CENTRE WELLINGTON – Township council reached decisions on parkland agreements with two developers in Fergus at a committee of the whole meeting on Feb. 18.
Both developers are required to allot a portion of the subdivisions for parkland.
Sorbara/Tribute Nigus Holdings Inc. is developing the Storybrook subdivision in northwest Fergus. Kirvan Park will be located off Kirvan Street near a future school site and will link to the hiking trail nearby.
The park will feature parking, playground equipment, asphalt and stone dust paths, bollard lights, a shade pavilion and a youth soccer pitch.
The developer will front the cost of developing the park, including hiring a landscape architect and getting the work going, estimated to cost $660,000. The township will reimburse the developer its share, approximately $450,000.
Work on the park is expected to begin this spring.
Meanwhile, in the east end of Fergus, the Summerfield subdivision is being developed by Sorbara/FBH Fergus 36.98 G.P. Inc. This is a smaller subdivision and the required five per cent land dedication – in this case just 1.5 acres – is not big enough for a soccer field.
When the draft plan of subdivision was originally submitted in 2010, the township was guided by the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, that identified a need for soccer fields in Fergus.
“Therefore, we accepted a small park within Phase 1 of the subdivision with the intention of negotiating an agreement with the developer to provide a park with soccer fields on adjacent lands owned by the same developer but that are outside of the limits of the draft plan of subdivision,” the staff report reads.
But changes to the Provincial Growth Plan in 2015 mean developers must locate parks within the urban centre and Fergus is not expected to grow beyond those boundaries until after 2022.
Staff recommended in this case to take cash in lieu of parkland – a cash value of $148,693 – and put it in the parkland reserve fund to develop a bigger park with proper soccer fields in the future.
“By accepting cash in lieu, we’re getting our five per cent for this subdivision,” said Patricia Rutter, economic development officer. “If the next (subdivision) goes through, we can work on a parkland plan. This subdivision is close to being finished.”
That didn’t sit well with councillor Stephan Kitras, who didn’t think the almost $150,000 cash payment will go as far in five or 10 years’ time.
As well, “You need parks you can walk to in five minutes. I think even having a smaller park would be better. I still think we need space that’s secured now and expand in the future if we can,” he said.
Kitras requested a recorded vote. Just Kitras and councillor Bob Foster voted against accepting cash in lieu.
