Upgrades to Ladysmith’s Transfer Beach Park are set to begin this month. Plans include a new accessible path and upgrades to the bathroom and shelters.
“The project is anticipated to begin on Jan. 25, with four months to five months for completion,” said Chris Barfoot, director of parks, recreation and culture, at Ladysmith’s Jan. 18 Committee of the Whole meeting. “We are hoping that the impact to the community is minimal in getting it open for when that park gets really busy.”
The washroom building renovations will be the first to begin. The facility will get new flooring, automated fixtures, a skylight and new siding. A new outdoor shower for swimmers will also be installed.
There will be a new inclusive washroom/change room. “This is a nice addition so that people can use that space without feeling the need to go into a male or a female [washroom],” Barefoot said.
He said the most important component of the upgrades is increased accessibility.
Upgrades to park shelters will take less time than the washroom and will begin in February. The Kinsmen and Sportsman shelters will get skylights and improvements to the siding and roofing.
“It will bring consistency to all the amenities that are on site down at Transfer Beach. Bringing that consistency to the look, not only on the rooves, but the siding materials are going to be addressed as well and be consistent with the washroom building,” Barfoot said.
A new shelter will be constructed to house the Stz’uminus canoe once it is refurbished.
The accessible path will connect the parking lot to the shelters, washrooms and waterpark.
“We know over time that sometimes participants visiting the kayak shop with mobility issues, there’s real challenges having them get down to the water to access the boats. Having a pathway will just make it that much more inclusive and easier,” Barfoot said.
There will also be upgrades to the food truck pad. This and the path will begin either in February or early March, he said.
The project is funded through a provincial tourism infrastructure grant and Barfoot said the plans are going smoothly. He added supply chain issues are not likely to keep contractors from working in their established timelines.
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