A new vision for Dollard-des-Ormeaux parks and bike paths!
15 Aug 2019
Summer weather is well underway and residents of Dollard-des-Ormeaux have two new splash pads to visit at Westminster and Lake Road parks. There is also a splash pad at Sunnybrooke Park. The three serve the east, central and west sectors of the city.
Splash pads are just the first step in a comprehensive strategic plan to upgrade Dollard parks to better suit the needs of the neighbourhoods they serve.
“The two new splash pads are here by design, not by chance,” Dollard Mayor Alex Bottausci said. “We have a vision for the city’s parks. It’s not about just installing some random equipment in an available green space.”
The two new splash pads cost around $2 million to install and are divided into three sections, with structures in each section targeting different age groups, from tiny tots to teenagers.
The mayor said the installations are designed to complement the city’s five outdoor pools, not compete with them.
“Pools offer a plethora of services, from learning how to swim to participating in competitions,” Bottausci said. “They build community. A visit to the splash pad is more transient. You visit for a couple of hours, then off you go. But we have made sure to make things comfortable for visitors, with ample seating and shade cover.”
Bottausci said the upgrades at the parks will be implemented over the next 10 years. The overall vision is to create what the mayor called “regional, local parks” which will involve the retooling of current green spaces and their structures to align with the demographics of the neighbourhood.
If a particular neighbourhood is home to a concentrated number of seniors, for example, the park equipment or outdoor furniture will reflect that reality. The same scenario for areas with a high number of young families. People with physical challenges will also be served.
“We don’t want the parks to be cookie-cutter in style,” Bottausci said. “In the ’50s, if was expected that a park would have a field for soccer, for football, for baseball. That’s no longer the case. Over the next years, as the equipment in parks deteriorate, we will replace it, but not in a random way. We will study the cultural and socio-demographic makeup of the area and look for the best way to give the residents a complete experience.”
The types of structures found in parks have expanded over the last years. Outdoor fitness circuits for the workout crowd, of all ages, are popping up in municipalities throughout the West Island. As are water pads — concrete slabs with various shooting water spouts — a popular option for a quick cool down on a hot day.
But the demographics of a neighbourhood can shift over 10 years. If and when that happens, Bottausci said the eventual expansion of the city’s network of bike paths will offer an easy way to move from park to park.
“The idea is to have bike paths that connect park to park so that people can enjoy the different experiences the parks offer. And the final component? Connect the bike-paths to other cities. Why not? Nothing should stop the flow.”
