The Don Harris Room at the Centre for the Arts was packed on Monday night as over 100 people dropped in to see a proposal for the development of Bissell Park.
The township has applied for a grant for the project that would see an amphitheatre for the use of the Elora Festival, an ice rink that would be available November to March, plus a number of other amenities.
With local contributions, that would create a venue in the summer for Elora Festival concerts, a covered 7,000 square foot ice rink with refrigeration equipment for the winter, rink boards and nets and an ice tractor resurfacer.
The township would fund the project through:
– $758,000 from the township;
– $125,000 from the Grand River Agricultural Society;
– $50,000 pledged by the Elora Lions Club;
– $600,000 from the Elora Festival; and
– $1.53-million from the federal government.
The amphitheatre would seat up to 800.
The project has been underway since 2006 and it would include better trails, an open area, a garden area with raised planting beds, a working area with sheds and the old foundry would be an area for bocce ball or horseshoes.
The placards indicated that with up to 90 parking spaces on the site and another 350 to 390 in the nearby downtown, visitors could be accommodated.
Recreation Director Andy Goldie said if there is a particularly large event, the operator could consider running shuttles from the community centre and the raceway.
As for those who might want to park on South River Road, Triton Engineering representative Denis Hollands said that area would have to be considered for safety first.
As for concerns about noise, councillor Shawn Watters said there would be retractable walls for the theatre to keep the sounds inside so as to not annoy the neighbours, as well as keeping the river and traffic sounds out of the concert venue.
Goldie said the following day that “the majority were very happy.” He said people liked the extended ice season but there were concerns that children who have skated at the outdoor rink for years would be able to continue to do so.
He said the township might set aside some ice time for practice for teams, but the majority of the ice would be free use for skaters.
Goldie acknowledged there is a small group of people living on the south side of the river that are concerned with noise, and said he hopes that will be addressed.
He added, “There were a couple of concerns the township is spending way too much money on a [recreation] project when the roads are terrible.”
But, he said, the township hopes to address that too this year. He said council’s budget committee has recommended a capital budget with 80% of the spending on public works projects.
“It’s not just about parks and rec,” he said. However, the entire project could be moot if the Community Adjustment Fund grant of just over $1.53-million is denied.
