Chestermere, AB – On Tuesday, July 23, Council met in Anniversary Park to announce the plans for the redevelopment of the park which will include a large expansion and feature a sand beach.
“As the Mayor but also as a resident I’m thrilled to see the Anniversary Park project begin” said Mayor Patricia Matthews. “The committees working on this have done a great job of taking community input and turning it into reality. A beach is something residents identified as a top priority project and it fits in perfectly with the expansion of the park.”
The idea to redevelop Anniversary Park began in 2010 after additional land (in the park and in the water) was obtained from the Western Irrigation District. Council chose the expansion of the park as a priority and the Parks, Streetscape and Cenotaph committees began developing plans for the area. When a beach was identified in the 2012 Community Survey as a priority for residents, it was incorporated into the design as well.
The expanded Anniversary Park will feature:
• Almost 8000m2 of additional space – a 60% expansion of the park.
• A 1920 m2 sand beach. In order to ensure the beach stays clean and does not get swept into the lake, steps will lead from the beach into the swimming area.
• A promenade plaza that will feature rolling grassy areas for sunbathers, picnic areas, and beach lounge chairs.
• A concrete promenade along the lakeshore.
• Increased parking spaces and permanent public washrooms.
• A new and permanent cenotaph.
• Increased open spaces that will allow for a variety of recreational activities.
“There are only so many kilometers of shoreline so as we planned the expansion, we wanted to ensure the new Anniversary Park gave all residents of Chestermere the opportunity to access and enjoy the lake” said Councillor Stu Hutchison, who was part of the Parks Committee.
Prior to construction, the skatepark will be moved near the West Creek commercial area and dirt donated by local developers that will be used for the expansion will be placed in Anniversary Park. Construction will begin this winter and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2014.
For more information on this project, visit www.chestermere.ca/anniversarypark.
