The Town of Ladysmith will put the shovel in the ground later this year to redevelop the Aggie Hall playground and as part of a plan to add much needed parking.
Both projects are included in the current 2016-2020 Financial Plan with $100,000 dedicated toward creating the additional parking and another $80,000 for the play space.
According to the town report, businesses owners in the surrounding area have complained that the parking situation at Aggie Hall has negatively impacted operations to the point of customers and employees not being access the stores.
Ladysmith officials first developed a concept plan to expand parking on 2nd Avenue as part of the 2015 financial plan but it was put on hold when a new opportunity arose to lease spaces from a neighbouring property.
Once the new parking lot is paved there will be 26 parking stalls in total amounting to a net gain of 14 new spaces.
The proposed new playground is being rebuilt at the corner of Symonds Street and 2nd Avenue and the town’s Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with Ladysmith Friends and Family in developing a community engagement process.
“They’re just excited to be involved in the process and they’ve got some great ideas that I think will be valuable to look at,” Ladysmith’s Parks and Recreation director Clayton Postings.
“That group is a great group to get feedback on what the playground should look like.”
Mayor Aaron Stone suggested the town consider a more nature-based design for the playground which is geared toward children up to the age of five.
“I would defer to the input from LaFF and parents on that front but it would be nice to look at,” he said.
Another area was considered for the playground along 1st Avenue but created a potential for risk due to errant balls, Postings said.
“It was determined closer to the pathways and the parking sidewalks would be a benefit just to allow people who have accessibility challenges to be able to access that,” he said.
The town report noted the cost of the of the parking expansion is only an estimate and that actual costs will be confirmed with an engineering consultant.