By Jeff Helsdon
Tillsonburg Post
Tillsonburg council approved a new recreation master plan for the town in principle, but not without first expressing some doubts about the end product.
Leandra Correale Ferguson and Gelila Mekonna of Thinc Design presented council with the final report at the Aug. 12 meeting. It contained 77 recommendations to be completed over the next 10 years. The plan was completed with input from council, as well as a random telephone survey of 300 households, an online mini survey that was completed by 384 people and an open house that 40 attended.
Of note, were statistics from the town and Statistics Canada, which showed the estimated population of the town at 19,503, of which 12 per cent were immigrants. The projected population was 25,463 in 2029 and 27, 514 in 2034.
Amongst the recommendations were:
• Explore opportunities to increase participation and engagement for new residents through a volunteer recruitment strategy.
• Assess opportunities for town to expand preschool and toddler programs in current facilities.
• Development of a youth leisure space.
• Partner for equipment lending with library.
• Expand trail-based recreation in collaboration with local organizations.
• Introduce non-motorized water-based programs on Lake Lisgar.
• Conduct a detailed feasibility study for a third ice pad. Prior to the process starting, work with users to optimize use of the two existing pads.
• Complete a detailed feasibility study to determine the need for new/updated community centre facilities, such as a health club, and new facilities such as multi-purpose space, the seniors centre, a gymnasium and indoor track.
• Examine the possibility of having surrounding municipalities, who benefit from the tourism role of the museum and Station Arts Centre, contribute to capital costs.
• Construct one new hardball and four new softball diamonds.
• Consider the potential development of a major outdoor sports park, including ball diamond and multi-use playing fields through a single study. This could include an indoor artificial turf facility.
• Look at the use of tennis and pickle ball courts.
• Develop a trail system throughout town.
• Examine green burial options at the cemetery.
Coun. Chris Rosehart asked if the community centre would still have a health club when there are private facilities with 24-hour access. Ferguson said this would be addressed in a feasibility study for the community centre.
Coun. Chris Parker pointed out the town paid a lot of money for the master plan and it was supposed to be a guiding document for recreation planning.
“I was hoping to get some of this information from this master plan,” he said. “From what I am seeing, it just recommends we pay for more studies.”
He characterized the study as a cookie-cutter document not tailored to Tillsonburg. He also mentioned the suggestion of a $40,000 study to monitor the tennis court use.
“That’s a little disappointing considering how much we paid for this study,” he said, and which Mayor Deb Gilvesy concurred with.
Coun. Kelly Spencer said she agreed with many of the information bubbles, but suggested they could be better adjusted to suit the town. She was glad to see reference to the Station Arts Centre and museum.
“I’ve heard from people that we’re known as a sports and rec town but the culture and heritage piece can be active. You addressed that,” she said.
Gilvesy asked about the possibility of making parking at Gibson House, which is adjacent to Lake Lisgar, more accessible. Ferguson said there were recommendations surrounding Gibson House parking, but council and the committee overseeing the process asked that to be removed. Gilvesy said she didn’t recall this, but would like it looked at. She also said the southeast part of town is left out of the trail.
When the suggested motion to receive the report, adopt it and include it in the 10-year budget process was put on the floor, Gilvesy suggested alternatively adopting it in principle as there is a lot of money wasted on studies.
“I don’t want this to seem like a Bible where we are following every point because there are flaws,” she said.
A motion was passed to receive the report for information, adopt it in principle as a working document and the director of parks, recreation and culture develop an information strategy to present to council as part of the budget process.
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