'Year of Renewal' for St. Catharines parks and recreational infrastructure

It’s been a summer of revitalization at St. Catharines parks, with the City recently celebrating the completion of its fifth park renewal project since June. Combined with three other parks renewal projects breaking ground this fall, the $3-million investment in recreational infrastructure will improve visitor experience, accessibility, and provide even more opportunities to keep everyone active.

The City investment built new accessible and inclusive playgrounds and multi-use courts for tennis, basketball, and ball hockey, and the renewal projects also included new accessible walkways, tree plantings and park benches.

Last Thursday, the City unveiled the new multi-use court for tennis, basketball and ball hockey at Port Dalhousie Lions Park at 205 Main St. The final reopening this year, it followed a series of Parks Renewal Plan project reopenings since June, including:

• St. Patrick’s Park: multi-use court and accessible walkways and benches
• Valleyview Park: playground, including swings, multi-use court and accessible walkways and benches
• Louis Avenue Park: multi-use court and accessible walkways and benches
• Elma Street Park: multi-use court and accessible walkways and benches

The work doesn’t end there. More investments will be made in recreational amenities across the City over the coming weeks. This fall, shovels will hit the ground on Community Park’s tennis courts, Burgoyne Woods Park play equipment and Alex Mackenzie Park play equipment and basketball court, the remaining park projects that were included in this year’s City’s Parks Renewal Plan.

“I am proud of the investments made by this term, and the last term of Council,” Mayor Mat Siscoe said.

“We have faced a real need for improvements in our parks for a very long time, but it’s only in the last few years where we have taken the concrete steps to actually improve our recreational infrastructure,” the Mayor continued. “Our goal is to ensure that this is a city where everyone has the opportunity to play, and this Council will continue to invest to make sure that happens.”

Meanwhile, construction is underway on the Secord Woods splashpad, complete with washroom and sun shelter. Project completion is expected by year’s end with a planned opening next spring.

Also next spring, construction is expected to begin on new play equipment and a multi-use court at Bartlett Park.

Eric Lamothe, Manager of Community Initiatives and Partnerships, called 2024 the City’s “Year of Renewal”. The City renewed two parks in 2023, and prior to that, about one park a year, he said. In 2021, Council increased Parks Renewal Plan funding from about $300,000 a year to more than $1.5 million starting in the 2022 Capital Budget.

“This has been our busiest year ever,” Lamothe said. “It has been a ‘Year of Renewal,’ and it goes beyond parks. We rehabilitated the Kiwanis Turf Field and opened Williamson Point.”

Kiwanis Turf Field reopened in June. The capital project to replace the turf field, football goalposts and soccer net came in at just under $1 million, below its $1.3-million budget. Opened in 2011, the turf field used by groups including football, lacrosse and soccer was at the end of its useful life and due for replacement.

Last month, the City celebrated the opening of Williamson Point at Malcolmson Eco-Park, named after the nearly 25-year Port Weller lighthouse keepers, Cyril and Ethel Williamson. It features benches overlooking the Welland Canal, landscaping, and a sign sharing the history of the late couple who ensured the safe navigation of ships and mariners entering and exiting Welland Canal from Lake Ontario.

Jim Richardson, Chair of the City’s Recreation Master Plan Advisory Committee, said the City is updating many parks, courts and playgrounds installed about 30 years ago due to changes in equipment, safety elements, and accessibility requirements.

“It’s great,” Richardson said of the newly reopened parks and those scheduled to open next year. “We’ve gone through a lot of public meetings and consultations regarding the local parks and what the residents want to see. It’s gratifying to see the Parks Renewal Plan projects become reality.”

The decision to adopt and install multi-use courts for tennis, basketball and ball hockey, or some combination of the three depending on park size, ensures “we utilize every square foot that we can,” in park renewal, Richardson said.