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Existing Infrastructure & Uses
A park or conservation area can incorporate a range of existing infrastructure to assist with the initial creation of trails, conservation areas, recreation spaces, water access, tree canopy and more.
You may start with an underused space in your community that interconnects with other public amenities; you may wish to integrate an informal use area and establish a plan for growth or for conservation efforts. Your park masterplan should guide your efforts here.
Existing Infrastructure Use Case:
Roadways, Railways & Bridges
You might have an opportunity in your region to take over and repurpose an existing pathway or bridge for pedestrian use within your park. Existing infrastructure developed for motorized vehicles has a number of advantages, including its stability. Creating new paved paths and bridges can be an expensive undertaking involving a lot of steps; repurposing can skip some of these steps, and if placed correctly, can be important pathway connectors.
They also have the added appeal of a great story! Old bridges and railways especially have history, and can be a valuable part of conserving a community or region’s heritage.
These existing amenities may also have significant short and long term costs, so consider the pros and cons carefully!
Battleford River Valley had an opportunity to transform a highway bridge into a pedestrian and non-motorized vehicle path connection to a high use recreation area known as Finlayson Island.
The Battleford Bridges were decommissioned as a highway in 2003, and taken over by the Town of Battleford. One of the bridges continued to serve as a roadway to Finlayson Island; the other bridge is set aside for pedestrian and non-motorized vehicle access only.
When they took it over, the Town of Battleford commissioned an engineering consultant to monitor the aging structure, and create a 10 year management plan that included financial planning for maintenance and operations. In 2022, the Town received funding to rehabilitate one of the bridges that required riverbank stabilization and structural enhancements. The project was complex and required careful project management to complete within a short timeframe. The bridge re-opened to pedestrian traffic in 2023 and is both a useful park amenity, and an important historical piece of the river view.
Saskatchewan Trails Association can get you started with resources on how to tackle a project that repurposes existing rail and highway infrastructure. Additionally, look to other communities who have been through the process for tips on how to manage the project, such as the Battlefords, Weyburn and Saskatoon’s Meewasin Valley Authority.
Existing User Case:
Unofficial Trails to Official Trails
Some park locations may develop naturally from unofficial uses, which might include hiking and biking trails, waterway access points, cross country skiing or sledding, or even using convenient interconnection points. These independent users might organize into a more stable group that handles upkeep of an area for their own purposes, but often these unofficial use areas are naturally maintained because they are popular.
As an organization, you might decide to take over a trail system or unofficial recreation spot in order to establish safety guidelines, or to help users with maintenance and supporting amenities.
You may also want to sign a user agreement with any existing organizations to ensure that roles, responsibilities, and access guidelines are clear for all parties. Visit the Resources section for examples of User Agreements.
Little Red River Park in Prince Albert had for years been a popular cross country ski trail system maintained by the local nordic ski club. The trails drew in visitors, and volunteers dealt with the maintenance. Over time, the city realized the benefits of building an official tourism attraction with year round amenities. The park’s location on a well travelled highway meant that even though the park is outside the city, it remains a popular stopping spot and meeting place for residents and tourists alike.
Underused Infrastructure Use Case:
Revitalizing Empty Lots
An empty lot within a community that is unsuitable for development can be a problem for town administrators. There are ongoing expenses to maintain the lot to ensure it doesn’t attract undesired uses, and safety can be a concern for surrounding neighbourhoods.
If you have an empty lot in your community, putting in some simple amenities can encourage positive uses. If an empty lot has a use, then the community is more likely to want to take some ownership of its care and maintenance.
Swift Current was able to work with local mountain biking enthusiasts to create a mountain bike trail on an unused lot with just a few signs and minimal upkeep. The mountain bikers enjoy the trails and keep them maintained through use. With this activity, the lot now has a purpose, and the users have a reason to focus on keeping it clean and safe.
NEIGHBOURHOOD IMPACT CONSIDERATIONS
PARKING
If your park project will attract a high volume of users, parking is usually essential. Adjacent underused land can serve as a temporary parking area, but keep in mind future needs for travellers in vehicles, as well as access for persons with low mobility.
NOISE
Does your park project include an outdoor sports court? Will it be available for event rentals? Nearby neighbourhoods will be affected, so be sure to consider how a project will generate noise and traffic to and from an area.
NEARBY DEVELOPMENT
Adjacent housing or commercial development might conflict with your park project, now or in the future. How can you ensure that nearby housing development or commercial property owners will get on board with your plan?
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TRAFFIC FLOW
You plan to make your park accessible for all users, but will development block current access to any other community amenities? Desired but unofficial paths and uses in a location might be affected, and that can create conflict. Parking and vehicle safety around pedestrians should be carefully considered.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
STABILITY
Erosion, flooding, underground water, unstable geology. A formerly underused area might have stability issues that may only become obvious during construction, or upon higher use from pedestrians and vehicles. How can you plan for and mitigate any issues that might arise?
MAINTENANCE
If you build it, it will likely require maintenance and upkeep. Is it accessible to maintenance personnel? Will it require municipal resources or volunteer staff to keep clean, accessible, and safe? Who is ultimately responsible in the long term for ensuring the property is maintained and attractive to users?
ACCESS & INCLUSION
Is the location accessible to a range of users? Are there opportunities to add infrastructure that improves accessibility? Inclusion is an extension of accessibility that uses purposeful design choices to prevent any individuals from feeling excluded from an activity. Does the location provide existing amenities that can be upgraded or built on to create inclusive spaces?