City to collect public input on Harrison Park strategy, consisting of bird location

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Owen Sound will start an evaluation that will form the future of Harrison Park, consisting of the bird sanctuary and waterfowl location where lots of birds needed to be put down in 2015 following a bird influenza break out.

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The city will begin the Harrison Park Master Plan evaluation quickly, which will update the objectives and vision the city has actually for its treasured 151-acre park that draws in numerous thousands each year.

City Manager Tim Simmonds said Monday throughout his report to council that the job would quickly be put on the city’s OurCity online engagement platform at www.ourcity.owensound.ca, where the general public can offer feedback and concepts for the park strategy.

At a March 15 social work committee conference, Manager of Parks and Open Spaces Parsons offered a report on the kick-off of the master strategy for the park, which is the biggest in Owen Sound and the city’s only local park.

Parsons explained that city staff are doing the whole strategy update in house, with the exception of a part of the evaluation on the bird sanctuary and waterfowl location of the park. The city will engage a bird specialist for input on that part of the procedure.

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“We don’t have enough expertise in house to re-establish the bird area in a way that is going to satisfy all the needs we think we are going to encounter,” said Parsons. “That will form an important part of the public consultation piece as well.”

In September, the sanctuary was struck by a break out of bird influenza that led to 96 birds needing to be euthanized under the orders of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Geese and ducks, along with unique types such as pheasants, peacocks and peahens, needed to be put down. The city had the ability to quarantine and save 6 swans, that were said to be the descendants of the initial 6 swans talented to then-city mayor Elias Lemon from King George V in 1912.

In October the swans were reestablished to the park after making it through the quarantine duration, initially in a short-term enclosure in the camping area and now back in the waterfowl location of the bird sanctuary.

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The Harrison Park property was bought in 1875 by John Arthur Harrison, who established roadways and walking courses and planted countless trees. The city bought the land for half of its $10,000 worth in 1912, with Harrison contributing the other half of the concurred worth.

It has actually considering that turned into one of Owen Sound’s most popular destinations amongst homeowners and visitors. Statistics reveal approximately more than 156,000 automobiles and more than 225,000 pedestrians go into the park yearly.

Parsons explained that the brand-new master strategy will update the park’s last previous strategy, which was carried out in 2002.

“Without a master plan we don’t have direction,” Parsons said. “Imagine you are going to a new destination. It would be like trying to drive there without a map or GPS.”

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Parsons said the strategy will help to guide capital preparation and operations at the park for the next ten years or more.

“In addition to our policy drivers, a master plan is an invaluable tool to ensure the seamless continuity of service delivery to the community and guide decision makers to ensure Harrison Park continues to meet the needs of residents and visitors,” Parsons said. “It guides decisions on the capital and operating budget and certainly helps staff with forecasting and allowing council to preview projects we might be proposing in future years.”

For the function of the master strategy, the park has actually been divided into 9 locations: 1. The west park entry; 2. The west forest and cliff lands; 3. The island and enjoyment premises; 4. The inn, Good Cheer rink and bandshell location; 5. The neighborhood hall, court, upper meadow and swimming pool location; 6. The camping site location; 7. The bird location and parks operations lawn; 8. The mile drive; 9. The toboggan hill, celebratory forest grove, physical fitness path and northeast forest.

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All the park’s 19 structures, along with other centers and structures, its tree stock, and numerous usages, operations and collaborations will be included into the strategy.

“If we all took a moment to think about how or what we do when we visit the park, we all have probably experienced the park in slightly different ways,” Parsons said.

Community Services committee chair Travis Dodd said he was delighted to see the master strategy move on.

“I think it is going to be fantastic to hear about areas that are already clearly successful, but also areas that maybe will be able to be improved,” Dodd said.

The timeline for the development of the brand-new strategy consists of public and stakeholder assessment and engagement over the next number of months.

Along with job being put on the OurCity website, there will likewise be stakeholder engagement assessment workshops and conferences in April and May.

The feedback will notify draft suggestions, which will be available for public remark and committee evaluation in September. The last discussion of the strategy to committee and council is slated for November.