One of Haliburton Village’s jewels will soon become a gem as Glebe Park is slated for a makeover.
Jim Blake, a member of the Glebe Park committee, presented the new vision to Dysart council at their Sept. 24 meeting.
With him was Jamie Lee Mason, a landscape designer, who had drawn up preliminary plans for the green space, which includes directional signage, a new entranceway, pathways and landscaping aesthetics.
As part of an ongoing planning process by the committee, a series of recommendations have been made over the past few years on ways to improve the park.
“Anybody who’s been in the park sees the use growing more and more. There’s more public coming into the park … there’s thousands of people coming through. The park is getting extremely well used,” he said.
However, Blake believed there were many ways the appearance of the park could be improved.
“Currently the entrances to our park look sort of like you’re going into the back entrance to a farm gate,” he said.
The committee commissioned Mason to come up with rough costs and preliminary drawings.
The proposed work is estimated to cost $25,600 and includes planting native trees and flora, the construction of fences and other maintenance costs.
A gate is still required to prevent cars from entering, but still allowing service vehicles and emergency responders access, Blake said.
With the park being used by multiple groups, including the Sculpture Forest, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and mountain biking, the property was something council should be proud of.
“It really is an incredible treasure, as our village continues to grow around that, to have a park like that in the middle of the community,” he said.
Members of council looked at the plans and made suggestions.
Councillor Susan Norcross asked whether there were grants available to cover the costs of the committee’s plans.
“Really it’s looking for council to say yes we like this, let’s go ahead with it and then we’ll figure out the financing, either through the Park Reserve Fund or other opportunities,” said Blake, adding there was likely funding available through the Ontario Trillium Foundation and stewardship grants.
Council approved the landscape plan and will review the funding approval during the 2013 budget process and directed the committee to investigate funding opportunities.