Monday 29 September 2014

Woodstock's parks and trails (Part Two)


Armstrong park, pickle ball courts and playground equipment
By Mark Schadenberg

PART TWO:
Every city – Woodstock most certainly included naturally – needs an abundance of green spaces for parks and trails and for nature.
Keep in mind, like all municipal services parks cost money as trails need to be maintained, grass must be cut, and playground equipment needs to be upgraded and replaced.
The city parks department under the helm of Chris Kern and recreation department boss Brian Connors (pictured) have done a terrific job building new playgrounds for children and improving others.

A drive around the Friendly City will see sparkling new (replacing olde) play sets at Armstrong Park, Eastdale School (City paid for senior elementary equipment, while school fundraiser built primary area), Les Cook Park, the tiny neighbourhood park on Marlboro Court, and elsewhere.
As the city grows and expands brand new parks are popping up, including the David Lowes Memorial Park on Lakeview Drive on the west side of Highway 59. As chair of the recreation advisory committee (WRAC), I wrote the report to city council to have the park named after the prominent local businessman and volunteer who passed away a few years ago. With a hearty thanks to the Rotary Club and its massive donation, that playground set might be among the top three in Woodstock.
Playground equipment is not cheap, and when you factor in the installation, landscaping, walkways, and many safety features, a brand new impressive playground set could easily cost north of $150,000. This is where my tax dollar question would apply. If everyone is mobile (car and bicycles) and assuming (we should never assume, I realize) families will and can travel a relatively short distance to an impressive array of climbers, slides and swings, should we or should we not expect a gigantic park project every 10 blocks or so? Sometimes, parks do become too much of a good thing due to the 'dollar signs' attached. At Armstrong Park (pictured), an ancient swing and teeter totter were replaced with quite an expansive and impressive structure.

Less than two municipal blocks north is Park Row park, which has also enjoyed a transformation as ancient tennis courts have been converted to pickle ball courts and an adjoining basketball court has been refurbished. The pickle ball venue (pictured) will be a destination-by-car court space as only demand will demand getting more built.
 
 

I'm not running for city council (not this term anyway), and I do wear both my Realtor's hat, which wants to promote all neighbourhoods, plus my WRAC toque when I suggested a few massive budget items are not far away, including the Woodall Farm park (About 96 acres fronting on Devonshire Avenue and east of Ecole Marguerite Bourgeoys) which must happen. That park will require another set of modern monkey bars, sway features and pretend climbing walls. That park will also require a 'free community' splash pad feature and another pool to replace Lion's Pool on VanSittart. The main focus there must remain a minimum of four correct-dimensions ball diamonds as its absolute top priority.

  
LINKS:



Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative
Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)
Royal LePage Triland Realty
757 Dundas St, Woodstock
(519) 537-1553, cell or text
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter: markroyallepage
Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland
Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination
 
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