Realizing DeHart Park

Inviting Kelowna residents to engage in projects around the City is vital to the Project Managers, Planners and Technicians that work to improve our neighbourhoods.

Whether it was to have a say on a new community park, choose a design for a new active transportation corridor, or give feedback on sustainable strategies, thousands log on to the City’s engagement platform, Get Involved, to give input.

Feedback from engagement opportunities like The North End Neighourhood Plan, Mill Creek Linear Park and Glenmore Recreation Park, help Council and the City’s project teams who run cultural, infrastructure and community focused opportunities make informed decisions and understand resident’s objectives.

And yes! Your feedback truly can make a difference. Just ask Parks and Landscape Planner Cadre Simpson who is managing the new DeHart Park and recently wrapped up Phase 1 of engagement.

Cadre Simpson and a resident at the open house for DeHart Park.

“The updated concept design presented this year reflects components of the previous concept and input captured in the first round of public engagement about current community priorities,” said Cadre Simpson. “One of the community’s top priorities was to preserve the natural elements in the space, so mature trees and naturalized areas of the park can be found in the updated design concept.”

“Based on public feedback from the first round of engagement, other amenities included in this community-level park were added to meet the need for higher intensity recreation uses including a field, children’s play area, and a space for dogs,” explains Cadre.

Infrastructure to meet vehicle, transit, cycling, and pedestrian access needs, and an open space for unstructured activities have also been accommodated in the refined concept plan. 

The DeHart project team used both online and in-person tactics to ensure Kelowna residents had a chance to get involved. After over two years being primarily digital, project teams are slowly easing back into introducing in-person engagement opportunities.

Public (big, small and four-legged) were invited to review the concept design for the new park.

“Of course, we hosted a survey online to give folks the chance to provide feedback from the comfort of their homes, but we also had an open house and walkshops on site to meet the public face-to-face,” explains Cadre.

Based on public feedback, the design has been updated and residents were invited to view the concept, fill in the survey, and attend the onsite workshop to help inform the final update before heading to implementation and construction through 2024. 

Respondent feedback, in addition to design best practices, amenities elsewhere in the neighbourhood and existing policy guidelines for community level parks will inform the final design of the new park.

Draft concept design presented to public for review. Design was based on resident feedback from Phase 1. Click to enlarge image.

To make sure you have the chance to have your say, follow us on social media to learn of any upcoming opportunities in real time, create an account on Get Involved, and share exciting projects that interest you!