By David F. Rooney
The City has released a new roadmap for parks, recreation and culture containing 53 recommendations it hopes will result in significant public comment.
The Draft Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan was one year in the making and involved public workshops in December 2009 and March 2010.
“Workshops were also conducted with community stakeholders including Ministry of Forestry and Range, Ministry of Environment, ATV Club, Environmental Committee, Arena users, Arts Council, Curling club, and other agencies and community groups,” the document said. “On May 27 and 28, 2010, additional stakeholder consultations took place with arts and cultural organizations, recreation program providers and the School District.”
Trails, motorized recreation, environmental protection, access to information, support for volunteer organizations, an increased focus on arts and culture and recreation and culture programs aimed at pre-teens and teenagers were identified by as important goals in the master plan based on the following vision:
Based on the information gathered from all sources a series of 53 recommendations were identified to support the development of a comprehensive Parks, Recreation and Culture Plan based on the following vision:
“The residents of the City of Revelstoke recognize the significant recreational, environmental and cultural value that they derive from the area in which they live. Taken together they recognize that these benefits support a very high quality of life that in turn drives a vibrant local economy.
“With this understanding they wish to take action to provide access to a diverse range of recreational opportunities extending from the shorelines to high alpine areas, to preserve a diverse network of ecological greenspace and to support the cultural energy of the community in a way which is both cost-effective and sustainable.”
The recommendations include a call for the acquisition of more parks and green space, renovation of the skateboard facility at Kovach Park, an off-leash area for Columbia Park off Basford Road, identifying locations for more community gardens, creation of a Frisbee Golf Course on publicly owned land in the Big Eddy, a BMX and mountain bike pump track at Kovach Park, a waterfront trail, a trail from the Big Eddy bridge to Lake Revelstoke via the Jordan River and major Revelstoke Golf Club improvements.
Once adopted, the parks, recreation and culture sections of the Official Community Plan will be amended to reflect the final version of the master plan.
Click here to download a draft copy of the document in PDF format . Hard copies are also available for review in the Planning Department.
If you have any recommendations or requests for the proposed Plan, please e-mail Jessica Stuart at jstuart@cityofrevelstoke.com. It is the City’s intention to begin the formal adoption process sometime in February 2011. The document is available for public review and comment until January 28, 2011.
