That Council direct Staff to increase the budget by $6,169,373 funded by $4,000,000 from the Special Initiatives Reserve and $2,169,373 from the Strategic Infrastructure Reserve Fund to proceed with the current design for the Loudon Park improvements.
This has been before council for a very long time. Previous councils, the current council staff worked very hard. Loudoun park, which, some of which is formed by way of road, right of way, it wasn't all given by Mr. Loudon. So let's correct a little bit of history here. Loudoun park is not like Bowen Park. It is not a park to wander around for an hour or two. It's not like Neck Point, it's not like Piper's Lagoon. It's not like wandering out to Joan Point Park. It is a destination park for basically swimmers and people who use the lake. We have I've received numerous emails from folks indicating, you know, it's precious green space. It is a monoculture, let's be blunt about that. It is 29 fir trees surrounded by very little else in terms of vegetation. The proposal before council with this budget is not just about building a boathouse. It is about building decent public washrooms and a public facility that would be suitable for rental and use by the community. We've heard people suggest we build rebuild Departure Bay Activity Center. Sorry folks, we know that's off the table. We've already had a report on that. People have talked about expanding the Kin Hut. Sorry, that's on Ministry of Transportation lands and I suspect will inevitably end up being the property of Sinamak First Nation. So that's not going to work. So this is a reasonable, logical place to do it. Council Perino's already pointed out 60 trees in replacement. Another hundred planted through the community. Instead of just a grove of fir trees, you will have to deciduous trees as well, which will provide shade in the summer and light in the winter. Moreover, I have considered also what this means to the youth of this community. We have heard criticism that this is elite organizations. $180 a year for a family of four, two adults and four children. Goodness. Has anyone looked at the cost of hockey equipment lately? Or other cost? We have spent tens of millions of dollars on fields for. For kids to play soccer on, for people to pools, for them to swim in, ice arenas for people to skate on without any trouble. The rowing and kayaking community is part of our city and they deserve an opportunity to recreate appropriately, to train. It is aimed at young people programs. There are used by hundreds of young people, young British, Colombians, young Nanaimoites throughout the year. It's not just a summertime occupation. What has been proposed is option B I've called a tin shed. I'll continue to call it that. People have talked about two stories. Two stories means an elevator. Right now we have a park which is not accessible in the sense that it should be an outdated playground that needs upgrading severely. We need sidewalks. We where people who have mobility issues, they can actually enjoy that space. And frankly, at the end of the day, I am interested in supporting the community at large. We have had criticism and comment from some suggesting that really others don't support this project. They didn't understand what they were supporting. We have had confirmation in writing both from the Mid Island Metis and Sinamic First Nation. Our partners, partners in this community, those who occupied this land for thousands of years, that they support what we have done with this motion when it was originally passed. I am not going to turn my back on them and I'm not going to turn my back on the young people of this community who deserve an appropriate opportunity, nor quite frankly, all of the citizens of Nanaimo who deserve the right to have access to this park.