Dog owners and pickleball enthusiasts in Colwood will have to look elsewhere for recreational spaces, as plans to include an off-leash dog park and multi-sport courts in the expansion of Quarry Park have been dropped.
At a council meeting on Monday, November 25, city officials informed attendees that the current available land for the park’s expansion simply does not have enough room to accommodate these facilities. As a result, city staff will now search for alternative locations within South Colwood to house dedicated off-leash dog areas and multi-sport courts.
The proposal to add these features had been requested by the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Committee in October, but a recent staff report revealed challenges in integrating them into the Quarry Park plan. According to Vanessa Walton, a landscape architect from Lanarc Consultants, the space designated for the off-leash dog area would be “undersized” based on best practices, and fully fencing the area could lead to behavioral issues among dogs.
The idea of including multi-sport courts, including pickleball, in Quarry Park also raised concerns about noise and potential conflicts with nearby residential areas. Walton noted that pickleball courts, when placed near homes, often result in complaints due to the noise levels. Additionally, the inclusion of the courts would have led to the loss of space designated for the planned Colwood community centre.
Despite these setbacks, the first phase of Quarry Park’s development is already underway and expected to be completed by spring 2025. This phase includes a bike park, pedestrian plaza, and playground. The full expansion of Quarry Park, which will increase the park’s size from 11.2 acres to nearly 16 acres, will also feature a synthetic turf field, flexible field space, and potential park washrooms.
Concerns about the environmental impact of synthetic turf were raised during the meeting, with Coun. Cynthia Day urging staff to consider the health and environmental risks associated with its use. Senior planner Matt Blakely reassured the council that alternative, environmentally friendly materials would be explored.
The council unanimously approved the draft expansion plan, and staff will return in the near future with an implementation timeline and funding details.
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