Parks and rec plan almost finished

A wide-ranging comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan will soon be available for public comment.

Consultants presented Belleville city council with a final draft plan Monday.

The Master Plan contains recommendations on what future parks, trails, and recreation facilities will be needed over the next decade as the city grows and which existing parks and facilities need upgrades in the near future.

Among the many recommendations in the report are new ball diamonds in Thurlow and a priority focus on court facilities such as tennis, basketball, and pickleball courts throughout the city.

Active and passive parkland is also a big part of the report as are trails and connected cycling and walking routes.

However Monday city council spent a lot of time discussing the recommendation for a new multi-use facility featuring ice pads and aquatic facilities to be located somewhere in the west end of Belleville, which is growing rapidly.

Mayor Mitch Panciuk said a location should be selected soon for a future multi-use building so the public, developers, and realtors would know what to to expect in a few years time.

He also suggested development charge updates would need to take into consideration the role new growth had in creating a need for a new facility.

As it stands the proposed building would not be as big as the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre.

The city’s Director of Finance and Treasurer Carol Hinze says asset management and replacement is the number one priority from a financial perspective.

“Beyond that we can look at, through capital budgeting, I know that one of the projects that’s already in the budget is looking at a new multi-use facility so there’s a little bit of seed money started there.”

The final draft Master Plan will be on the city’s website very soon and a public meeting on it is expected within the next six weeks.  Council will likely make a final decision sometime in the new year.