Woodall Farm could be (should be) park complex

I went to city council on Thursday Dec 15 as current chair of Woodstock Recreation Advisory Committee, to say that our volunteer civic committee (appointed by council) agreed with City Staff and Council (from their Sept. 15 meeting) on its decision to dedicate part of city-owned Woodall Farm (90+ acres; on Devonshire Ave and immediately east of new French school) for a 4- or 5-diamond ball complex.
The future could include a satellite library, hockey arena, indoor or outdoor pool, basketball and/or tennis courts, and an indoor gymnasium for all age groups, and certainly many varied sports and leisure activities.
It will be at least 3 years before the ball park vision becomes reality.
Here's the story from The Sentinel-Review on the project:

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Former farm could become park complex

By Bruce Urquhart Sentinel-Review

WOODSTOCK – Council took another important step Thursday towards a new ball diamond complex in the city's northeast corner.

Endorsing a recommendation from its recreation advisory committee (WRAC), council agreed to allocate "in principle" a suitable amount of land from the city-owned Woodall Farm property for a future recreation complex. Council also directed city staff to include funds in the 2012 capital budget for a preliminary site design.

The proposed ball diamond complex – the first phase of what could be an impressive new facility – would involve a minimum of five lit ball diamonds designed specifically to accommodate the needs of adult leagues. As part of the first phase, the committee also urges the construction of a permanent building that houses two dressing rooms, a concession stand, three bathrooms, and storage and utility areas.

For its part, the committee offered to do some research for the city to make sure the "exact needs" of users are met. With a goal of May 1, 2015, for completion of the estimated $2.25- to $4-million project, the committee wants to determine a projected number of teams to help define a possible financial commitment from local leagues. The committee also wants to explore possible corporate sponsorships, the revenue potential of hosting "major tournaments" and the "qualifying process" of obtaining senior government grants.

But the committee – and, in principle, council – want to preserve much of the 36-hectare Woodall property for an expansive park complex, envisioning a number of future phases that reflect facets of the city's 2005 recreation and leisure master plan.

"The (committee) is adamant in its consensus that much of this (36-hectare) land parcel should now and immediately be defined and reserved as a future location for a multi-purpose municipal facility/park," committee chair Mark Schadenberg said in his delegation to council.

The future phases, if approved, would incorporate a new indoor gymnasium with basketball courts and change rooms, a potential satellite library, a new ice pad with 600-person seating, an indoor Olympic-size swimming pool, an outdoor splash pad, tennis courts and open-air concrete pads for basketball and similar activities. With these phases, the park complex would need sufficient administrative and storage space to support this broad range of activities.

"Given all of the foregoing opportunities, it is also critical that the new 'park complex' be located in an appropriate area, but that enough lands be dedicated to provide sufficient space for a truly multipurpose facility," Schadenberg said.

The possibility of a new ball diamond complex was first raised with council in June following a review of "the current state and number of ball diamonds" by an ad hoc WRAC subcommittee. At the time, council directed city staff to review possible sites for a ball diamond complex. In September, staff provided council with four possible sites for the new complex and requested that WRAC offer its insight.

"After some debate, the former Woodall Farm site was deemed to warrant further study," Schadenberg noted.