Concerns around the Town of Smithers’ Parks and Recreation Master Plan were voiced at tonight’s (Tuesday) council meeting.
This included issues around consultation with current users of Central Park.
“I really feel strongly that any plans for the site must retain some vehicle access to the building, at least in front of the courtyard area,” said Bulkley Valley Museum Curator Kira Westby.
There were also concerns about accessibility and access to the Central Park building.
“While [the master plan] increases the green space, it relies heavily on walking from parking areas into all of the buildings in the culture hub,” said Smithers Art Gallery Manager Nicole Chernish.
Steve Slawuta from RC Strategies made a presentation to council, which addressed a few concerns from previous consultation starting in 2023.
“One of the things we heard about was the location of the outdoor rink and the desire to have it relocated in concepts back to Central Park,” he said.
He also mentioned the importance of keeping the rail car in Central Park where it’s located and about wanting a pickleball court in Smithers.
Instead of moving the outdoor rink to Heritage Park, a sports court would go to its proposed place.
Slawuta added plans are not concrete but rather provide an outlook on how the Central and Heritage Park will look in the future.
A vote to adopt the new master plan was passed unanimously.
Something going on in the Bulkley Valley Lakes District you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
