(Posted 7:30 p.m., April 23)
City unveils plans for Cardinal Creek park
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

City staff met with members of the Springridge and East Village communities on Wednesday night to unveil their plans for Park 18B which is situated just to the south of Springridge between the sub-division and the future Frank Kenny extension.

The plans call for a mini-soccer field; three play areas for toddlers, juniors and seniors; a splash pad; a beach volleyball court; a puddle rink; a basketball court and lots of open space and shade trees.

Residents who saw the architectural drawings of the park during Wednesday’s meeting were impressed with what’s being proposed.

“I’m a happy camper. It looks phenomenal,” said Cardinal Creek Community Association vice-president Rachelle Cyr-Kelderman. “Most everything we had asked for is here.”

The park itself will be in two phases. The first phase will include the mini-soccer field and the play areas. The second phase, which will depend on the presence of city services, will include the splash pad, the beach volleyball court and the basketball courts.

The play areas will each have the latest play structure technology including an accessible swing for kids with physical disabilities. The senior play area, which is being designed for older kids between the ages of eight and 11, will include elements which the planners describe as a little more adventurous than what will be in the junior play area.

Park 18A, which will include a full-size soccer field and tennis courts, won’t be built until after the second phase of Park 18B is completed.

If all goes well, construction of the first phase of 18B will begin in late August. Construction of the second phase will depend on city council’s approval of the budget.

The space is being designed as a “neighbourhood park”, which means that it’s purpose is to serve the local neighbourhood. Neighbourhood parks are usually designed without any requirement for parking. However, because of it’s close proximity to the future Frank Kenny extension, the city plans to build a small parking lot with 10 spaces to serve residents in the East Village sub-division.

The fact that Park 18B and 18A are both situated on the other side of the Frank Kenny extension from East Village has been a bone of contention, but the city planners have provided two access points to the park at signalized intersections.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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