Owen Sound approves up to date plan for Kelso Seashore at Nawash Park

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A grasp plan developed for Kelso seaside at Nawash Park is recommending capital upgrades totaling near $400,000 over the subsequent 5 years.

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On Monday night, Owen Sound council accepted a Neighborhood Providers Committee advice to just accept its Kelso Seashore at Nawash Park Grasp Plan, which incorporates quite a few suggestions for the important thing metropolis park over the subsequent decade and past.

Adam Parsons, supervisor of parks and open areas and undertaking lead on the grasp plan, introduced it to council, the place he laid out the method that went into creating the plan over the past couple of years in addition to the really useful work to be undertaken on the park sooner or later.

Parsons defined that the brand new plan, carried out utterly in home, updates a 2010 plan for the park.

“It is very important replace because the planning window is over a 10-year interval and plenty of issues have modified over that point,” Parsons stated. “Essential initiatives have been accomplished like phragmites eradication and the institution and building of the Gitche Namewikwedong Reconciliation Backyard.”

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For 2023, the lone capital undertaking within the plan is the set up of a flagpole close to the Gitche Namewikwedong Reconciliation Backyard to fly the Saugeen Ojibway Nation flag. The anticipated value of that undertaking is $8,000.

Over the subsequent 5 years, quite a few capital initiatives are really useful for the park, together with design and engineering work for a deliberate new washroom constructing in 2024 costing $50,000.

The plan additionally features a renewal of the park entrance subsequent yr at a price of $50,000. The work is important “to make sure the property displays its standing as a metropolis park and a focus of native Indigenous heritage and reconciliation, and as a venue for internet hosting vital arts, cultural and athletic occasions,” the report acknowledged. The park has held quite a few occasions up to now, from the annual Summerfolk and different music festivals and concert events, to a Subaru Triathlon Sequence cease final summer time.

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Development work on the brand new washroom is slated for 2025 at a price of $100,000, whereas the relocation and substitute of the playground is forecasted for 2026 at a price of $200,000. The work to interchange the playground, which is on the finish of its helpful life, is a part of town’s five-year capital plan.

An extended-term capital undertaking requires the set up of wayfinding signage and a park map at a price of $15,000 to $25,000 within the six to 10 yr time interval. Parsons famous that many of the suggestions are contingent on grant or partnership funding.

Different proposed work embody parking enhancements, decommissioning the ball diamond, amphitheatre accessibility enhancements, establishing a canteen or seaside rental service, creating regulation seaside volleyball courts, modifications to the primary stage pavilion to function as an open air or closed facility much like work carried out to the downtown farmers’ market, setting up shade sails, electrical upgrades, park boundary delineation, and paving the waterfront path north of the park to 24^th Road West. There’s additionally ongoing work contained within the plan like tree planting, pothole upkeep and shoreline safety and stabilization.

One undertaking that was faraway from the grasp plan following the general public session course of was the substitute of the central pedestrian stone bridge over the stormwater administration pond with a automobile price construction. The present bridge will stay on town’s engineering evaluation of bridges and culverts, Parsons stated.