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The Auroran https://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/diamond-jubilee-park-set-to-open-this-month/ Export date: Sat Jan 3 21:20:34 2026 / +0000 GMT |
Diamond Jubilee Park set to open this month By Brock Weir Nearly five years in the making, Queen's Diamond Jubilee Park will soon be ready to welcome visitors. Aurora's first fully-accessible park, designed with amenities for all ages, is set to be open by the end of this month – potentially as early as the end of this week – after sod was finally laid down on the John West Way green space, formerly known as Civic Square Park. “There were some delays due to poor weather and the rain, but there was a site meeting held there [Thursday] and it is scheduled to be done by this week and fencing should come down as soon as the sod takes,” Stephanie Mackenzie Smith, Manager of Corporate Communications for the Town of Aurora, told The Auroran last week. “They are laying down the grass and once it starts growing and is able to take some traffic we will be taking the full fencing down and the full park should be done within a couple of weeks.” It has been a long road to get to this point. Back in 2012, Council voted to re-dedicate a public park in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, which marked the 60th anniversary of her Accession to the Throne in 1952. With locations ranging from a new parkette in northwest Aurora to Town Park itself considered for re-dedication, Council eventually settled on Civic Square Park due to its prominent location within the Town, close to Town Hall. While a simple re-dedication was once the only thing on the agenda, Council decided to make it a showpiece to mark such a significant anniversary, picking up on a motion from Councillor Paul Pirri to transform the east and west sides of the park into a fully accessible destination with playground equipment for kids of all physical ability with more passive amenities, including a labyrinth and a sensory garden for more mature Aurorans. Although breaking ground on the new park was still over two years away, signage for Queen's Diamond Jubilee Park, including a plaque honouring all Aurora residents who received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for their services to the community, was dedicated by the Queen's son, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, at a local event for the Queen's York Rangers in 2014. A price tag for the overhaul of the park was set at $387,000 in the 2015 Capital Budget and the Award of Tender approved by Council in May 2016. “Queen's Diamond Jubilee Accessible Playground concept plans were first presented at an Open House meeting on January 15, 2014,” said Al Downey, Aurora's Director of Parks and Recreation, at the time of Tender. “Following this meeting, staff completed a more detailed conceptual design of the [accessible playground] and potential park features that could be included. Input received at the public open house was useful in guiding the detailed park design and overall theme by incorporating many sensory and other accessible features that were deemed appropriate in addressing the needs of the differently abled members of society who may be using this park. “Following the detailed design process, staff conducted a second public open house meeting on May 14, 2015, where the Park plans were presented and further comments from the meeting participants were received and considered in the final park design plan. The final park plan includes a number of features aimed at the needs of all users in terms of both physical and sensory abilities in that it includes elements and equipment geared towards the senses as well as physical challenges.” |
| Excerpt: Nearly five years in the making, Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Park will soon be ready to welcome visitors. Aurora’s first fully-accessible park, designed with amenities... |
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Post date: 2017-08-01 19:48:39 Post date GMT: 2017-08-01 23:48:39 Post modified date: 2017-08-01 19:48:39 Post modified date GMT: 2017-08-01 23:48:39 |
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