Focus on improving the spray park, fencing an off-leash dog area, preserving open space and considering future sports facilities 

Feedback on the future of Meadow Park has the Resort Municipality of Whistler reimagining the greenspace to improve usage. 

Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting saw Council receive a report on public engagement results from three pop-up open houses and an online survey done in January and February through a campaign dubbed Meadow Park RePLAY. 

Efforts to collect public input began in January, and will continue into late spring, to ensure residents and visitors who enjoy the park and outdoor play structures can provide input on any plans coming before Council. 

“I’d like to consider holding the next phase of engagement at the park itself, so frequent users have the most opportunity to see the draft plans. We are really excited about the possibility of having two parks in our area rejuvenated in such a brief period,” said Councillor Cathy Jewett, who acted as chairperson for the meeting. 

The first draft plans focus on greenspace, the spray park, dogs and adjustments to the ball diamonds.  

The children’s spray park no longer satisfies Vancouver Coastal Health standards, Council was told, and engagement feedback suggests park-goers want this area to remain a priority with interactive fountains incorporated into a new build. There is also clear support for preserving open space, but it will need to be balanced against the hopes of many dog lovers who frequent the park. Planners are also reviewing ball diamond usage and are considering an adjustment to a single diamond, to make room for a fenced off dog zone. 

“We know the ball diamonds are under-sized and can only be used for little league,” explained planner Annie Oja. “They are also slightly under-utilized as the ball season runs from May to June, so only six weeks of operation.” 

Council asked that outreach be done with the Tee Ball community, in addition to conversations underway with Whistler Minor Baseball, and pushed for more consideration of tree cover for parents setting up long days with young families near the spray park. 

The rejuvenation project will be paid for through provincial Resort Municipality Initiative funds and includes potential for several climate and health-focused upgrades, including a new irrigation system capable of saving 11 million litres of potable drinking water annually.  

Over 100 individuals, including 30 children, provided input at the open houses, with 1,700 visits to the online engagement portal and 379 digital surveys completed. A comprehensive report on the engagement will be published on the RMOW’s website and publicized in coming weeks before the second round of engagement. 

Other items being considered include new racquet and multi-sport courts, a pump track, skateboard features, outdoor exercise equipment and a walking loop suitable for people with mobility impairments. The mayor also took time to secure clarification that rejuvenation plans would not prevent future additions or expansions to the buildings. With this said, RMOW staff were clear future build-out could heavily impact greenspace and would require extensive community consultation to be considered. 

Following the engagement, a master plan will be refined and presented to Council for consideration and will prioritize the features targeted for construction in spring 2024. The remaining elements will be considered for future implementation, per the published timeline.