Grimston Park wading pool: Should it stay or should it go?

A new multi-sport court, an off-leash area for dogs and a bike pump track are proposed for Grimston Park — but the fate of the wading pool is unclear.

At its Sept. 21 meeting, council received a draft Grimston Park master plan, a long-range framework that will help the city plan changes to the park that meet the needs of current and future residents.

During the master plan’s consultation process, the city heard from 477 people via an online survey on Be Heard New West (305 survey responses); pop-up events at public events (172 participants) and a workshop with nine local sports organizations.

The report stated most participants (51 per cent) favoured a concept that consolidates active sports in a central hub and keeps the perimeter green, quiet and open for views.

Here are some of the recommendations in the draft master plan:

· preserving the ball diamond

· converting the aging lacrosse box into a multisport court, which could be used for pickleball, basketball, ball hockey and lacrosse

· repurposing the tennis courts for a new bike pump track (the report states the courts are at end of life, and this option would not cause damage to the surrounding mature tree roots)

· removing the “aging” New Westminster Welcomes You sign and restoring the slope to nature. (This hillside could include pollinator meadows, scenic lookouts toward the Fraser River and potential opportunities for community placemaking nd public art)

According to a staff report, 67 per cent of participants in the consultation process supported replacing the end-of-life wading pool with a modern water feature; 62 per cent support a splash pad.

“While some residents expressed nostalgia for the traditional wading pool, transition to an inclusive splash pad eliminates 4.2 million liters of seasonal potable water waste, extends seasonal operating hours and provides safe, inclusive and barrier-free cooling for all ages and abilities,” said the report.

Coun. Tasha Henderson said she supports plans to retain the park’s “tobogganing hill” and baseball diamond and noted there is “a lot of excitement” for the bike pump park, which would be a new feature in New West. Henderson, however, said she would like to continue the conversation about the wading pool.

“I am not convinced that we should replace the wading pool with a spray park,” she said. “ I hear the environmental concerns about water consumption. I understand that in its current formation is not something that feel accessible to every family or every user. I know that it needs a staff person. I also know that it is a beloved water feature, particularly for caregivers of young children.”

Henderson said some spray parks aren’t conducive to toddlers and noted residents living on the west side of the city have less easy access to outdoor pool spaces than residents in other parks of New West. She said some of the comments provided in the consultation piece spoke to how unique and important the wading pool asset is to the city.

“I don’t know what a hybrid looks like. I would just like to continue the conversation around that,” she said. “But I also don’t want to hold up the whole park plan to start getting some of those other exciting features in place.”

Coun. Ruby Campbell also expressed support for “a hybrid” that incorporates a wading pool and spray park feature. Coun. Jaimie McEvoy said the wading pool provides an ability for caregivers to be nearby while children play in the water.

Coun. Daniel Fontaine put forward a motion that council defer consideration of the Grimston Park master plan, so community members know what’s being proposed. He said the draft plan was part of a council agenda posted on the city’s website on a Wednesday and scheduled for consideration the following Monday.

“I am afraid we are now about to endorse something and approve something that hasn’t really been, even as a draft document, really socialized with the public,” he said. “And while it may be amazing, notwithstanding the issues with the wading pool, I just think it’s rushed. I think it would be better to hold off and not approve this tonight.”

Dean Gibson, the city’s director of parks and recreation, said council recently approved a commitment to rehabilitating the Grimston Park lacrosse box with Growing Community Funds, so the report was brought forward to show how the proposed multisport box fits in with the master plan. He said staff can report back to council at the beginning of October with any input from the community.

“Pushing it further down the road will ultimately mean we are dealing with this, most likely, later this year or earlier next year, bumping off the work for dealing with the multisport court at that site,” he said.

In a 5-1 vote, council supported Fontaine’s motion to refer the item to its Oct. 5 meeting to give the public time to provide input.

Mayor Patrick Johnstone supported the deferral motion.

“I don’t think the conversation of splash pad versus wading pool versus other options can be addressed in the next two weeks,” he said. “It is a longer conversation with the community.”

Campbell opposed the referral motion, saying she does not want to delay the process when the opportunity for further input is built into the plan.

The “next steps” outlined in the staff report include continuing ongoing dialogue with interest groups and the broader community as specific capital project proceed to detailed technical design. This includes the multi-sport box, splash pad, playground, pump track and dog off-leash area features.

Gibson said the master plan provides a long-term view for the management and development of Grimston Park. He said the components included in the master plan will include further engagement over time to refine concepts on the plan, so it meets the needs of residents of the day.

“There is lots of room within the master planned developed projects to continue to add value as the process goes along,” he said. “This is not an off-the-shelf thing that we are necessarily baking in as the final concept. And the plan itself does not suggest in sufficient detail all those finer pieces.”

The staff report Grimston Park is located within a designated transit-oriented development area, so it will need to function as a “community backyard” and gathering space for people who will eventually move into multi-family housing in the area and have limited private outdoor space.

Following the meeting, the City of New Westminster’s Sept. 24 CityPage informed community members the draft master plan and What We Heard report are available to review and should be consider by council on Oct. 5