ST. PAUL - The Town of St. Paul has decided which park will receive a new playground this year.
Residents living in the area of Kendelstick Park will soon be able to enjoy some new equipment, after the current playground equipment was deemed among the oldest play structures in town.
During the May 10 regular Town of St. Paul council meeting, council went over the top four parks that were listed as the oldest structures in town. Following Kendelstick Park, the Kinsmen Park located near St. Paul Regional High School is also listed as needing replacement. Then, the older playground in the Spring Creek subdivision is listed, followed by one of the playgrounds at Lagasse Park.
All four playgrounds are the older wooden structure type.
A new playground was approved in the Town's capital budget for 2021, at a cost of $100,000.
CAO Kim Heyman said the Town is looking to see if there are any grants available to help with the playground replacement, such as the grant that was received to help with the replacement of the play structure near the ball diamonds. A grant was received to install a new rubber surface at the playground in that case.
Coun. Nathan Taylor said that in the future, he would like to see a type of "traffic count" done at the parks.
Mayor Maureen Miller noted that some parks "come and go" based on the movement of the neighbourhood. She noted the area near Kendelstick Park includes a number of multi-unit buildings, and the neighbourhood will likely appreciate the new playground.
Council approved the recommendation to move forward with replacing the playground equipment at Kendelstick Park.
Outdoor Recreation facility
A decision has yet to be made regarding the location of a proposed outdoor recreation facility, but discussions continue to take place. During councillor reports at the May 10 meeting, it was noted that there could be a third location proposed for the facility.
While that location was not confirmed, Miller said it has been referred back to the Parks and Recreation Board.
Interactive sidewalk project
Council agreed to support an interactive sidewalk project that was proposed by the St. Paul Youth Council (SPYC).
SPYC has been considering how the community can use public spaces to create engagement and activity, heard council.
Many municipalities have used sidewalks, or other common areas, to paint interactive designs, such as hop scotch in a bid to engage residents of all ages.
SPYC and a partnering artist will do the painting for the project, in kind. The location proposed for the interactive sidewalk art would be in front of FCSS building, located at 5002-51 Ave. Funding for the paint will come from the FCSS budget.
Miller spoke in favour of the proposal, saying she would love to see a location found every summer. She noted it could be a great option to make main street more interactive also.
"It'll be nice to see it," said Miller, after council approved the request.
Tax Rate bylaw gets second and third readings
The second and third readings of the 2021 Tax Rate Bylaw were approved by council on May 10. The bylaw is required to be passed after the capital and operating budgets are approved.
First reading of the bylaw, which sets the tax rates for the year, was carried at the previous regular council meeting.
$10,000 donation to Champions for Change
A letter was received by the Town of St. Paul from Gift Funds Canada informing them that Champions for Change had been chosen as a recipient of a $10,000 donation.
"This grant is to be used for the Champions for Change, Lions Park improvements, in honour of Bert and Aline Pratch. Cashing the cheque will confirm your acceptance of the grant consistent with this use," reads the letter.
"Truly, it's a huge gift to our community," said Miller, in response to the letter.
Gift Funds Canada is a registered public foundation that holds and manages endowed Charitable Gift Funds for individuals and organizations across Canada.
