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Mono lays out 2025 recreation capital needs

October 17, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS

Mono’s recreation needs are immediate.

As such, Kim Heaton, the town’s recreation director, asked that council greenlight a list of her department’s requests as part of 2025 municipal capital and operational budget discussions.

“This is not a wish list budget,” she said during council’s Oct. 8 meeting. “This is a budget that I’ve put forth to council, letting you know what needs to be done.”

The proposed spending plan contains a little more than $400,000 in capital projects. There’s about $160,000 in reserve funds, she said.

She said there are no numbers in the department’s 2025 municipal capital budget requests that reflect any needs of the local tennis, pickleball, lawn bowling, or Nordic ski clubs.

“If you would like additional items added to this capital budget, all you need to do is let me know and I will do so at the direction of council,” she said.

The department will continue its focus on recreation infrastructure, ensuring all municipal parks, playgrounds, trails, and facilities are safe and enjoyable for residents.

“We also want to be cognizant of aging infrastructure and we also want to be aesthetically attractive and keeping up to date with what the trends are as well as what our competition is doing,” she said. “We want to make sure we stay competitive.”

Wish list items spelled out in a report to council include work required on a gazebo at Monora Park. Work includes rejuvenated flower beds and the replacement of patio slabs at the structure’s four entrances. There’s a $6,000 price tag on that request.

At Purple Hill Park, the 33-year-old front gate needs to be replaced. The new galvanized gate is similar to the ones at other parks and the associated work is expected to cost $7,000.

Heaton and recreation staff have also planned $96,000 for new equipment and surfacing at the Purple Hill location. Similar work at Lynn Gibson Park was approved in the 2023 budget with installation planned for next year. The total cost is tallied to be $200,000 but Heaton proposes taking $104,000 from reserves.

The department proposed adding $22,600 to reserve funds for Mono College Park and $19,400 into reserves for Mono Centre Park.

Madill Meadows’ sand surface and playground equipment are projected to need replacing in 2026 at a cost of more than $200,000. Staff suggested council earmark $65,250 toward reserve funds.

The proposed projects also include trail work to improve accessibility and remove washout challenges to Hannahson Parkette for $17,000. For the town’s newest playground, staff believe $13,600 should be added to reserves toward its anticipated 2038 replacement.

The department’s requests also touch upon trails, community centres, and other equipment needs.

Councillor Elaine Capes said council has to be needs-focused with next year’s budget, just as with the recreation department’s list of asks.

It seemed that $200,000 was generally the request to replace surfaces at each playground. Capes wondered if a cheaper option would become available by the time the town had to carry out the work.

Heaton said the town needs to be competitive with respect to its recreational offerings. So Capes asked what comparisons were made to playgrounds in other municipalities.

“And what input have we solicited from the residents, including the kids, as to what they want?” Capes said and added that people who share ideas would feel a measure of ownership of the facilities.

“What consideration are we making for the aging population and how they could benefit from the playground space?” Capes said. “We do have an aging population. It’s not just here. It’s everywhere. What would they like to see in a playground?”

“I simply don’t know where the money is going to come from for all these things,” Deputy Mayor Fred Nix said. “And we haven’t heard from Public Works yet, which really terrifies me.”

Nix suggested council direct that reserves be used to cover what they can. And he asked if any of the money in reserves could be used to fulfill requests from local sports clubs.

“I’m not advocating,” he said. “I just want to know how that money can be used.”

“It can be used for capital improvements,” said Les Halucha, the treasurer. “It cannot be used for operating (expenses).”

Nix asked if the town could make a donation to a club for something like turf.

“The idea of a parkland levy is for municipal use,” Halucha said.

“So we can use it for recreation?” Nix asked.

“You can use it for recreation, yes,” Halucha said, but then he added a finer point in saying that funds can be used for recreation assets wholly controlled and maintained by the town.

“I do note there’s a bit of a grey area,” Nix said.


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