New park in works for Fruitland-Winona

Councillor can’t yet divulge location of ‘larger scale’ amenity for which $3.8M has been set aside

The city is budgeting $3.8 million in this year’s capital budget to finish buying land for a community park to serve the Fruitland and Winona area.

Coun. Jeff Beattie said he can’t yet divulge the location of the park, which is part of a secondary plan for the area, but it will be comparable to Winona Park or possibly even bigger.

“It will be on a larger scale that will have more amenities and more space,” the Ward 10 councillor said. “My understanding is that they have made some property acquisitions already in the area, but this is to complete that.”

Ward 10 is Stoney Creek’s biggest beneficiary of this year’s capital budget, with other highlights including $1.5 million to begin extending Arvin Avenue from McNeilly Road to Lewis Road.

Work on the $4.75-million project is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

“It’s going to help us unlock employment lands in the area, which is good for more jobs,” Beattie said. “Increasing the commercial-industrial tax base is always going to be a goal of the city as a whole. It’s good to have places to work that are local.”

Other Ward 10 projects include fencing for a future transit hub at the Winona Crossing shopping centre by Fifty and South Service roads, budgeted at $120,000.

Like other Stoney Creek councillors, Beattie will also have a discretionary $180,000 fund for projects not in the capital budget.

“The needs in the community far outstrip the funding that we have available in a discretionary manner,” he said. “But through constant communication with different departments and working with my council colleagues, I do hope we can explore other ways to get things done.”

The capital budget allots nearly $3.9 million for Ward 5, which includes downtown Stoney Creek and neighbouring east Hamilton.

The most expensive project is $1 million for work on the Jones Street bridge over Stoney Creek, located just west of the Powerhouse restaurant.

But Coun. Matt Francis said he’s particularly excited about the $275,000 for a gym expansion at the Sir Wilfrid Laurier Recreation Centre, and $200,000 to complete work on a cricket pitch and pickleball courts at Confederation Beach Park.

He said the latter will open in the spring and people will be able to book the pickleball courts for free on the city’s website.

Francis said he’s also happy to see the first $250,000 of $800,000 budgeted to restore public access to piers by the Burlington Canal.

Plans have yet to be finalized, but could include benches, lighting, railings and resurfacing the piers, he said, adding federal regulations to safeguard the canal and lift bridge restrict what the city can do there.

“It’s a large chunk of land, so no matter what we do, it’s going to be expensive,” he said.

Other 2023 capital projects on the Stoney Creek side of Ward 5 include $200,000 for window restoration at the Gage House at Battlefield House Museum and Park.

Ward 9 in upper Stoney Creek is getting $1.3 million in capital funding for 2023, with $750,000 for a proposed park in the Highbury Meadows development. Other allotments include $200,000 for a bridge on Woodburn Road south of Rymal Road and $173,000 to upgrade Leckie and Byron avenues. Coun. Brad Clark will also have $180,000 in discretionary funding for ward improvements.

Like other Stoney Creek councillors, Beattie will also have a discretionary $180,000 fund for projects not in the capital budget