Staff is looking at the Essa board for the OK for a million dollar park

Right now, it’s just a field of dreams.

But going forward, if the Essa community board authorizes staff to work with Brookfield Development to prepare a park development agreement at Wednesday’s community board meeting, it will host a $1 million park — all paid for by Brookfield.

According to a report prepared by Michael Mikael, the town’s chief administrative officer, the township has discussed developing a park in Baxter in recent years.

“Brookfield’s original intention was to build a park before the first phase of development,” Mikael said in his report. “Recently, staff negotiated park construction with Brookfield using a two-phase approach similar to the subdivision development approach.”

According to the report, Brookfield will build 253 homes in total.

The first phase will see 119 homes built. The second phase will include 134 houses.

Baxter Park, to be developed in association with the 253 homes, is located immediately north of 92 Denney Drive on the east side.

“The entire development of the park will be funded 100 percent from the Brookfield development fees,” Mikael said.

The homes will generate about $1.3 million in parks and recreation taxes.

The total cost of building the park is estimated at $780,000.

“A total Parks and Recreation Development Fee Allowance of $521,642.91 will be available to fund a future splash pad (once sufficient municipal water supply is available) and/or any other park amenities in -a different location, according to the council’s instructions,” Mikael. said.

The cost of the first phase is estimated at $515,000 and includes:

• All site servicing and grading
• All perimeter fences
• Parking space
• Shadow structure
• Game structures
• A portion of the vegetation

Mikael noted that an area has been set aside in the first phase for a proposed future splash zone. In the meantime, the area will be used as a temporary ice rink.

The cost of phase two is estimated at $265,000 and includes:

• Basketball court
• Walking route
• Off-leash dog area
• Remaining vegetation

During phases one and two, Brookfield will contribute nearly $400,000 to:

• Site preparation and maintenance (soil stripping – rough grading – site and parking maintenance)
• Landscape and Site Accessories (Fencing)
• Softscape (park seed zones – swallow seed zones)

While public consultation has already taken place, the new park will be subject to consultation on accessibility.

The Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation requires consultation on new outdoor play spaces and recreational trails.

Brookfield, which is considered a large organization under the regulations, will build the public space and therefore must consult with the public and disabled people about the design of the park piece.

Because Brookfield will design and build the park and playgrounds on behalf of the town, staff recommends that public consultation be with the township’s healthy, accessible community and parks committee.

“This will ensure that the voices of applicable Township stakeholders participate in providing feedback on the future Township facility,” said Mikael.

The entire project (phases one and two) will be publicly auctioned by Brookfield, reducing personnel costs for project design and administration.