Anticipating population growth, Moncton approves 10-year recreation plan

Moncton has adopted a new recreation master plan that calls for the New Brunswick city to consider a range of new facilities — big and small — over the next 10 years.

The plan covers facilities like parks, pools, arenas and community centres. It compares what exists now along with anticipated population growth to suggest what may be needed in the future.

Council voted to adopt the 116-page master plan report in an 8-3 vote Monday.

The vote does not commit the city to actually building anything.

Jim Scott with Trace Planning & Design, the firm contracted to produce the report, told councillors it should be a "guide" to consider when making future decisions.

"We always think instantly in Canada — we go to hockey, we go to swimming, we go to things like that," Scott said.

"But we talked to residents. There's a whole new wave of recreation that they like to explore as well."

Among its specific recommendations are facilities for rugby, cricket and ultimate Frisbee, studying a new downtown library combined with a market and recreation centre, and exploring a new aquatics centre.

New purposes for older spaces

Some recommendations touch on existing spaces or facilities.

It suggests the city explore using the Moncton Coliseum and agrena complex as a field house for various court or turf-based sports in addition to hosting trade shows.

The report suggests exploring off-leash dog walking within Centennial and Mapleton Parks at certain times on designated trails.

Other recommendations are broader. One calls for ensuring all new and existing facilities are fully accessible.

For some major facilities, like swimming pools, the report considered what's already available or planned in Dieppe and Riverview.

One main recommendation is for the city to study the need for new aquatics facilities. That study has already started, a step city staff said was in anticipation of the report's recommendation.

The report notes pools in Riverview and at the Université de Moncton CEPS are near the point where they will need to be decommissioned.

While Riverview plans to build a new facility, the report calls on the city to begin talks with the university.

"If the UdeM pool were to be decommissioned, the city would have an opportunity to explore the creation of a facility that simultaneously provides family play space as well as sufficient deck, hosting and viewing space for regional-level events," the report states.

The report touches on declines in sports like curling while seeing growth in others that lack dedicated facilities.

The report points to growing demand for rugby, cricket and ultimate Frisbee facilities in the city. It suggests a joint turf with washrooms and changing rooms at the CN Sportplexe.

Mayor Dawn Arnold was happy to see that recommendation.

"I hope that's going to happen soon because I do hear from our newcomers all the time and how much they would like to have that," Arnold said.

The report calls on the city to commission a study of a downtown centre with a library, market and recreation centre.

It suggests the centre could include retail and social space, a field house, walking track, fitness centre and a public plaza with a performance and presentation space.

Another study is recommended to explore the feasibility, size and potential locations of a "multi-use outdoor adventure park" for activities like cycling, trail running, hiking, snowshoeing, fat biking and cross-country skiing.

As well, another study is recommended about the city's riverfront. It would look at establishing beach volleyball courts, a social and performance space, and some retail space.

Concerns with distribution of facilities

Councillors Daniel Bourgeois, Dave Steeves and Deputy Mayor Bryan Butler voted against adopting the plan.

Butler said he had been expecting a document that was more detailed in the potential locations of facilities.

Bourgeois said he couldn't support it because it wouldn't provide enough facilities for a portion of the city he represents along Salisbury Road.

"It doesn't matter how many residents we have, there has to be a minimum level of facilities, in this case recreation leisure facilities, indoor facilities, for all over the place," Bourgeois said.

Arnold later told reporters that she favours a balanced approach where major facilities are centrally located, but there are still some neighbourhood amenities.

Arnold said the city needs "good infrastructure for people who don't have cars and don't have access to transportation so that they can still play soccer, or baseball, or basketball and that sort of thing, right in their neighborhood without having to to drive out of it."