Victoria councillors have approved a 10-year Topaz Park improvement plan that calls for new playing fields, walking trails, a bike skills park and leash-optional dog area.
A year in the making and developed with extensive public consultation, the plan’s key features include:
• Increased capacity for field sports through renewal and expansion of the existing artificial turf field.
• Upgrading of the grass fields, increasing the functionality of the lacrosse box, improving the playground and formalizing the leash-optional area.
• Addition of a skateboard park, bike skills park, tennis courts and pickleball courts.
• An improved network of pathways and trails.
• Enhanced natural areas.
“Most of the comments I’m hearing from the public in Hillside/Quadra are strongly in favour of the plan and the process,” said Coun. Ben Isitt, council liaison to the area. “They like the diversity of the amenities proposed.”
There are some concerns, Isitt said, about the loss of a fourth baseball field.
More than 3,600 people participated in the public consultation and a final public survey saw 87 per cent approval for the proposed improvements, staff said.
“This park has developed incrementally over time and has never had an over-arching plan to guide changes,” said senior parks planner Alia Johnson.
“As a result, much of the park space is used inefficiently and many of the amenities are poorly connected. Much of the infrastructure is aging and will require replacement over the next two to 10 years. That makes this an ideal time to create a cohesive long-term vision.”
Johnson said the conceptual plan is based on enlarging the artificial turf field to increase capacity for field sports and repurposing a grass sports field to add new types of activities.
The proposed expanded artificial turf would include two full-size soccer fields as well as an integrated ball diamond. It would also offer upgraded field lighting, spectator facilities, covered players benches and dugouts. A row of large cottonwood trees along the southern edge would be retained.
The expansion enables the grass field at the corner of Blanshard and Topaz to be reimagined with a wide range of activities such as pickleball, a tennis court, skateboard park, bike skills park and improved outdoor fitness area.
City staff are recommending a phased approach with design for replacement and expansion of the city’s lone artificial turf sports field — which is nearing the end of its life — coming in 2019. Pending budget approval, construction would be done in 2020.
There has been $1 million set aside in the city reserves for the project.
Detailed design of enhancements in the southern portion of the park — including the skateboard park, bike skills park, tennis courts, outdoor fitness area, sport hub, picnic area and pathways — would be the second priority. Construction is proposed for 2021-22.
At 10 hectares, Topaz is the city’s third largest park. Located in the Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood, the park is bordered by Blanshard Street to the west, Topaz Avenue to the south, Finlayson Street to the north and Glasgow Street to the east.
