The Town of Olds is looking at spending $1.65 million in 2017 to begin creating new athletic fields along 70th Avenue near Walmart.
The work is part of a proposed $3-million project to provide more baseball and soccer fields in the community as well as to relocate the horseshoe pits from their current location in Centennial Park.
Plans call for the remainder of the project to be undertaken in 2018, chief operating officer Doug Wagstaff says. Last week, town council approved a $10.6-million capital spending plan which includes the first stage of creating the new fields.
The land in question was acquired in 2011 as the result of a land swap with Cornerstone Mall developer Springwood.
Wagstaff notes the concept calls for fundraising from the community in addition to town money. He says the more fundraising obtained, the more work that can be done sooner.
“(In) 2017 we would be looking at doing any fundraising,” he says.
“We would be looking at doing any land prep for services and prep as much as we could in knowledge of what we would do working with our stakeholders – what fields and what configuration of fields would go out there. We could do a lot of the earth moving and earth setting. You know, planted and finished off in 2018.”
“We did our engagement a couple of weeks ago with the stakeholders. Now we're working with our engineering firm to price some of that out and look at some concepts,” he adds.
Wagstaff says current plans call for new baseball and soccer fields as well as the horseshoe pits to go in that area, but it's not yet known precisely how they'll all be configured.
“That's not finalized yet; that's the work we're doing right now,” he says.
Wagstaff says plans call for the horseshoe pits to be moved so that the area they occupy can become green space that can also be utilized when various activities occur in Centennial Park.
He cites the example of this fall's Tour of Alberta festivities that were held in Centennial Park.
“You'll notice when we do set up fairs and things in Centennial Park – Tour of Alberta being another good example – the horseshoe pits aren't an area that can be utilized during any festivals. But it's an ideally located grass area,” Wagstaff says.
“So placing the horseshoe pits with some other athletic amenities – wherever it be, other than Centennial Park – would be a better utilization of park space.”
Some horseshoe enthusiasts have feared that relocating the pits will make it harder for participants to get there. Many horseshoe throwers are seniors.
Wagstaff doesn't buy that argument.
“Whether it's at Centennial Park or whether it's at another park, they're going to have to get there some way, shape or form. And there are seniors' complexes throughout the community,” he says. “You're going to have to drive to get there regardless (of where those facilities are located).”
Wagstaff also says by locating the horseshoe pits among baseball and soccer fields, it may expose that game to people of several generations.
"We could do a lot of the earth moving and earth setting. You know, planted and finished off in 2018."DOUG WAGSTAFFCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER TOWN OF OLDS
