Calling all closet photographers – we are searching for your best photos of Redwood to showcase on the homepage of our new website-to-be!

The best photo of the month will be eligible for a grand prize come December 2011.

Send JPG files at a minimum resolution of 1600×1200 (but preferably larger) to
wurbanowicz@redwoodmeadows.ab.ca

Final Report Submitted for the Recreational Area Master Plan:  Project History, Next Steps and Revised Architectural Drawings are Presented

Click Here to See the Architectural Drawings (PDF)

 

Executive Summary:

Van der Zalm + Associates Inc. and Newline Skate parks were retained by the Redwood

Meadows Townsite in April of 2010 to prepare an overall vision for the future development of

Curtis Park. Curtis Park is a community-scale park that serves the needs of all residents

through promotion of both active and passive recreation. Over many years, the park program

has expanded to include: a playground, picnic areas, sports fields, outdoor rink, concession

building, tennis courts, and various passive areas for sitting or walking. Many of these

program elements were integrated without an overall vision for how various activities

compliment or negatively impact upon one another. The purpose of the parks master plan, is to

re-visit the various program elements currently serving residents, and to propose some possible

additional elements to support youth recreation. In particular, a water park and skateboard park

were proposed as new elements. The Recreation Area Master Plan Project (RAMP) committee -

a group of citizens leading the master plan review process – was also successful in achieving a

financial grant for the creation of the skateboard park and therefore the specific location of the

skate park has become an important aspect of the master planning process.

Process:

Through the months of May-June 2010, VDZ/NLS staff worked with members of the RAMP. Our

combined efforts resulted in several schematic plans for the development of the site. Our key

concerns and priorities in looking at the overall site are:

1. SITE LEGIBILITY: program elements do not relate well to one another, or opportunities

to create greater cohesion and legibility were not realized in the current development.

2. CPTED: Crime prevention through Environmental Design – create a greater sense of

safety in the park – both for users and for residents who live adjacent to the park and

frequently complain of late night activity in the park.

3. PEDESTRIAN SAFETY: Few pedestrian routes must be clearly articulated and given

priority over vehicle movements.

4. OPERATIONS: Ease of function for the ‘snack shack’ and support for special events at

the park. Currently there are limited means whereby a special event can be run without

moving vehicles through the active recreation portion of the park and directly across the

sports field.

5. COMMUNITY: promote community gatherings with spectator viewing areas, and

complimentary association of youth/child activities so that parents can provide

supervision from key points without having to traverse the park.

6. NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION: Review existing mature vegetation and locate

new amenity spaces so as to protect trees and take advantage of forest canopy, shade,

and habitat.

Initial Community Review:

On July 8th at 6pm, members of the community were invited to attend a public open house to

discuss the concept development. Mark van der Zalm – Landscape Architect and Principal with

vdz+associates inc. was on hand to discuss community concerns, questions, and statements.

After a period of social interaction and casual conversation related to the concepts, Mark

presented two options for re-developing Curtis park.

Option A: provided a curved or organically formed design that includes seating development for

public viewing of the outdoor arena and the adjacent ball fields. In addition, greater

formalization of pedestrian access to the centre of the park, and vehicle access through a gate

off Manyhorses Park (road). A water park and skateboard park were also located in the plan. A

significant vehicle pull-out/drop off was also articulated across from Redwood House.

Option B: provided a more structured and rigid plan that clearly articulated a drop-off adjacent

to the Town administrative building. Vehicle access was also shown off Manyhorses Park with

an expanded drop-off within the park and adjacent to the Snack Shack. A waterpark and

skateboard park were also added to this development option. A vehicle drop-off is provided

across from the town administrative office, but is less intrusive into the park – with only parallel

pull-out.

Discussion:

There was good discussion and review from all present. About 22 attendees provided 12 written

responses to the consultants and the RAMP committee. Additional comments followed this

meeting with greater opportunity extended for public review. In total – 57 formal responses were

provided by the end of July. Of the 57 submissions from the public, 13 favoured Option B, with

22 preferring Option A. The remaining respondents indicated no preference. Open house

attendees provided their opinions on a feedback form prepared by VDZ. Specific comments

were recorded and included in the appendix of this report.

Much of the discussion related to both plans related to their level of ‘appropriateness’ to the

town of Redwood Meadows. There was general consensus that the plan should be more

organic and less ‘urban’- looking. In addition, much discussion related to park noise and

inappropriate behaviour in the park after hours and by people not from the community. There

was general concern that providing greater youth amenities within the park could promote

inappropriate after-hours use of the park and lead to greater nuisance activities: vandalism,

fires, litter, drugs, sex.

On July 20th, 2010, the RAMP committee received a letter from residents along Manyhorses

park. These specific residents had met separately to review options A and B and provided their

feedback to Catherin Watson – Chairperson of the Redwood Meadows Community Association.

A copy of their letter is included in the appendix to this report. In summary: The residents felt

that the two options compromised too much green space within the park, and that the

skateboard park would exacerbate existing after hours problems along their street. The RAMP

committee directed the consulting team to consider all comments in the formulation of an

amended park master plan for consideration by the community.

Design Development:

Working with the comments from the community and direct feedback to the RAMP, VDZ/NLS

revised the development concept in the following ways:

1. Moved the skateboard park and waterpark facilities to the interior of the park and out of

conflict with mature vegetation.

