King City Memorial Park to officially reopen late September

The 2-phased $1.1M-revitalization work started in 2017

Yorkregion.com
September 6, 2018
Sheila Wang

Memorial Park in King City is expected to officially reopen to the public in late September as the restoration and upgrade work is mostly complete.

The $1,133,000-revitalization work began in 2017 at Memorial Park at 25 Doctors Lane. It involved a lower ball diamond refurbishment, installation of a new splash pad and a new playground, a gazebo replacement as well as an upper ball diamond expansion.

“It’s going fantastically. It’s almost complete. It’s probably 99 per cent complete. The only thing that we’re waiting on is probably some plaques in sometime mid-September,” said Ward 1 Coun. Cleve Mortelliti.

The two-phased project was completed slightly under the original budget, Mortelliti said.

King Township approved the budget for the first phase of the project in January 2016, which included the upgrade of the lower ball diamond and the replacement of the playground, according to a report from the parks, recreation and culture department.

The second phase started in late 2017 which has expanded the upper ball diamond from a softball diamond to a hardball diamond, and replaced the gazebo that was originally built by the King City Lions Club back in 1960s.

Mortelliti said, the total cost of these refurbishments and additions were budgeted at $880,000 and final cost was a little over $879,000. The splash pad was budgeted at $240,000 and the final cost also came under budget at $236,000. 

The project was funded through a combination of contributions from development charges, the tax supported capital fund and parkland reserve fund, according to a report from the parks, recreation and culture department.

The revitalization work is expected to encourage and support an active lifestyle and provide places and spaces for the community to meet, socialize and enjoy recreational activities in King Township.

“Every new project in that park was started by an initiative by the King City Lions,” Mortelliti said, noting the club has made constant contributions to the facilities over the years.

The Orr family, part of the club, sold the land which Memorial Park currently sits on for a nominal fee in the 1960s, Mortelliti added.