WESTLOCK – After almost a year of community engagement, research, and facility assessments, a Recreation Needs Assessment and Facility Master Plan was presented to Westlock County council on Feb. 11.
The plan aims to help the county make sound decisions and strategic investments in recreation and parks.
“This will be a good resource for you moving forward,” said Mike Roma of RC Strategies.
The county should invest approximately $447,690 annually over the next five years on the county owned assets such as Rainbow Park, Long Island Lake Municipal Campground, and Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill. Included in this cost are feasibility planning, assessment assessments, and asset management.
With a focus on improving county-owned outdoor spaces, RC Strategies suggested that the county focus first on Rainbow Park, then Long Island Lake Municipal Campground, and then Tawatinaw Valley Ski Hill.
Some of the recommended improvements to Rainbow Park Trout Pond, a day use area six kilometres east of Westlock, include more signs on Range Road 255, a larger entrance sign, and regulatory information. Other minimal upgrades suggested include a gravel parking lot with barriers, gates, and signs. In addition, the picnic shelter should be demolished and replaced, including underground power and locked fuse boxes and switches. A second double toilet building should be installed that includes lighting, and the concrete topped tables assessed and repaired. There should also be new picnic tables on pads. The tub-style litter containers should be removed. The fire pits in the north area should be removed and the fire pits in the south area upgraded.
The county should also consider developing a walking, skiing trail system throughout the park with interpretive signs.
At Tawatinaw Valley Skill Hill, there is a safety issue that needs to be dealt with. A steel fence protection or total removal at the bottom of the rope tow hill needs to be done.
A master planning of the ski hill should include at a minimum some upgrades such as a new entry sign and overall park layout sign, a new equipment rental building closer to the lodge, security fencing and ditching from the adjacent roadway, gravel parking lot to include visitor drop-off, ambulance bays, handicapped parking, landscaping, lighting, barriers, gates, and signs. There also needs to be additional ski racks and grading improvements in the base hill area.
At Long Island Lake Municipal Campground one safety issue, locking the abandoned well top adjacent to one of the paths down to the boat launch, needs to be dealt with immediately, according to RC Strategies.
Some of the other recommendations include a new entry sign and an overall park layout sign.
The planning process for the recreation master plan, which began in March 2024, involved public engagement. Residents were invited to share their needs and priorities through an online survey, community group discussions, and open houses held in June 2024. Over 299 households responded to the survey, while 32 community groups and 15 organizations provided additional feedback.
The next step is to provide the public with an opportunity to review the findings of the draft plan and then RC Strategies will make some final changes and bring it back to council for formal approval, said Community Services Coordinator for Recreation Services Adrienne Finnegan in her report to council.
