How did the Town engage with the public to determine the enhancements to Ashby Drive Park?

    Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan

    In 2018, consultancy firm Monteith Brown Planning Consultants (MBPC) engaged with the community as a part of the public process using tactics including online and in-person surveys, public information sessions and stakeholder focus groups. Results from public consultation revealed local demand and support for investment through park enhancements:

    • 90% of households felt that outdoor recreation facilities such as parks are important.
    • 85% of residents indicated that additional investment in parks and open space should be a high priority for the Town (ranking 4th out of 25 choices).

    People Make Parks

    In July 2019, a community visioning sessions was held directly in Ashby Drive Park and was attended by several hundred residents who participated in identifying park elements that they valued and wanted to see in the re-development of the park. The bicycle playground concept design was viewed by residents and reaffirmed as a popular park element. Positive feedback was received from residents.

    This event was followed by a small focus group meeting in September 2019 where staff introduced a preliminary concept design for feedback.

    The following prioritized list of considerations was incorporated into the final concept design:

    1. Feedback from community consultations & written submissions from residents
    2. Operational and maintenance requirements
    3. Available budget
    4. Alignment with the Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan recommendations
    5. Future infrastructure requirements for programming
    6. Elements that are appropriate based on park typology & classification system

    Council approved the concept design for Ashby Drive Park in October 2019.

    Bicycle Playground Stakeholders

    In February 2021, a group of community stakeholders and residents met to review the concept design for the bicycle playground. Layout, materials and elements were reviewed and commented on. In March 2021, the group met again to review an updated concept that incorporated the stakeholders’ feedback. In April 2021, bicycle playground reviewer kits were provided to Lincoln children to solicit feedback on the proposed design. The nearly 50 children were able to colour a concept image, decorate their own bikes and provide feedback to staff about what they liked and areas that could be improved in the design.