New lighting and a boardwalk are some of the items councillors are planning for in Patterson Park. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

Infrastructure spending

La Ronge capital budget includes major improvements to Patterson Park

May 13, 2019 | 5:00 PM

The 2019 Town of La Ronge capital budget was approved at a regular council meeting last week and the document includes heavy spending at Patterson Park.

The total budget, which doesn’t include operational expenses, calls for more than $6 million in spending in a number of areas. The largest item on the list is the long-planned-for public works shop at $2.1 million, followed by the potential replacement of the Mel Hegland Uniplex roof at $1.6 million, along with $160,000 for a dehumidifier in the facility. Estimates for the roof were initially on the agenda to be discussed at the last meeting, but council decided to speak of the matter in private after costs came in over budget.

“It would have been and that’s because no one knew when they had a problem with the roof years ago, instead of tearing the roof apart and redoing it, they put a new roof on top of the old roof,” Woytowich said. “There are other options we were given and the lowest is around $200,000 to $300,000. That is if the study shows the roof is not damaged and it just needs replacement of insulation and stuff like that.”

The capital budget also commits more than $230,000 for extensive work in Patterson Park. The most expensive item is waterfront park lights at $80,000, followed by a stage and theatre development, a boardwalk, landscaping, a camp kitchen and artwork for garbage cans. Many of the suggestions stem from a public survey held last year in which 479 individuals participated. The survey discovered most people use the park at least three times per year, but also revealed the park was perceived as unsafe and a larger security presence was needed.

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“The whole survey was we have a beautiful park in a perfect location and it has a swimming area right next to it, and it’s not being utilized,” Woytowich said. “It would be utilized big time if it was properly built up over the years. Its kind of languished for a little while. We want to make it attractive for people to come.”

Community Planner Abby Besharah stated much of the work in Patterson Park is still in the planning phase. She said the waterfront light project would include the enhancement of lighting throughout the entire area, which would allow the park become more usable at darker hours, as well as increase the perception of safety. If possible, the lighting would extend into the beach and around the play structures, and the large lights around the loop will be removed.

The boardwalk would include a large section of the park boarding the shoreline. Besharah noted it would extend to the edge of the water, so people can get right up to the lake without getting wet.

“The idea is to increase the attraction to the waterfront and to increase the access for users of the park,” she said. “We are going to be going through a planning process and permitting process to explore, design and install a boardwalk that extends along the front of Patterson Park.”

The capital budget also includes $450,000 for sewer line work, $300,000 for a pavement program and sidewalk repair, as well as $150,000 for repaving and terminal parking at the airport. There is also funding allocated for new crosswalks in school zones with flashing lights attached to activation buttons.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno