Splash pad updates for Bellevue and Clergue parks

Funding application for Bellevue Park splash pad will be fronted by a homeless shelter. Clergue Park project might be more of a 'water feature' than a splash pad. But kids might be able to play in it

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A Queen Street homeless shelter has become an unlikely partner in the city's bid to build a splash pad in Bellevue Park.

Pauline's Place at 923 Queen St. E. is expected to front an application for a $150,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) grant for the project.

The deadline for the current round of funding is this coming Wednesday, Oct. 25 and applicants must be pre-approved by OTF after a review of their governance and finances.

Pauline's Place is registered and approved by OTF and City Council will be asked Monday to approve an agreement with the homeless shelter under which they would be lead applicant for the capital grant.

Over the summer, City Council agreed to spend $240,000 from a subdividers reserve fund for the project, on top of $60,000 already raised by splash pad subcommittee.

The Bellevue Park project is expected to cost $550,000 and the splash pad subcommittee is seeking other sources of funding.

The project was entered in this year's Aviva Community Fund competition.

Aviva finalists will be announced Nov. 1.

Meanwhile, city officials are still talking as though another splash pad may be built in Clergue Park.

Well, maybe not quite a splash pad.

Tom Vair, deputy chief administrative officer for community development and enterprise services, is now referring to it as more of a "fountain" or "water feature" but he says it could be designed so children could run through it.

"Part of our thinking was that we may be able to kill two birds with one stone, potentially," Vair told a meeting of the Downtown Association's board this past week.

Earlier this month, the city revealed that it's been looking at three potential developments affecting Clergue Park, including an expansion at Art Gallery of Algoma, possible changes to the park's outdoor sculpture garden, and a water feature.

The Downtown Association's board voted to ask the city to be consulted on the proposed changes.

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