Mount Albert Community Park set for major facelift

Redesign to start this summer

Yorkregion.com
May 30, 2019
Simon Martin

Mount Albert Community Park will be packed this weekend for the annual Sports Day weekend. But by the time Sports Day rolls around next year, there will be major changes. East Gwillimbury is set to begin its redesign of the Mount Albert park at the beginning of the summer.

Parks, recreation and culture general manager Aaron Karmazyn said the town is set to issue a tender for the first phase of the project in June, with the hope that work can get started in July. The first phase would be the parking area for the facility and park along with a new pavilion/shade structure. Also included in the first phase are the skate zone and the junior and senior play area. The existing softball field is to remain unchanged, as is the community centre.

Karmazyn said the hope is to work through November and then early next year to have the first phase done before Sports Day next year.

The redevelopment in the park is being paired with town’s downtown revitalization of Mount Albert, with work on the corner of the Main Street and Centre Street intersection last year, Karmazyn said.

The concept also showed a connection to the Mount Albert Public School grounds located at the southwest end of the park.

The Mount Albert Lions Club is also partnering with the town to help fund a new skatepark in the town. Club president Vaughan Moult said the group decided a few years ago to help youth in the area and thought a skate park would be a worthy venture.

“Mount Albert has changed a lot over the years. We wanted to do something for all the new residents,” Moult said.

The Lions have already raised $25,000 for the skate park and have a final goal of raising $75,000 for the project. Moult said residents can make a donation through a GoFundMe campaign, which can be found through the Mount Albert Lions Facebook page.

“We want to make a difference in the community,” he said. The majority of the funds the Lions raise for the park come from events held throughout the year, including the maple syrup breakfast, Octoberfest and barbecues at music in the park.
Karmazyn said the size of the skate park will be similar to the one in Holland Landing if not a little bigger. The park redevelopment has been in the works for several years.

Other things to look forward to in the future as part of Phase 2 include outdoor skating, increased parking and an amphitheatre/outdoor classroom.

Back in 2016, one concept plan had removed the ball diamond from the park. That caused quite a stir at the public consultation. “People felt very strongly about keeping the baseball diamond on the community centre property,” Mayor Virginia Hackson said at the time.

Several public meetings were held in 2017 to receive input from the public.

In 1924, the land where the current park is situated was acquired by the Women’s Institute and deeded to the town for a community park.