A parks master plan for Wallace Cumming Park in Alma is the Mapleton Parks and Recreation Committee’s top priority for 2018 50/50 funding from the township.
On Sept. 26 Mapleton council approved the committee recommendation to prioritize project funding requests in the following order:
– Alma Community Recreation Association, Wallace Cumming Park Master Plan, $7,000;
– PMD Minor Hockey Association, portable board system, $4,288;
– Drayton Minor Soccer, $4,250; and
– Mapleton Splash Pad Committee, walkway from parking lot to splash pad, $4,462.
Councillor Lori Woodham explained the committee wants the township to maintain its current funding level of $20,000 for the 50/50 program.
Since “the requests we had were more than the full $20,000,” Woodham said the committee prioritized the list to assist council during 2018 budget deliberations.
CAO Brad McRoberts noted it would be up to council during the budget process to “determine if that amount stays the same or changes.”
Councillor Michael Martin asked why Wallace Cumming Park requires its own master plan.
“What makes this park unique in … that it needs its own internal plan versus our Mapleton Parks and Recreation Master Plan?”
McRoberts said although “they use the same jargon,” the proposal is not for a full-scale master plan – “This is more of a drawing of where things are supposed to be.”
McRoberts told council Wallace Cumming Park is “relatively incomplete” and the plan would allow future additions to be made “in an orderly, planned fashion.”
Portable board system
In response to a question from another councillor, Martin explained the portable board system would allow the PMD arena playing surface to be split up for hockey games involving younger players, or for events like ball hockey tournaments.
Councillor Marlene Ottens, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Mayor Neil Driscoll, asked for clarification on why a request for funding from the Reach Forth Hockey program was not endorsed by the committee.
Woodham explained the request was for jersey funding.
“We’ve never used 50/50 money to provide uniforms and didn’t feel that was the intent of our goal with respect to 50/50 funding,” she said.
