Castlegar city council has given its blessing to working with Grandview Heights residents on creating a park in the neighborhood.
A resolution passed last week directs city staff to start exploring potential pieces of property following a presentation to council by neighbors in August.
Council’s resolution “gives us the authority to start having those conversations to see if we could secure land or not,” city manager Chris Barlow said.
At this point, no costs are being incurred for the city or residents of the subdivision, he added. However, if at some point residents are asked to pay for the park, it would require approval from more the half of the landowners.
In a letter to council, resident Stephen Hill explained that their preferred location is land owned by the McCarthy brothers. Acquiring it would require a land swap or purchase by the city, he said. Its advantage is that it is flat and central.
Their second choice would be a small piece of city-owned land that runs from Grandview toward the Emerald Green neighborhood. The advantage of that site is that it would benefit both neighbourhoods and tie in with trails and bike paths that run through the back of Emerald Green. However, this would require a land swap or city purchase of some privately owned land that would connect the neighbourhoods.
Hill said they have no budget for the park or a proposed playground, but it is something they could take on over the next five to 10 years.
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