Bayly Park construction underway and expected to be substantially complete October 2012

Construction is underway on Bayly Park, Whistler’s newest neighbourhood park at Cheakamus Crossing. Subject to weather and construction timelines, work is scheduled to be substantially complete in October 2012 with lawn areas usable in 2013.

Bayly Park is a large 8.45 hectare (21 acre) site located atop the capped former municipal landfill at Cheakamus Crossing. Key amenities for Bayly Park will include a playground, a multi-use sports court, an off-leash dog area, an all-weather gravel pitch, an Olympic legacy pavilion, a tennis court, a picnic area, a community garden, sand volley ball courts, trails including linkages to the existing  Sea to Sky Trail, public washrooms, and parking.

The park is organized around a central, open, flat irrigated lawn area. The lawn offers opportunities for play, informal gatherings, social interaction and picnicking.

Amenities will be opened to the public as they are completed. Residents can expect to use all aspects of the park by June 2013, once the lawn and grass areas have sufficiently grown in and established.  

Work was delayed in 2011 due to supply issues for the necessary fill materials and additional settlement information gathered about the closed landfill’s membrane. These issues have been resolved, and site work began July 16, which will be completed by the fall of 2012.

The parking lot on Legacy Way opposite the High Performance Centre (HPC) is closed until further notice for construction purposes. The parking lot, which is used as overflow by HPC users, will be re-graded and expanded. Alternative overflow parking exists on the Whistler Athletes’ Centre property.

Phase 1 of development includes the redistribution of existing fill piles and re-contouring the park for development. Phase 2 will include the installation of underground site services, such as waterlines, sewer, hydro and communications, as well as the construction of structures.

To better manage costs, smaller and easily bundled park components (i.e. tennis and ball hockey court paving and fence installation, upgrades for the Olympic legacy pavilion and installation) will be tendered or sourced independent of Phase 1 and Phase 2 work.

The Bayly Park project total budget is $1.479 million, of which 10 per cent is funded from the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMI) from the Province of British Columbia, and 90 per cent from existing municipal reserves. The project also received a grant from BC Hydro and Tree Canada for $8,000 toward the purchase of trees for the project.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) manages 31 community and neighbourhood parks within Whistler’s municipal boundaries. Each of Whistler’s neighbourhood parks are unique – some have play structures, picnic tables and BBQ stands, water features or other attractions.

For more information about the Bayly Park project visit: whistler.ca/baylypark.