Renovated parks a hit, Diodati says
Mayor Jim Diodati says the public response to five playground redevelopments last weekend “has been huge.”
“The one that people are really commenting on everywhere I go is the workout equipment (along the Niagara Falls Lions Legacy Pathway at Thorold Stone Road and Stanley Avenue),” he said.
“Everywhere I go now, all ages, people are stopping me and saying that is the best idea. Every time I drive by, people are working out on it.”
Diodati said residents also enjoy the new accessible artificial turf at newly redeveloped playgrounds at Glenview Park; Stamford Lions Park; Gustavus Munro Park; Westfield Park; and Prince Edward Park.
He said the artificial turf signals a “total new direction for us.”
“We used to use wood chips, but the problem is you find broken glass, you get needles, the cats burying their business in there. (Artificial turf is) safer.”
The five redeveloped playgrounds officially opened last Saturday, as part of the city’s Operation Awesome Playgrounds initiative, which Diodati announced during his state of the city address last year.
The plan is to install 10 new playgrounds a year, and the five that officially opened last weekend were holdovers from last year.
City officials said 10 more playgrounds are planned for this year and should be completed by fall.
The sites are spread out geographically across the city and include: AJ McKinley Park; Grey Robinson Park; John N. Allan Park; Wilson Park; Chippawa West Park; Carolyn Park; Mount Forest Park; Shirley Park; Lind Sommerville Park; and Russell Park.
Along with new playground equipment, the improvements include benches, picnic tables, bike racks, signage and landscaping —with certain features selected based on neighbourhood consultation.
On Friday, the city will hold ribbon-cutting celebrations for improvement projects at George Bukator Park and Riverview Park.
Visitors will be able to explore the new features and enjoy light refreshments, first at George Bukator Park at 3 p.m., then at Riverview Park at 4 p.m.
George Bukator Park is located along the north bank of the Welland River between Stanley Avenue and the Ontario Hydro Canal, and is approximately 26 acres in size.
Completed improvements include two kilometres of stone dust hiking trail; controlled access to the park, including continuous vehicular barrier to address ATVs and motorcycles; consolidated parking areas from three to two; restoration of eroded shoreline areas and former parking lots with appropriate native trees and shrubs; and improved signage.
Riverview Park is located in the south end of Niagara Falls between Sarah Street and Cattell Drive, and is eight acres in size.
Completed improvements include a new playground area with accessible turf surfacing; a refurbished tennis court; new full-size basketball/multi-purpose court and spectator benches; a looping trail system connecting Cattell Drive to Sarah Street; bench fit exercise stations along the looping trail system; a natural ice rink with seating; an asphalt parking lot at Cattell Drive; a children’s soccer field; open green space for informal play; refurbished park signage; and new tree planting.
Meanwhile, Diodati said the rubberized track installed at the Gale Centre last year for free public use has also been “hugely popular.”
The track is located in rink one, on the second floor.
“You go in there in the mornings, there’s at least 50 people at any time and it’s growing,” he said, adding it will likely get more popular during winter.