Creekside Valley Park engagement summary - summer 2023

Engagement Summary

In August 2023, the second public engagement for the Creekside Parks was held to present the revised park design for Creekside Valley Park. This was a followup consultation and incorporated revisions to the park design based on feedback from the project’s initial April public engagement sessions.

The revised park concept, showcased in August, included a semi-circular playground, with preferred playground equipment, a basketball half-court, seating areas with benches, a picnic table, a looped walking path and landscaping (Summer 2023, Updated Park Designs, pages 1 and 2). An online survey was posted on Kingston’s Get Involved platform, and residents were encouraged to complete the survey and provide comments on the proposed design. Feedback was collected from approximately 100 respondents from the second survey, emails and the Zoom webinar.

Most respondents approved the updated plan as presented.

Creekside Valley Park - Final Conceptual Design

Creekside Valley Park preferred park layout option. Park features include a junior/senior playground, a half-court basketball area, seating, bicycle racks, a picnic table, an open play area and landscaping. Creekside Valley Park - Final Design

Playground equipment

Playground equipment, as presented, was selected previously as part of the initial engagement session. The equipment includes a play structure with slides, climber and stepping pods, a swing set, and a rotating spinner. Small additional elements could include a spring rider, spinning bucket or gear panel.

Junior/Senior climber structure with two slides, platform play opportunities, monkey bars, climbers and various play panels.

Play structure with slides, climber and stepping pods

Climber is a mini-rotating climber. Rotating spinner

Creekside Valley Park Double Bay swing set with 4 swings.

Swings (with strap, baby and accessible seats)

Respondents also provided suggestions and comments, including:

‘Love it!’
‘Looks great, happy you added the basketball court to the design’
‘... include inclusive play elements’
‘I like the looping pathway’
‘Excellent choices, thanks for adding an accessible picnic table’
‘… please add more trees and benches’
‘… plant native plants to support biodiversity’

Creekside Valley Park design includes 4 benches located in 3 seating areas along the pathway and across from the playground. The accessible play elements include transfer platforms, slides, ground-accessible play panels, an accessible spinner, and swings with an accessible seat.

Additional trees were added to the design increase shade opportunities for park users and to increase tree canopy cover in the park. Tree species selection will be included as part of the detailed design process and will focus on species diversity and native tree species best suited to the environmental conditions and proposed park maintenance.

We also heard that some residents are interested in seeing a splash pad and/or a dog park in the design. Neither of the new park sites will support the inclusion of a dog park, or a splash pad.

Off-leash dog policy

Site selection for new leash-free dog parks is governed by the Off-Leash Dog Area Policy. A potential dog park site is dependent upon park size and proximity to other park amenities, residences and areas of natural habitat.

Parks and Recreation Master Plan

Splashpads are considered when designing community parks in locations specified in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Splash pads are not located in neighbourhood parks. A new splash pad is planned for the Cataraqui West Community Park located east of Westbrook in the Woodhaven subdivision.