A playground and park on Wellington Street in Port Coquitlam has become place a place to play and enjoy the spring weather for Lesley-Anne Gray and her daughter Orianna.
As her older children march off to Irvine elementary, Kwayhquitlum middle and Terry Fox secondary schools, Gray likes to spend some one-on-one time with her three-year-old at the forested park in the Glenwood neighbourhood on the city’s north side.
But the park and its playground is starting to show its age — it was manufactured in 1999 — so the mom is pleased to learn the park is getting an upgrade in the coming weeks.
The upgrade is among five playgrounds that will be renovated this year at a cost of $973,000 as part of the city’s 2021 capital plan.
The plan for Wellington Park, located at 3655 Wellington Street, is to include climbing, balance, natural play and swing elements with the goal of providing a social and play space utilizing natural materials that will fit well within the forested park.
Here’s what the plan is for other four parks:
• Chelsea Park, 1277 Chelsea Avenue
The plan for this park is to to install new playground equipment, and surfacing within the park, including new asphalt pathway construction. Features to include slides, swings, elevated structures and spring/seesaw components.
• Elks Park, 2370 Shaughnessy Street
• Located in the downtown core area, the new playground is intended to be a “signature play space” adjacent to the Donald Walkway. Work will include new playground equipment, and surfacing within the park, including new asphalt pathway construction. Features to include slides, swings, elevated structures and spring/seesaw components.
• Imperial Park, 2805 St. Michael Street
Imperial Park is a well treed park that provides a natural backdrop for a new natural themed playground. The play space will be comprised of natural elements and materials, and features a new asphalt pathway construction to the street. Features to include climbing, balance, natural play and swing elements.
• Pinemont Park, 3399 Fir Street
A neighbourhood park located in the northeast sector of the city, the plan is to supply and install new playground equipment, and surfacing within the park. Features to include slides, swings, elevated structures and spring/seesaw components.
Meanwhile, the city has numerous other projects on the go this year, as part of its $28 million 2021 capital plan.
The list of improvements includes the following:
• Major improvements on Prairie Avenue and Kingsway Avenue to improve appearance, function and safety.
• Redevelopment of McAllister Avenue to a more walkable street
• Design of Veterans Park and Leigh Square improvements.
• Completion of the four-year city-wide LED streetlight conversion project.
• Rehabilitation of approximately five kilometres of road and almost five kilometres of utility infrastructure.
• $1.2 million for sidewalk and pedestrian safety improvements.
• $275,000 for traffic calming.
• $300,000 for school and park safety improvements.
• $973,000 for upgrades to parks, trails and to playgrounds at Chelsea, Elks, Pinemont, Imperial and Wellington parks.
