​Kincardine Lions plan to add All-Wheel Park beside Davidson Centre

The Kincardine Lions Club is planning to build an All-Wheel Park, west of the splash pad in Lions Park, beside the Davidson Centre in Kincardine.

Lion John McManus (right) brought the proposal to Kincardine council at its committee-of-the-whole meeting, Jan. 9.

The Lions Club has been working to make this location a “Premier Destination for Families,” since beginning the improvements in 2011. Over the years, the club has added the splash pad, change rooms and washrooms, equipment storage, improved parking and lighting, a picnic shelter, sidewalks and walkways, trees and park signage. About $650,000 has been invested into the park already.

The All-Wheel Park and a basketball/ball hockey/multi-use space are the final projects on the club’s 10-year improvement plan, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

McManus said the All-Wheel Park would be designed for use by all wheels (skateboards, bikes, etc.), and for youth of varied skill levels. It would include popular features, such as a skate bowl and a pump track. The park would be 7,000 square feet in size, and the projected cost is $550,000.

He said that if the municipality approved the idea, the Lions would turn the old skateboard park, located beside the south entrance to the Davidson Centre, into a basketball court, ball hockey rink and multi-use space.

McManus said the next steps for the All-Wheel Park include: having council reaffirm its support of the continued improvements; initiate the corporate fund-raising and grant application phase of the project; and establish a quarterly review of funding to support when to initiate the execution phase of the project.

A draft Request for Proposal document would be drawn up later this year, with a revised scope of the All-Wheel Park project, to include the execution phase. The Request for Proposal would be finalized early next year, and the club would invite proposals after securing adequate funding.

Councillor Amanda Steinhoff-Gray asked if the club has already submitted applications for grants.

McManus said the club has a short list, but a lot are not for capital investment. As for the Trillium Foundation, the municipality would have to apply for that grant as owner of the property.

“Thank you for your hard work and dedication to this,” said councillor Bill Stewart. “Do we have to vote gain to support this?”

Mayor Kenneth Craig said council is being asked to reaffirm its support for the continued improvements to Lions Park.

“Does the municipality accept donations for such projects?” asked councillor Doug Kennedy.

Treasurer Roxana Baumann said for all donations going through the Municipality of Kincardine, the donors are issued charitable donation receipts.

“In the past, we have not had that on our website, but we could do that,” she said. “Typically, this is for projects on municipal property or municipal projects.”

“Thank you to the Kincardine Lions Club for enhancing the community with these improvements to the park,” said Steinhoff-Gray.

Committee-of-the-whole affirmed its support of this project, and that was later endorsed by council.