CARSTAIRS - A different way of planning green space is resulting in the town’s first naturalized park which is progresing in large part due to community.
The area between the Carriage Lane subdvision and the Carstairs Agricultural Society’s rodeo grounds has been years in the making.
And, as some hope, will never truly be done.
“Hopefully it will be a living project – one that we’ll always have options for different trial-type things and we’ll change up some of the exhibits once things are established,” said Mitch Miller, a director with the Carstairs Agricultural Society.
The off-leash dog park currently under construction is envisioned right now as one of the few developed areas on the multi-acre site.
Eventually, gravel walking paths will wind among native grass, trees, shrubs and wetlands with picnic tables and benches.
The Carstairs Agricultural Society along with several businesses and the town, recently planted a tree nursery on the site’s southeast side.
“So the long-term goal is to have certainly trees but also open areas where we can have demonstration growing plots – different native plants,” said Miller, adding prairie wool is one variety of native grass the society hopes to bring in.
The white spruce, trembling aspen and balsam poplar seedlings in the nursery plot will be re-transplanted throughout the area when they’re stong enough to survive in open areas There will also be some river birch and assorted shrubs including snowberry and some willows, all native to the area.
The development of the naturalized area reflects the town’s shift in planning for parks, said Carl McDonnell, Town of Carstairs CAO.
Tot lots -- small plots of land with playground equipment -- have traditionally been the norm in new subdivisions.
With the development of Tiny Lafleur Park, the town changed its philosophy and is now eyeing larger tracts of land for park development.
“What we’ve done is by having these large masses of land for large parks, as community groups come up with different concepts, we have areas to put them in,” said McDonnell.
The Girls Guides already manage an area of the park adjacent to the rodeo grounds.
“This is where it's nice to have these large areas -- the community groups and people in those areas take ownership of them because they see them as their parks, where a traditional tot lot is just a small area and people come and use the equipment and leave. Here, people really take ownership whether it’s Memorial Park, Tiny Lafleur Park, this area here as well. So we definitely see a big difference with people out there really enjoying the area.”
To date, the only funds town council has committed to the area is $90,000 for fencing and amenities at the off-leash dog park, confirmed McDonnell.
“So everything that’s down there has either been donated material, donated labour, or donated services with the exception of the (dog park).”
Over the years the town has used surplus material including clean fill, clay, loam and rocks to develop the site.
The parking lot was built out of recycled asphalt milled from the town’s road projects.
The rocks lining the parking lot came out of newly developing subdivisions.
“So that’s why it’s taking time. As things come in we use them.”
The toboggan hill was built from surplus clay material and loam from different developments.
Over the years, trees have also been donated.
McDonnell said the community’s growing vision and willingness to donate will fuel the transformation of the park for many years to come.
“I think that vision grows with the community. Which is nice that it’s not an architect that we hired from Calgary determining community needs based on what they see in Calgary. This really is the community developing it based on what they’re seeing the needs of the community being. That works out better than sending a plan out to the community, saying this is what we’re doing,” said McDonnell.
For Miller, the naturalized park will not only be a showcase of native vegetation and wildlife for school students and the general public to learn from, it will also draw attention to the urban forest.
“If you look across this town and envision it with no trees. Then all of a sudden the creature comfort is gone. Trees of course have unlimited uses as far as between shade and soil retention, heat dissipation, carbon dioxide absorbtion. The list just goes on and on,” said Miller.
Everyone remembers the huge hailstorm of 2009, he said.
While most people were consumed with getting roofs and siding fixed, damage to trees came secondary.
“The loss of the trees that we had was significant and nobody was really paying attention. Through that process we started to draw attention to what trees we had, what trees we lost and who’s actually replacing them and what’s the value. Who’s the keeper of the trees? Well, if it's not you, then who? If not now, then when?”
A project was initiated with the chamber of commerce to use donations to replace many of the trees at a new location in front of the community hall.
“Everyone needs a roof over their head but it was well worth drawing the attention to the urban forest. It’s a huge, huge asset. And unless people realize it, it’s easy to take it for granted. That hopefully is what this will do as well.”
