Construction will continue into 2016 to finish the West Highlands Park.
(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
September 18, 2015 - 8:00 PM
KAMLOOPS - Aberdeen residents will soon have the park they have been waiting for — West Highlands Park is set to be complete by spring 2016.
Eight years in the making, the West Highlands Park has faced some setbacks over the past couple of years, including significant drainage issues.
Located at the site of the former Aberdeen Hills Golf Links course, the park was conceived in 2007 and costs were estimated in 2008. The original plan consisted of two soccer fields, a public meeting space and hall, and a multi-purpose trail.
After public input sessions between 2011 to 2013, the Kamloops Longboard Park, the expansion of the western parking lot, an overland storm water pond and stream network, expanded landscaping and a space allotted for a potential future community garden were all added to the park’s plans.
Work on the soccer fields began in 2013 but drainage and construction issues significantly delayed the completion of the fields, now expected to be complete this fall.
The fields cost an additional $135,000 in order to deal with severe drainage issues that left large bodies of sitting water in the park. The centre renovations will cost an additional $240,000 more than expected because of design deficiencies were discovered during demolition.
The multipurpose trail and the longboard park have already been completed and all landscaping will be completed in the spring of 2016.
Creating a water feature would come at an additional $200,000 and city staff plan on requesting the item to the 2016 supplemental budget.
Additional funding to complete the park’s construction was transferred from two existing projects totalling roughly $625,000.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Dana Reynolds at dreynolds@infonews.ca or call 250-819-6089. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015