By Rick Burrowes
Springhurst Park is one of Ottawa’s most intensively used and enjoyed green spaces. It is the park of choice for hundreds of families in the Lees Avenue high-rises to the east and of Archville and the greater Old Ottawa East community to the west.
Springhurst Park Image by Google Maps
Preschoolers enjoy the sand play area and kids of elementary school age swarm the jungle gym and various swings. The basketball court is full every evening and weekends and is especially popular with men 20-30+ years of age. Even the meagre installation of adult fitness equipment attracts some men and women wanting an open air workout.
Springhurst Park Action (SPA) game sharing badminton, table tennis and volleyball have proven very popular with teens and adults. Parents enjoy these activities while their younger children play independently or with their teenaged children.
SPA has served it’s purpose, and it has proven the maxim “ If you build it, they will come”. The 2019 goal of Vision is to make SPA’s initial success permanent and to build on the achievements thus far.
To achieve our goal, Vision Springhurst is now winding up an extensive Community Outreach Campaign to gauge and build community support for:
• the installation of permanent versions of two games that have already proven popular with the park’s users – a table tennis table and a “beach” volleyball court; and
• the addition of several diverse assets to broaden Springhurst’s appeal to more people, families and groups throughout our community, including:
• a dock for Springhurst’s access point on the Rideau River for paddlers and people just seeking a quiet place
to sit and enjoy a pleasant view of this tranquil bend in the river;
• a seasonal and secure canoe/kayak/SUP rack near the dock along the fence line between Springhurst and
the Greystone Village development to eliminate the drudgery of transporting one’s watercraft to and from
the river; and
• additional equipment to augment the existing adult fitness structures to permit a much more extensive
workout regimen achievable.
Old Ottawa East has more than $300,000 of municipal Cost in Lieu of Parkland (CILP) funds, and growing quickly, dedicated for spending on improvements to our parks (Springhurst, Brantwood and Children’s Garden) and recreation centres.
The total cost for the Vision Springhurst installations and additions to our park would be less than $60,000, or less than 1/5th of OOE’s share of CILP funds. Funds may be forthcoming from SHCH, MEC (for the dock or rack) and OOECA’s own funds.
If you would like to see any or all of the above additions proposed for Springhurst Park, please visit the park to see the planning locations, check out the Vison Springhurst Facebook page
Vision Springhurst 2019 or email visionspringhurst@gmail.com and inform them which project(s) you support. .
