Monday’s Moncton City Council meeting provided the first opportunity for the proposed Centennial Park upgrades to be presented. However, it could not happen without some opposition.
In the time allotted for public presentations, Hafsah Mohammad, a member of the public, voiced concerns about the decisions to invest more in Centennial Park.
“We’re simply asking for equally and equitably developed community-based recreation in less privileged areas of the city,” said Mohammad.
She asked the Councillors of every ward but ward 2 (Where Centennial Park is located) if more amenities in a singular regional park would benefit the people they represent.
Concern was also posed over the system that was used to receive feedback from the public.
“Let’s chat is managed internally, which creates a scenario where only selective feedback is shared with the public,” she said.
She requested that the upgrades be opposed for the time being until a “comprehensive and unbiased” public consultation is done.
When the time came, Dan Hicks, the Director of Parks, led Councillors through the proposed upgrades for Centennial Park.
It included a variety of leisure activities that any member of the community could enjoy but also included nature-focused additions.
“The part that’s really exciting is we’re returning this to nature,” said Hicks.
This includes implementing a wildflower meadow during the winter.
Solutions have also been created to avoid flooding problems that previously plagued the lower bowl. Hicks outlined new designs that will allow water to drain slowly without affecting infrastructure.
From an environmental standpoint, changes will be made to lengthen out the bridge and accommodate Jonathan Creek.
Hicks says that the timeline for constructing the new components would be 20 weeks. $1.28 Million of funding would come from a federal COVID relief fund that prioritizes projects with environmental benefits.
