New park planned for Coaldale

To mark their community’s 100th birthday, Coaldale residents will be able to celebrate in a new park.

Centennial Park, near the town’s northwest corner, is also the site of a proposed multi-use recreational facility.

The town is also donating 20 acres of land for a new high school — one of Palliser Regional Schools’ high priorities. And it’s offering up to $15 million “in resources” as part of a codevelopment plan.

“If all the stars align properly,” says Mayor Kim Craig, a full-sized football field and other recreational facilities could be used jointly.

Walking trails and other initial amenities should be in place for an opening event during Coaldale’s 100th year, he indicated.

“Hopefully in five years,” many of the new facilities could be in place.

Starting next year, however, town residents will be levied a $10-permonth recreation fee to help cover the cost of the new park, upgrading at another, and other recreational amenities. The levy was approved by town council as part of its new 2019-21 operating and capital budget deliberations.

It’s been many years since Coaldale has added to its parks and recreational facilities, the mayor says. The town’s hockey rink was built in 1974, the curling rink added in 1981.

“It’s a long time since that happened,” he notes.

And in partnership with Coaldale’s hard-working Kinsmen Club, he says the town will provide $100,000 from its recreational reserve for improvements to Eastview Park.

A pickleball court, a renewed tennis court and outdoor fitness equipment will be added to the three-acre park. But Coaldale could see more green space downtown as well. Craig says a “community gathering place” is part of a plan for a new “civic square” on 20 Avenue at 18 Street.

The town’s administration office, he explains, would be relocated to the second floor of a proposed business building, providing leased office or retail space below. And the town owns land to the south of that site.

Coaldale’s new budget also includes funds for more than seven kilometres of paved walkways to be built, helping to link different neighbourhoods through a central pedestrian corridor.

Herald photo by Ian Martens An excavation crew works on the Malloy Drain project wetlands and stormwater retention pond in the area of the proposed Centennial Park, new high school and multi-use recreation facility, as part of Coaldale’s recently approved capital plan. @IMartensHerald