WHITEWATER REGION — The Township of Whitewater Region has begun development of a Master Plan for Recreation Services.
The Plan will be a comprehensive framework to guide municipal investment in recreation and culture facilities, programs and services over the course of the next 20 years. The Master Plan will tackle issues such as: aging infrastructure, evolving demographics and coordinating the various programs and services within the Township.
Township of Whitewater Region rate payers are invited to participate in the household survey found at the link below https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RecPlanHouseholdSurvey and must be completed by October 6, 2017.
For those who do not have access to the internet, hard copies can be found at the three public library’s in the township: Beachburg, Cobden and Foresters Falls. Hard copies of the survey are also located at the Municipal Office in Cobden and at Kenny’s Store in Westmeath.
The scope of the plan will include: indoor and outdoor facilities including: arenas, athletic fields, ball diamonds, arts and culture, fitness, gymnasiums and multipurpose spaces, parks, trails, beaches and boat launches, recreation, sport, culture and heritage programs and services to determine the appropriate roles for the Township of Whitewater Region and our community partners to deliver facilities, programs and services.
Milestone Strategy, a firm specializing in parks, recreation, culture and tourism planning, has been hired by the Township to lead the process to develop the Master Plan.
The planning process started in late August and is expected to be completed by with a presentation of the draft plan to Township Council in January 2018.
The process involves extensive consultation with user groups, residents, other service providers and others. The new Recreation Advisory Committee will advise the process throughout.
According to Robert Tremblay, Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk, “This is just one more step to ensure that our recreation programs, facilities and services are in tune with the needs of our residents. The composition of our population and their recreation interests are evolving and so must our services.”
Jordan Durocher, Manager of Community Services added, “This framework will harmonize the way our Township handles it’s day-to-day parks, recreation and culture services and will provide a plan for the next 20 years.”
