Let's Draft a Vision for Erith Park

February 5, 2021

The Town of Hinton wants to begin evaluation of how to make the most of one of our most loved parks - Erith park!

The Hinton Wheeled Park Association, a local organization, presented a revitalization of Erith Park project to Hinton Town Council and Administration. Following this, the Hinton Town Council gave direction that administration begins informing residents of the Erith Park area for new recreation and park facilities, as well as the rehabilitation of existing facilities.

What You Need to Know

• We want to speak directly with proximal Erith Park area residents about their concerns and needs.

• Nothing is committed to at this time.

• The vision of this project is an overall community benefitting facility; working to address existing concerns while imagining a park that also delivers more recreation opportunity in the community.

What Will be Happening

Between now and the coming Council meetings on this matter in February and March (read more below), Town Administration will be distributing door hangers (following safety restrictions and no physical contact) in proximal Erith Park areas informing of the plans moving forward, and how residents can expect to be involved and when input will be solicited. Simultaneously, information will be shared via CivicSend and Hinton.ca/Erith, including images, recordings, and other contextual pieces of information.

Background

This action comes following the presentation of the concept of an all-wheel park to Council in early 2021, and ahead of the return of this concept for discussion in February.

View the Council Meeting here.

Find the presentation in the agenda package, available here.

The concept being discussed is an all-wheel park, as supported by the Hinton Wheeled Park Association (HWPA). As presented to Council during the most recent HWPA delegation presentation on January 12, 2021 Council meeting, the next step to advance this project is to secure Erith Park lands for the purpose of advancing the All-Wheel Park project proposal.

Securing the land through motion of Council will enable the HWPA to initiate their marketing plan, seek monetary and in-kind donations, pursue grant funding, and begin engagement strategies. As highlighted in the recent delegation presentation, this site was chosen in the preliminary phases prior to the 2019 presentation to Council.

At that time, the site was chosen based on the following:

• Hill Location
• Designated Recreation/Parks Land Use
• Available square footage
• Cleared and graded – flat location desirable
• Near other trails Alignment with Parks, Open Spaces, and Trails Master Plan

Upon review of the All-Wheel Park proposal in December of 2020, and through the evaluation process, Senior Leadership identified additional opportunities and limitations that exist at this site as related to the proposed park.

• Erith Park playground replacements that are scheduled within capital plans in 2023 and beyond can be adjusted to align with All Wheel Park construction phases
• Capital funds could be leveraged to assist with future funding of portions of the All Wheel Park area, update the playground as scheduled, and/or address current and projected parking issues that occur in the Erith Park area.
• To address drainage and in an effort to align similar works in the area for efficiency, similar to the above, some infrastructure capital projects related to inground work (storm systems) could be aligned to coincide with All Wheel Park construction, thus reducing year over year interruptions to local residents and park users.
• Administration also recognized the limitations of the site and project, noting that the project should align with qualities of a neighborhood park, and is not being designed or marketed as a tourist draw.