OLDS — Centennial Park is a “jewel” according to a planning consultant, but it and the Uptowne area could be even more attractive if linked to a pocket park or more land in the area, he says.
A pocket park is a small park often made from small, irregular pieces of land unsuitable for other development.
“That particular facility (Centennial Park) is a jewel,” Justin Rousseau, managing director of Expedition Management Consulting Ltd., said Nov. 22 as he presented the Mountain View Regional Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan to council.
Rousseau said he described Centennial Park in that way because of its proximity to downtown and other facilities in the area.
“One of the recommendations was to kind of look at development of a pocket park downtown that would kind see some linkages to that particular facility, so kind of reaching out to the broader community with that one,” Rousseau said.
“The other related one would be whether you could access some adjacent land for expansion and so there’s some discussion in the report around that."
Indeed, the plan recommends that council “consider developing a small-scale plaza or pocket park along 50th Avenue and better integrating Uptowne with other amenities through signage and wayfinding."
“There is an opportunity to develop a small-scale plaza or pocket park along 50th Avenue to provide opportunities for outdoor gatherings and events,” it says.
Coun. Heather Ryan indicated some interest in the idea of developing a pocket park in Uptowne, but questioned whether there’s room in the area for one.
She asked Rousseau if the consulting firm had identified any possible locations for such a park.
Rousseau said no specific locations were identified. The idea was just identified as a possibility.
"OK. We’ll have to take a look at that. Maybe work with Uptowne Olds, even,” Ryan said.
