An initial city concept plan for the first phase of Clear Skies Park included a multi-use court, asphalt pathways, a sheltered concrete pad, trees, open green space, swings, a slide and other children’s play structures.
City hopes to break ground on centre by mid-2025, councillor says
Construction is set to proceed on two new neighbourhood parks in Waterdown this year, with a bigger prize — the area’s first-ever recreation centre — in the works.
An initial city concept plan for the first phase of Clear Skies Park included a multi-use court, asphalt pathways, a sheltered concrete pad, trees, open green space, swings, a slide and other children’s play structures.
Construction is set to proceed on two new neighbourhood parks in Waterdown this year, with a bigger prize in the works — a recreation centre next door to the Harry Howell Twin-Pad Arena by Clappison’s Corners.
The city’s 2024 capital budget earmarks $2.2 million for a feasibility study on the rec centre while budgeting about $1 million apiece for the first phases of Clear Skies and Smokey Hollow parks, with the latter two funded by development charges.
“That’s how you build strong, healthy communities,” said Coun. Ted McMeekin, adding Smokey Hollow Park is overdue, delayed by slow development of the surrounding Mountainview Heights neighbourhood, located south of Highway 5.
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The first phase of the park will go on land on the east side of a water tower on Skinner Road, he said, with land on the west side owned by Hamilton’s public school board, which is awaiting provincial funding for an elementary school there.
“The first stage will be this summer and hopefully when the rest of the development occurs, the other half of the park or another mini park will be developed,” McMeekin said.
The first phase of Clear Skies Park will be on a 1.1-hectare lot north of Sadielou Boulevard between McCurdy Avenue and Gunby Boulevard, with an expansion to come on similarly sized land to the northeast.
The city held an online public consultation last summer on a concept plan for the first phase, which included a multi-use court, asphalt pathways, a sheltered concrete pad, trees, open green space, swings, a slide and other children’s play structures.
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A webpage on the project notes staff will consider other features suggested by residents, including pollinator gardens, extra benches and a drinking fountain.
McMeekin said the city hopes to begin construction on Waterdown’s first-ever recreation centre, budgeted at $27.9 million, by the middle of next year to allow it to open by the end of 2025, a timeline that is “real fast.”
This year’s feasibility study will include design work, assessment of water, sewer and other infrastructure needs, determining the source of funding and potential user groups, and public consultation on what the centre should include, like a pool, he said.
“We’ve got people clamouring for racquetball courts. I had a letter the other day from the soccer club saying they wanted their gym in the new rec centre to be Astroturf,” he said.
“My response to all these groups is, ‘Well, there’s going to be consultation and there will be opportunity for you to make your case.’ We’ve probably got five different groups that have completely consumed the recreation centre with what they want to see happen.”
McMeekin said the site is about 3.2 hectares, big enough to potentially phase in different elements over time.
“You build the centre and then maybe you build pickleball courts as part of that or something else as part of that outside,” he said. “It’s going to be a big project and it’s going to make a real difference in our community.”
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