Chatham-Kent has some big plans for fixing up its recreational facilities across the municipality this year.
That includes work on area pools, splash pads, playgrounds, and parks. The costs of the projects are expected to be covered by existing funds in various municipal reserves.
The proposed work will go to Chatham-Kent council for approval Monday night with some of the more notable projects highlighted below.
Pools and splash pads
The municipality is planning about $22,000 worth of work on splash pads this year. That includes regular maintenance on the Kingston Park Splash Pad and some emergency repairs at various other facilities across Chatham-Kent.
Municipal staff are also planning to carry out $127,000 to fix up indoor pools in the region. Of note, the Gable Rees Rotary Pool in Blenheim is set to have some tile work done on the hot tub because some of the tiles are coming off and grout is missing. There is also a proposal to replace the four gas heaters at that pool, which are original to the building, with two new high efficiency boilers.
Parks and playgrounds
When it comes to local parks, a report from staff is proposing $702,600 worth of work.
The proposed projects include replacing the aging, rusted fence at Optimist Park in Bothwell, replacing the spiles at the downtown docks in Chatham after they were damaged by flooding, and installing some new fencing at Jackson Park in Dresden and Ferguson Park in Thamesville -- those were both listed as "safety" issues.
Several parks in Wallaceburg are all slated for some fix-ups and improvements as well. The proposed work in those parks ranges from purchasing new bleachers for Kinsmen Park and repairing the backstop at King George Park to repairing the existing sidewalk that runs through Jaycee Park.
In South Kent, the washrooms at Memorial Park in Tilbury are due for some plumbing repairs and replacement upgrades because of age and vandalism and the clock and stage at Ivan Coulter Park in Wheatley is set to receive some work because the clock was in need of some repairs to function properly and some damage took place due to the situation in the downtown area.
Various parks in Chatham are also set for water cooler replacement upgrades to eliminate mouth contact (a concern that came up during the pandemic), some mound upgrades at ball diamonds, and some walkway and parking lot maintenance. There's also a proposal to install a roll up door at the Lawn Bowling club shed because of ongoing vandalism and some dock repairs and dredging in Thames Grove because of damage caused by high water levels.
In Mitchell's Bay, staff are recommending the addition of some Gabion stone to protect the shoreline from erosion.
A separate report going to Chatham-Kent council Monday night is proposing $694,000 worth of work on area playgrounds with a specific focus on accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities.
Playground units in Optimist Park in Blenheim, Victoria Park in Bothwell, Tecumseh Park in Chatham, and Thames Campus' Weedon Fields in Chatham are all set to receive new playground units and safety bases because they are in need of replacement due to age and will be replaced with more inclusive units. Various playgrounds are also set to have their sand safety bases replaced with engineered wood fibre in order to comply with accessibility and safety standards.