Richard Froese
South Peace News
Plans to develop a new park and an outdoor basketball court in Kinuso are well underway for next year.
At its regular meeting Dec. 14, Big Lakes County council approved a memorandum of understanding with the Kinuso Community Association to maintain the two sites.
A park with a playground and fitness equipment will be located at the corner of Swan Ave. and Fourth St. Blue Imp was awarded the tender for park at a cost of $135,698.
Nearby, the basketball court will be located on Main St at the corner of Railroad Ave. Playfair Athletics was awarded the tender for $29,995.06.
“Work is scheduled to start in spring 2023 and be ready for the summer,” Brett Hawken, director of community and protective services, told council.
At its regular meeting Oct. 12, council allocated $200,000 for Kinuso’s hamlet upgrade program for the two projects. Separately, council allocated $150,000 to the park project and $50,000 for the basketball court.
The proposed memorandum of understanding starts April 1, 2023 and is ongoing as long as the Kinuso Community Association applies for and receives Big Lakes’ recreation and cultural operating grant funding.
Kinuso Councillor Roberta Hunt planted the vision to create public recreation areas in the community.
Hunt was absent when the item was discussed.
“Councillor Hunt’s vision is to create public access for young families to do activities in Kinuso while school is in session,” Hawken said.
“Kinuso does not currently have a public park and basketball court available during school hours.”
The park includes two 5-m “hillside slides”, two sets of swing sets, one for toddlers and another for older children, two “spinning chairs”, one picnic table, two benches and one large playground set for children ages 2-5.
Hawken said the park will also have a fitness component and four pieces of workout equipment, including a stationary bicycle, an elliptical, a swing elliptical and a chest press.
The basketball court will include four 10-foot-high basketball hoops and backboards. The existing concrete pad will be recoated with painted to include lines for basketball.