East-end park plans set in motion

Residents in the community gathered at a public meeting on Thursday, Feb. 4 to discuss preliminary plans for two parks. The neighbourhood park, known simply as Park 18B, should be up and running in 2011 while the larger community park, called Park 18A, isn’t slated for development before 2016.

In a preliminary sketch of what could go into 18B, landscape architect Jack Copeland included a full-size soccer field. Residents, however, raised concerns a full-size field would be booked by sports organizations and children in the area would be unable to use the fields in their own neighbourhood park. Splitting the site into two mini soccer fields is now being proposed.

Meanwhile, suggestions for a splash pad, play structure, basketball court and covered structure met with favourable comments from those gathered.

Designs for the park are only in the preliminary stages. A request for funding to build the park features will have to go before council. Access to the landlocked park also depends on the Trim Road extension. Funding for the $6-million extension was recently approved in the city’s 2010 budget and work could begin on the road as early as this fall.

Park 18B is roughly four hectares, about twice as large as Glandriel Park.

For more on this story, see the Feb. 12 edition of the Orléans Star.