Parks and Facility Improvements

The Parks Master Plan that will assist Council and staff in managing the direction of parks, trail and waterfront assets and services through 2034. The Plan will define community needs and interests; identify where parks and park facilities should be located, when they will be needed, and how they will be funded. The firms thinc design, Mehak Kelly & Associates, and RFA Planning Consultants have been engaged to conduct the study, an essential part of which is community consultation.

Project Scope

The Plan will seek to:

• Include extensive community consultation

• Comment on the current community profile and future population growth in relation to emerging trends and service levels

• Articulate a vision and guiding principals for parks in Grimsby

• Assess needs and interests for parks, waterfront and outdoor recreation facilities in the Town
• Develop an implementation strategy with timelines and cost estimates

The Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan was initiated in 2017.  The goal of the project is to provide the Town of Grimsby with short and long term guidelines for the provision of parks, recreation and culture services from 2018 - 2028. 

The project was initiated in 2017 with a request for proposals.  The project was awarded in December 2017 to MHBC Planning as the lead consultant, and work began in January 2018.   A variety of community, staff and stakeholder consultations took place throughout April - October, including an online survey that received over 900 responses. 

Some of the key outcomes of the plan are:

Create a current context for the department and the Master Plan including industry trends, challenges, population and demographics, user expectations, community profile and Town spending on parks, recreation and culture.

1. Define the Town of Grimsby’s role in providing parks, recreation and culture services, and identify the department role specifically.
2. Develop a vision for the department.
3. Provide a baseline assessment (strengths and weaknesses) of the parks, recreation and culture service areas, including a review of departmental human resources, policies and infrastructure.
4. Provide a framework of priorities for future decision-making that allows staff and Council to be responsive to changing needs, trends and emerging opportunities
5. Create an implementation strategy for the 2028 vision that addresses each of the following areas including service level changes, capital investments and human resource needs to meet the objectives.
   • Parks services
   • Facility services
   • Recreation program services
   • Trails services
   • Cultural services
   • Community special events
   • Community development

The Recreational Trails Master Plan outlines the strategic outlook for recreational opportunities in thee form of on and off-road trails over the next 20 years. It has been designed to support and grow the active transportation possibilities through strategic trail connections that bridge the natural environment and the community of Grimsby for all who choose this town to walk, cycle, ride, or roll. 

Some of the key outcomes of the plan are:

To provide Town staff, partners, and stakeholders with the tools and resources necessary to affect change and increase overall interest, participation, and awareness of trails as a form and opportunity for enhance recreational mobility.

1. Identify a network of trail routes and facilities that looks to address the unique needs of trail users for recreational purposes and where appropriate points of connection and alignment with utilitarian connections. 
2. Prepare a consistent set of design guidelines and standards which address not only the trail route but other complementary elements such as trail amenities, signage and wayfinding, crossings, and barriers.
3. Integrate trail planning and design best practices and lessons learned from local, provincial, national, and international examples.
4. Provide a strong planning foundation trough policy considerations and updates that align with the priorities and practices of the master plan.
5. Explorer unique and innovative design options and solutions for context specific sections of the network such as the escarpment, major regional roadways, waterways, and other natural and physical features.
6. Align with wider strategic priorities of the Town including climate change, environmental sustainability, and public health.
7. Develop a long-range strategy that supports day-to-day decision making in the short, medium, and long-term horizon that is adaptable and flexible to changing practices.
8. Identify education and encouragement programming to support and enhance the proposed infrastructure and policies with the goal of influencing recreational behaviors. 
9.  Provide staff with a clear structure and tools to support the design and implementation of trial infrastructure consistently within the Town boundary.
10. Provide opportunities for collaboration and coordination with local partners to support the build-out of continuous and connected trails network to support funding. 
11. Leverage the involvement and interest of the community and key stakeholders through a robust engagement program to build capacity and support for Town staff.