Have you ever wished there was a splash pad in Haliburton village? Or more soccer fields where you can play the beautiful game? Then Dysart et al wants to hear from you.
The municipality is hosting an open house inside council chambers March 27, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., looking for public feedback and ideas that staff can work into the township’s first parks and recreation master plan.
Approved by council last spring, the document will help to shape priorities in recreation for the next 10-to-20 years, said Andrea Mueller, Dysart’s manager of programs and events.
“We’ve never had a long-term plan, taking a step back and looking at things from a top-down approach across all of parks and recreation,” Mueller said. “We want to establish short, medium and long-term goals that reflect the changing nature of our community. It will guide suggestions for future programming, identify spaces that are underutilized, and be a platform for us to plan for major projects down the road.”
Dysart has contracted Fergus-based consultants pl.ural for $27,480 to assist with its development. Mueller said their staff will be available at next week’s session to update people on what they’ve heard so far – a community survey wrapped last week – and take down new ideas.
She noted nothing is off the table – whether it be a new arena, or even a swimming pool.
“Some people want a splash pad for their kids, others want a new pool or arena so their children can play hockey in a new, updated rink. There are some who think we should have a performing arts centre – there’s so many different ideas… it will be interesting to see what the number one item is that people are recommending.”
While there has been a lot of talk about new recreational facilities being constructed on land the township recently acquired along County Road 21, largely from members of Dysart council, Mueller said nothing concrete has crossed her table.
More important than identifying wants and perceived needs, she said, is figuring out if they’re feasible. That will all be covered in the final report, expected by late summer or early fall.
“You could have a beautiful building, but if it’s not going to be functional then it could be that we’re better off putting our money elsewhere. It’s easy to say ‘we want this’, but if it’s going to cost $25-30 million, then we have to think about how we achieve that. That’s why it’s important to do the research, talk to people and make as informed a decision as possible.
“The more people we hear from, the better. This is going to be for the entire community. It’s important we include voices from all ages and demographics,” Mueller said.
Another feature of the plan, Mueller says, is it would allow the township to quickly formalize applications for government funding when available. “If we’re shovel-ready with our plans, that could push us to the front of the line.”
Head Lake Park
Mueller said there are several enhancements planned for Head Lake Park this summer.
The previous council adopted a master plan for the park in December 2020. In the years since, there has been a new welcome centre constructed, a full replacement of the main playground, and investments to the dog park.
This year, the township is partnering with area businesses to install benches and a new sunshade at the dog park, a sunshade at the playground, and for tree planting. There’s also a planned $500,000 reconstruction of the bridge connecting Head Lake and Rotary Beach parks.
“We’ve been working towards different aspects within the plan for Head Lake Park for the past four years, chipping away year-by-year and making great progress,” Mueller said, noting that document will be absorbed into the wider parks and recreation master plan when completed.
