THUNDER BAY – Nearby residents had a chance to weigh in on the future of Dease Park on Thursday, as the City of Thunder Bay held a consultation event.
Staff presented information on changes being considered for the park and the adjacent site of the former Dease Pool, closed in 2018.
The city is weighing options including a skate park or tennis court for the former pool site, as well as traffic calming measures for the section of Dease Street that connects the two properties. Those could go as far as full road closure between McKellar and Vickers streets.
Those changes will join significant improvements to Dease Park already approved by city council in March, including a new basketball court that will convert to a boarded skating rink in winter.
More than 65 people attended the consultation held at the park Thursday, where city staff from engineering, parks, and community services set up displays illustrating the plans and solicited verbal and written feedback.
The city previously held an online survey on the issue, but wanted to ensure those living directly around the park had a chance to weigh in, said community program developer Trisha Heino.
“Obviously it affects them greatly because it’s right in their neighbourhood,” she said. “We want things that the kids want to use and want to do in their space.”
The city has also previously consulted students at McKellar Park School, who showed strong support for the basketball court and ice rink and expanding playground equipment.
Neighbourhood resident Adrian Craig said the upgrades are badly needed.
“For me, it’s hugely important, mostly for the kids in the area,” he said. “It’s being able to grow and develop in your own neighbourhood.”
He believes a skate park would be best used by youth in the area, seeing tennis and pickleball as adult activities.
Another neighbourhood resident agreed Dease Park currently offers limited appeal for his two young kids.
He welcomed plans for the rink and more playground equipment at the park, saying he often drives his children to play at Vickers, but not everyone has access to a vehicle.
He expressed concerns a skate park could lead to noise and loitering problems, but liked the idea of a tennis court.
Coun. Brian Hamilton, whose McKellar Ward includes the park, said while the final park design can’t accommodate everyone’s first choice of activities, it will be a win for the area regardless by broadening recreation opportunities.
He also said any plans should emphasize green space.
“Ultimately what I’d like to see is a full spectrum of amenities right across the neighbourhood, so people don’t have to necessarily get in a car or hop on a bus,” he said. “You have swimming at Widnall Pool, you have the playgrounds and the splash pad at Franklin, you have the beautiful trees here at Dease.”
Residents also learned about traffic calming plans for a section of Dease Street between McKellar and Vickers, which runs between the park and former pool site.
Just how aggressive the measures will be isn’t yet decided. City staff are considering three options, ranging from speed bumps and a pedestrian crossing to full closure to connect the two properties.
City of Thunder Bay traffic technologist David Binch said resident feedback on the issue had been mixed Thursday.
“It’s not exactly a residential road – it’s kind of in between, almost to the collector level,” he said. “So closing it is something we wouldn’t take lightly.”
For Craig, who lives near the intersection of Dease and McKellar, it’s a tradeoff that makes sense.
“I’d rather just see it closed,” he said. “With that much foot traffic, having [more] kids in this area, the safer we can make it for them, the better.”
