The development of Lions Park is a top priority for the Oliver Parks and Recreation Society.

That was decision of the Board of Directors during its regular monthly meeting, held Monday night at the Oliver Community Centre.

With the musical sounds of Zumba class in the background, board members got down to the business of approving its draft budget for 2017.

”Our goal is to keep facilities and parks up to par,” stressed Board Chair Shiela Lange. “And continually improve them.”

At the top of the list of capital projects is Lions Park.

“As a board we need to come to a decision on what to do with Lions Park next year,” said Natalie Alexander, Interim Manager of Oliver Parks and Recreation.

And so, the discussion began.

Board members were shown diagrams of which areas could be developed sooner than later.

Upgrades at Lions Park would include an enhanced family area, an off-leash park, a renovated skate park and more areas for picnics and relaxing.

“With beautiful views of the river, along with ample access to connect with nature, Lion’s Park is one of Oliver’s most underutilized parks. The Oliver Parks and Recreation Society would like to maximize the recreational and leisure value of the prime centrally-located area for multi-generational use and enjoyment,” continued Alexander. “We believe that Lion’s Park can be a hub for outdoor recreation and leisure opportunities, transportation, and for citizens to connect with one another.”

The current Strategic Plan (2015-2019) has recommended actions aimed at ensuring that natural and built facilities are increasingly accessible and that local residents are offered the opportunity for year-round access to nature.

The recently released Park Improvement Plan for Lions’ Park is based on information collected from the Oliver community and includes a large Off-Leash Dog Area (OLA), a nature play area, a new washroom, revitalization of the skate park area, and several other initiatives.

“In the past, this park has been faced with such challenges as over-crowding, lack of parking, vandalism and a decline in tourist visitors. We strongly believe that the changes in Lion’s Park will help us continue to improve in key-areas while also building on the strengths that are already there,” summarized Alexander. “We encourage the residents of Oliver to become more involved in the park-planning process, and hope to see this space preserved for generations to come.”

For more information, or access to Parks and Rec’s PIP and Strategic Plan, check out: www.oliverrecreation.ca.

We will break down the budget numbers with Chair Shiela Lange in an upcoming story.

-Dale Cory