Deputy Mayor Anita Dubeau encouraged Penetanguishene residents to share input on Martin Valley Park, a phased expansion project with designs to be finalized later this year.
“It’s a big project,” said Dubeau at the committee of the whole meeting. “It is phased, but very important to have input.”
The town acquired additional parkland in 2018 adjacent to the existing Martin Valley Park at 21 John Street, located across from École secondaire Le Caron. Detailed engineering design and consultation on the project took place over the past two years, with a deadline of October 29 to provide staff with feedback on the designs.
“I wanted to encourage our residents to look at the concept, and comment if they haven’t (already),” said Dubeau.
Three schools near the park, being Le Caron, St-Joseph and Canadian Martyrs, were consulted on project design concepts with all supporting the idea of including an outdoor classroom. To the existing park, proposed items include a shelter, additional natural playground features, parking and accessible walkways to connect to new forest trails. The acquired parkland proposes a BMX bike track.
Potential funding opportunities will be explored in 2022, with phase 1 construction planned for 2023 and the bike track construction in 2024.
Dubeau remarked that the project was “ambitious”, to which chair Brian Cummings agreed.
Information on the Martin Valley Park project can be found on the Connect Penetanguishene website. Residents are asked to review the provided engineering design document and mock design amenity photos before providing feedback.
The Martin Valley Park Engineering report presented to council can be found at the committee of the whole agenda on the town of Penetanguishene website.
Meetings of Penetanguishene council are held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, and can be watched live on Rogers TV cable 53, or on the Rogers TV website.
