KENORA — The latest step in a multi-phase initiative to upgrade amenities in Kenora’s Central Park area is slated to be taken this fall, according to a top city official.
The project can be tendered now because city council allocated $166,000 in municipal funding in July to the Central Community Club greenspace project. The province, through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, is also committing $490,000.
The work will improve an existing plot of land to effectively redevelop it into more of a proper urban park, local officials said.
“That tends to be an area that captures a lot of water,” Stace Gander, Kenora’s interim co-chief administrative officer and director of economic development and tourism told Newswatch.
“There's going to be some grading, there's going to be some paving in the parking area,” he continued.
“We're going to get proper drainage in there and there's going to be a shade structure installed, some path work, and then some lighting enhancements as well.”
The city’s contribution to the greenspace project was part of an overall budget amendment of $212,000 towards the overall Central Community Club project — a multi-phase and years-long initiative to install and improve recreational amenities in the Central Park area. That now includes a central clubhouse facility, a playground and a rink. The balance of the city funding approved in July is earmarked for finalizing work on the rink and clubhouse.
Central Park is roughly the size of half a city block, Gander said, and has become a busy place.
“It is a large catchment for young families and a person just needs to drive by and, not only when the rink is going, but just in the summer months to see how many families are actually using that playground there.”
Gander said when the project goes to tender later this year, it will be for the second time, as the city didn’t receive any expressions of interest the first time around, in June.
“We tendered at a not a great time, so people's work schedules were full at that time. We didn't get anybody submitting on the project, so we're going to go back to market.”
The improvements to the park space align with the city’s overall commitment to improving its parks and greenspaces, Gander said, explaining that this project comes on the heels of investments in a number of other sites, such as Norman Park, Keewatin Beach Park and others.
“As part of the parks and recreation master plan, community clubs remain a priority for investment, given their important role in providing neighbourhood recreation opportunities,” Mya Horley, Kenora’s senior communications advisor stated in an email to Newswatch.
“I think that it demonstrates council's commitment to enhancing park space for the citizens and the visitors of Kenora,” Gander added.