2. Reduced the scope of the vehicle drop off access from Manyhorses park to be a

controlled/gated access with a permeable surface.

3. Moved the hard surface areas to the central interior of the park to directly service the

snack shack and limit hard surfaces in all ‘natural areas’ of the park.

4. Reduced the scope of the vehicle/pedestrian drop off across from the town

administrative offices – however a more understated drop-off was maintained.

5. Develop the spectator seating adjacent to the ball field and outdoor rink.

6. Provide a pedestrian connection to Manyhorses park from the tennis courts.

7. Expand parking to the north of the town administrative offices and consider relocation

and redevelopment of the bmx/dirt jump biking area.

8. Provide a community fire pit in close proximity to the rink and in clear view of exterior

roads for limitation of inappropriate uses.

9. Provide some physical vehicle barrier at the park exterior to limit unwarranted traffic

through the park.

10. Consider a pedestrian cross walk to Redwood House.

The design development sketches considering public input, were sent back to the RAMP

committee for their consideration in August. Comments back from the RAMP committee

directed consultants to change two significant elements:

1. Eliminate the waterpark as there was no strong community support for this program

element.

2. Further reduce hard surfaces and pull the vehicle drop-off area into the centre of the

park to avoid conflict with mature vegetation as much as possible.

3. Clearly indicated locking gate on Manyhorses Park (road).

Second Community Review:

On September 29th, 2010, Mark van der Zalm and Trevor Morgan conducted a public open

house with assistance from RAMP committee members and town council. The revised option A

was presented to the community, along with 3dimensional blow-ups of key areas within the park

and precedent images of the various park program elements – including a more detailed review

of the potential skate park options for Redwood meadows.

From 6pm – 8pm, members of the public engaged the consulting team, RAMP, and attending

councillors. The discussion was respectful and productive with many community members

acknowledging that their comments and concerns had been heard and acted upon. The revised

concepts did not alleviate all concerns from residents about noise and inappropriate use of the

park after hours, but the new location for key park elements – such as the skate park were better

received. The residents along Manyhorses Park (road) continue to show concern for vehicle

access to a drop-off circle at the parks centre. Many parents voiced support for this program

element and were equally supportive of the pedestrian drop-off across from the town administrative office. Among park elements that seemed to draw the largest support:

1. Preservation of the open green space and mature conifer trees.

2. Vehicle barrier fence or other restrictive element at the park perimeter

3. Improved surfacing around the snack shack

4. Pedestrian drop-off and clear pedestrian routes within the park.

Among issues that continue to require discussion and resolution:

1. Operational responsibilities for opening and closing a park gate.

2. Removal of people acting inappropriately in the park after hours

3. Potential noise generated by increased activity in the park.

The RAMP committee asked for minor revisions to the concept plan AAA – as presented in

September. Basic adjustments included:

1. Clearly articulate that the vehicle drop-off from Manyhorses park be ‘permeable ‘and not

concrete or asphalt. The surfacing should read graphically as gravel or crushed granite

stone fines.

2. The plaza areas around the central drop-off should read graphically as gravel or other

permeable surfacing.

Next Steps:

Once the RAMP committee achieves council endorsement of the plan, additional design

development can be conducted on specific aspects of the master plan. It is important to note

that council and the RAMP committee can endorse the master plan as prepared by VDZ/NLS

without accepting all specific aspects or details of the design. The overall design direction and

organization of elements is important however and should be respected in future design

development work associated with individual components of the park. The purpose of any

Master Plan is to provide a ‘framework’ from which future budgets and design can emerge.

With grant money being available to design and build a skate park facility in 2011, it is important

to move decisively so as not to lose the funds allocated to the town. A development scheme for

the skate park should respect the park location within the preferred master plan concept, and

should respect the size and configuration in relation to other park program elements, i.e. – future pedestrian pathways, playground, sports fields, central plaza, etc.

The community association should identify priorities within the master plan for development and

costing. A consulting team can be engaged with key parameters of the master plan document

presented as ‘guiding principals’ for all proposed solutions. Additional public meetings should

be part of any phased development that clearly shows how various program elements and

community priorities can be integrated with Curtis park without compromising the overall vision

established by the master plan process.

This month marks 15 years since Mr. Smith and Ms. Lundberg established the Tae Kwon-Do School in Redwood House. Both instructors are fifth degree black belts and have been training under Grand Master J.J. Lee in Calgary for almost 25 years each.

Over 1,000 students from Redwood, Bragg Creek and surrounding areas ranging in age from 6 to 80 have trained under Mr. Smith and Ms Lundberg.  Nine students have successfully achieved black belt level, several of whom have gone on to assist with instructing classes.

Tae kwon-do means the “”-foot way”. The Korean word tae refers to the hand or fist, kwon means foot or kick and do means the “way of”.

One of the goals is to continue teaching the traditional form of this martial art as taught by Tae Kwon-Do pioneer Mr. J.J. Lee. This traditional style focuses on patterns and techniques as they were originally developed. The school embraces a system of self defence that focuses on personal development rather than competition. We aim to achieve the five tenets of Tae Kwon-Do which are:

• Courtesy
• Integrity
• Perseverance
• Self-control
• Indomitable Spirit

Members train from September to June on Monday and Thursday evenings at Redwood House. Registration for the Winter Session takes place Monday, January 10 at 6:30pm.. For more information please call 403-277-7510