An ambitious plan from the Thornbury-Clarksburg Rotary Club to undertake a major upgrade project at Moreau Park has received a tentative thumbs up from The Blue Mountains council.
Club President Elizabeth Kennedy and members Mary Lye and Jeremy Wentworth-Stanley presented the club’s idea at council’s meeting on September 26.
The plan, if implemented, would see Moreau Park, currently the home of multiple baseball diamonds, a skateboard board and children’s play area, upgraded to include a modernized skate park for all ages and abilities, a year-round walking path, a sensory garden and an accessible playground.
“We wanted to get behind a big project in the community that addressed all ages,” said Kennedy.
The club presented preliminary concepts for the plan in a report to council at the meeting. Wentworth-Stanley said the initial cost forecast for the project is about $2 million. However, the final costs will depend on what concepts make it into a final design. He said the club plans significant financial support for the project and will also be seeking support from the private sector, government grants and from other services clubs and community organizations.
“This is a place where the community will come. It’s a hub of life and activity. It’s also a place to reflect and breathe,” said Lye.
Members of council praised the club for bringing forward the idea and passed a resolution to have municipal staff prepare a report about the concept for the next council to consider during the 2023 budget process.
Mayor Alar Soever and Coun. Andrea Matrosovs both suggested concepts found in public parks in Europe be incorporated into the plans. Soever said when in Estonia, he visited a park that included exercise equipment as part of its walking path. Matrosovs said she had seen similar parks in her travels as well.
“It encourages multi-generational use. The whole family can go to the park and there is something for everybody to do,” she said.
Coun. Paula Hope said she is a firm believer in improving parks across the community and asked staff about the next steps for the process.
“Upgrading our parks in The Blue Mountains is an initiative we should be considering across the town,” she said. “We want to appeal to our young people. We need to create a space for our young people.”
Director of Community Services Ryan Gibbons said the concept of upgrades to the park should now be presented to the public.
“I think the next step is to talk to the community about what elements they would like to see in this,” he said.
