Hamilton Mountain's Dr. William Bethune Park to receive $33,000 in upgrades

Thestar.com
March 29, 2022

The busy Dr. William Bethune Park will be getting additional funding to make a few significant parking and park upgrades.

Councillors at their March 21 public works committee approved a motion introduced by Mountain Coun. John-Paul Danko to spend a total of $33,000. The funding, which is scheduled to be voted on at the March 30 council meeting, will go towards replacing the baseball diamond backstops at the park, located at 60 Dicenzo Drive. In addition, $8,000 of the money will be used to improve the parking and driveway.

The funding is being taken from the Ward 8 capital re-investment reserve fund. The annual operating cost for maintaining the parking and driveway area is estimated to be about $1,000.

“The diamonds are very well used and are showing their age,” said Danko. “We are seeing a growth in baseball in the city” including in adult and youth participation.

He said the parking and driveway are gravel based, but staff will “reassess” the area to determine whether it should be paved.

The park, near Upper James Street, attracts a range of users who access the Walker Outdoor Pool, the creative play area, the Trieste Bocce Club, and several ball diamonds.