Charitable foundation donates $1.125 million to help Burlington upgrade parks

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Published April 28, 2022 at 1:44 pm

Burlington's Central Park is one of many that will benefit from a charitable donation of $1.125 million.

The City of Burlington will decide what to do with a $1.125 million donation from the Patrick J McNally Foundation at a committee meeting next week.

The money will used for various recreation and park infrastructure amenities.

Among the projects over the next two years the cash will fund include:

  • Central Park: $150,000 for accessible multi-user swing which will accommodate mobility devices and up to four people at once. This will be the first in Ontario.
  • Sweetgrass Park: $60,000 for medicine wheel/healing garden. To coincide with the renaming of the park, work will include a park identification sign.
  • Leighland Park: $450,000 for ball hockey/basketball court, fitness equipment loop and shade structure with picnic tables. These are all amenities the public requested but couldn’t be included in the initial park renewal plan due to budgetary constraints.
  • Lansdown Park: $400,000 for splash pad and new water service, part of the larger park renewal/redesign.
  • Port Nelson Park: $65,000 for new water service and drinking fountain with bottle filler. This will be an addition to the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, supporting active transportation.

The City and the Foundation have developed an ongoing relationship and, in recent years, have partnered on the design and construction of various recreational facilities throughout Burlington.

In 2018, the Foundation funded a water service and splash pad for Bolus Park as part of the KABOOM! community project. They also financed a new water service for the Francis Road community garden.

Most recently, the Foundation financed the reconstruction of Valley Inn pedestrian bridge and 100 sheets of artificial ice. Both contributions support year-round outdoor recreational opportunities. The artificial ice provided a much-needed outdoor activity during the pandemic.

The staff report will be discussed at the Thursday, May 5, Environment, Infrastructure and Community Services Committee Meeting before making its way to full council later in the month.

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