Nobleton park will be ready by 2016

February 10, 2015 · 0 Comments

By Mark Pavilons
Nobleton will be home to King’s newest, innovative recreational space.
The public flocked to the final meeting last week, offering their input into the new Metrus Community Park Block.
The large, 21-acre (8.5 hectare) park will be host a wide variety of unique features, literally offering something for everyone. The park is located behind Nobleton Senior Public School and is flanked by Park Heights Trail and Goodfellow Crescent.
Among the features to be included in this facility will be a splash pad, soccer field, modern playground equipment, walkways, trails, furnishings and even a hill for tobogganing.
Chris Fasciano, King’s director of Parks, Recreation and Culture, said they’ve gathered feedback and input from the community, from a previous consultation session and survey. The plan is to have the park open for 2016.
Mike Tocher, partner with consulting landscape architects thinc design, said once the final park design is created, they hope to go to tender in March with construction beginning in May.
The property is large and the topography, he said, is both beneficial and a challenge. They want to keep a substantial portion of the park natural. They’re working with an existing slope and one of the challenges is trying to incorporate the two existing lagoons for the public to enjoy safely.
The first phase will include all of the typical amenities, including a decent parking lot. The second phase, money and resources permitting, will include bike and hiking trails, a skateboard park and perhaps an off-leash dog park.
Several teen skateboard enthusiasts were anxious to hear more about the skateboard facility. Fasciano said while it’s slated for the second phase, he wants to move forward on it, given the huge success of the facility in King City.
Tocher said the park will include shade structures, plenty of benches, hard and soft walkways. They may also include a labyrinth as a fun and aesthetically pleasing feature.
Four concept drawings were presented for the public to look at, to get a feel for the layout of the park. The final layout will likely be a combination of all of the best designs.
There will be little impact on existing residents, with buffers ranging from 20 to 60 metres around the perimeter.
One woman wanted to know whether the soccer goal posts will be portable and that seems to be the case. Also, Fasciano noted the goalmouth sees the most wear and tear and they’re looking at the feasibility of artificial turf. The soccer field can be used by the local organization.
The dog park, although not planned for the initial phase, would be a fenced area. One resident noted that in other areas, local dog owners band together to ensure it’s run and maintained properly.
Another resident wanted to know whether there’s any provision for an outdoor skating rink in the winter. There isn’t at this point.
Will the facility generate a lot of additional traffic in the neighbourhood? Fasciano noted the concepts call for between 45 and 85 parking spaces.
A local businessman wanted to know what remediation plans there are for the two lagoons. Fasciano noted they’ve engaged a consultant to look into that, to ensure these features are used property and safely.
While permanent washrooms aren’t typical features, there will be portable toilets on site.
Many of the details will be hammered out through the design process and the ultimate decision is in the hands of council.
For more, visit www.king.ca or contact Fasciano at cfasciano@king.ca.