaces are accessible, connected where feasible, fun, protected and safe. They enrich our quality of life and our environment through preservation, education, accessibility, partnerships and both active and passive recreational opportunities. They both connect and cultivate our communities.”
This vision ensures that the County gradually acquires, develops and protects identified areas, linkages and facilities to develop a comprehensive system of park, open spaces and trail networks.
With such a large area, creating a comprehensive plan that encompasses all of Rocky View is not easy, according to Murray.
“It is a daunting task,” said Murray. “We want to know, what do people really want? We are trying to capture that feedback from as many people as possible.”
In order to gather the necessary perspectives, Rocky View staff will be hosting two more open houses in September and November. The public can also take part in an online survey, which asks residents to identify frequently used parks, trails and open spaces and to give suggestions on what they would like to see in the county.
“It’s really a blank slate,” said Murray. “There are all kinds of possibilities and people generally want alternatives to move themselves around and to be able to commune with nature and engage in a healthy lifestyle. We have heard some really interesting suggestions.”
A frequent suggestion has been to increase the connectivity of trails within the county.
Asad Niazi, a Bearspaw resident, generally travels to visits parks within Calgary. He would like to see trails and recreational opportunities closer by.
“We live in Bearspaw, but we drive to Bowness Park to hang out,” said Niazi. “Why can’t we have something nearby? Right now, there is nowhere in Bearspaw where you can meet.
“We feel trails are missing. I think it is a good direction we are going, but we need to look at what we have in our inventory and then create a vision of how they will connect to one another.”
Andy Crooks of Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park was pleased with the open house.
“We are very pleased that the County is engaging in the dialogue regarding parks and open spaces,” said Crooks. “This plan will be an important part of the future of Glenbow Ranch Park. Parks, open spaces and pathways aren’t just important for us, they are important for the preservation of natural landscapes and community values.”
In order to complete the final plan by early 2011, County staff is busy creating an inventory of existing parks and recreational facilities, mapping proposed open space linkages such as the TransCanada Trail, reviewing reports that provide related information and getting feedback from residents and experts.
Currently, Rocky View County is home to six regional parks, 22 community parks, 644 acres of greenways and 135 natural areas.
