City Council asked to reconsider splash pad location

City Council will be asked Monday to reconsider its Mar. 20 decision to build the Sault's first splash pad in Bellevue Park.

Bryan Hayes, chair of the Downtown Association, will appear at Monday's council meeting to argue that the facility should be downtown.

Two city councillors will ask at Monday's council meeting that the location be reconsidered because the Downtown Association wasn't invited to participate in the public consultation process and significant factors weren't adequately considered.

Hayes will point to the city's downtown strategy and downtown improvement plan as favouring a core-area location.

He's expected to talk about Thunder Bay, which wants to build a splash pad for every 5,000 children under the age of nine.

Thunder Bay's Marina Park splash pad is considered the most popular feature of that city's waterfront development, which in turn is considered Thunder Bay's signature recreation destination.

"This community gathering place has transformed the City of Thunder Bay's waterfront into a mixed-use village and animated waterfront park reconnecting the downtown to the shores of Lake Superior," Hayes says in his speaking notes for Monday's meeting.

"Since opening in December 2011, Prince Arthur's Landing has seen record attendance and the opening of several new businesses."

The following resolution has been placed on the agenda for Monday's meeting of Sault Ste. Marie City Council by Ward 5 councillor Frank Fata and his Ward 2 counterpart Sandra Hollingsworth.

Monday's meeting will be livestreamed by SooToday starting at 4:30 p.m.

*************************
Splash pad reconsideration

Mover: Councillor F. Fata

Seconder: Councillor S. Hollingsworth

Whereas council has chosen to undertake the steps necessary for the development of a splash pad at Bellevue Park based on an analysis of two proposed locations, the other being Clergue Park; and

Whereas the Downtown Association was not invited to participate in the public consultation process to present the view of its members and therefore believes that significant factors contributing to the decision were not adequately considered by council; and

Whereas the Downtown Association feels it's important to have a wholesome discussion to present its position as to the merits of a downtown location to downtown revitalization, the community as a whole and specifically to the strategic direction of downtown as identified in successive downtown improvement plans and the city's downtown strategic plan;

Now therefore be it resolved that council reconsider the location of the proposed splash pad project.

*************************