LAURIE WEIR
Lower Reach Park may soon be getting a makeover, including paving the former landfill site to serve as a new parking lot.
Tender loving care (TLC) for the splash pad was also discussed during the committee of the whole meeting on Monday, Dec. 16, along with goose hazing.
Stephanie Clark, the manager of recreation and parks, outlined several projects in her report to council, noting that balancing the department’s initiatives with the budget will require some creativity.
“Rick can save your life, but I bring the joy,” Clark quipped as she presented her report, following fire Chief Rick Chesebrough.
Clark said the splash pad is in dire need of maintenance due to significant drainage issues. It has seen little upkeep in the past 20 years. She is requesting $40,000 for repairs, including levelling the base and replacing some features, though she noted the budget might not allow for all the upgrades at this time.
“Primarily, we want to ensure the bowl is level so we don’t run into drainage issues, which we’ve encountered significantly,” she said.
Coun. Jay Brennan asked about the possibility of installing a rubberized base. While this option is more expensive, Clark said she could provide cost estimates.
“The splash pad is in reasonably good condition,” she added.
Paving Paradise?
Plans to redesign Lower Reach Park are expected to be seen in January, with the parking lot’s location a key priority. Clark’s report focused on paving the lot, which she hopes will be relocated closer to the Kinsmen building.
“We anticipate getting direction on where the parking lot will be in early January, and then we can move forward,” she said.
Budget constraints might delay paving until 2026.
The proposed paved lot would be located on the old landfill site, which Clark said would free up “the prettiest spot in the park,” adjacent to the Rideau Canal, for other uses.
“If we bring the parking lot onto town property, we don’t have to worry about an archaeological assessment,” she added.
Lower Reach Park served as a landfill from 1959 to 1971, according to Paul McMunn, the town’s director of public works, which he shared in an email exchange with this publication on Dec. 19.
Groomer Request
The parks and recreation department is also seeking $10,000 to $12,000 for a groomer attachment for tractors or lawn mowers. The equipment would help rake twigs and leaves, saving staff time, particularly in dealing with goose droppings. However, it isn’t suitable for use in Murphy Park due to the sandy beach slope.
Clark said this piece of equipment would be substantial in freeing up staff as they take quite a bit of time now to rake the parks.
Goose Hazing
Efforts to manage the town’s goose population have been successful, Clark reported.
“For the first time, there was no nesting or eggs on town land,” she said, though nests were found on Parks Canada property.
“We don’t have passport control for geese, so they come south to Centennial Park, and we had to deal with that,” Clark said. “You can’t haze geese when their flight feathers are coming in, so there was a six-week period when we couldn’t chase them off.”
Clark noted improvements after hazing resumed, using non-lethal methods such as trained dogs.
A dog and handler patrolled town parks about three days a week this season to deter geese from nesting, she explained in a Dec. 19 follow-up email. Flags and sound/light systems were also deployed, but with limited success.
Goose hazing costs about $10,000 per park, Clark said.
She added that Parks Canada has shown interest in collaborating on a goose management plan, which would be more effective if implemented on federal land.
Mayor Shawn Pankow agreed with getting the green light from Parks Canada, saying their cooperation is crucial for a successful strategy.
Budget talks will continue into the new year before final approval.
