A new concept plan for a park in Burquitlam is expected to turn a small, sleepy green space into a major amenity for one of Coquitlam’s fastest growing neighbourhoods.
City council approved on Monday a concept plan for Cottonwood Park that will see the area more than double in size by 2020 from its current 2.2 acres, with plans to eventually expand to 11.5 acres in the years to come.
Phase 1A, which includes a water park, children’s play area, bathrooms, basketball court and picnic facilities, is expected to be completed by the end of 2018 while Phase 1B, which adds sports fields, a ball diamond and tennis courts, will be completed in 2020.
The plan “makes sure there is a good balance between areas of rest, areas of play and areas of general movement within the park,” said Andre Isakov, Coquitlam’s manager of park planning and design.
The city received an additional 2.55 acres of land for the expansion as part of last year’s agreement with Concert Properties, putting the total size for the first two phases at 4.75 acres.
But the recently approved Burquitlam-Lougheed Neighbourhood Plan identifies approximately 30 properties in the surrounding area that the city hopes to eventually acquire for future park expansion.
That could allow for Phases 2 and 3, which would add more parking, additional fields and tennis courts and an expanded picnic area. Those phases would cost an additional $7 million, bringing the total price tag to $13.5 million, according to estimates contained in a staff report.
Last year, the city signed an agreement with Concert Properties, which has agreed to build a YMCA facility in conjunction with a mixed-use development on 2.1 acres of the 3.6-acre Burquitlam Park. In exchange for the park land, the developer agreed to give the city the 2.55 acres for the Cottonwood Park expansion.
“Both the new YMCA and the expansion of Cottonwood Park will be great community assets,” Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said at the time. “And through the innovative partnership with the YMCA and Concert Properties, we will achieve substantial community and financial benefit for Coquitlam residents — much more than what might have been achieved by acting alone.”
The YMCA recreation facility is expected to be built by 2021.
