What is your vision for Barnes Park in Enderby? We want to know!
A draft concept plan has been completed which showcases a set of potential features that could be incorporated into Barnes Park including a spray park, walking track, outdoor gym, and gazebo facility.
Download the full size version (2 megabytes).
What do we want to know?
- Tell us what you like
- Tell us what you don’t like
- Tell us what we may have missed
Your feedback will be compiled and considered by the Enderby & District Services Commission as it moves to the next phase of concept planning. “We welcome all residents of Enderby and Electoral Area “F” to provide their comments on how they foresee Barnes Park being developed into the future. We are looking forward to everyone’s input,” explains Herman Halvorson, Chair of the Enderby & District Services Commission.
You can participate in two different ways.
There will be an Open House on March 11, 2015 at 2:30pm in Enderby City Hall Council Chambers. Come by, look at the plan, ask questions, and provide input.
Provide comment from the comfort of your own home – near the bottom of this web page is a comments form. Please note that comments are moderated, and it may take up to 1 business day before your comment may appear. All website comments should be submitted by the end of the day on March 11, 2015 so that we can compile the feedback.
Last Updated on March 13, 2015.
thank you everyone for your thoughts and comments
I agree with the pool area and skate park being updated at Barnes Park, but I also feel that Riverside Park should be included. Wether it be adding an extra diamond or putting up lights I think it’s way overdue and should be done as they get used a lot but not as much as they should. And with the 3 slo-pitch leagues still going strong plus the resurgence of youth baseball in town I think supporting our youth recreation is way more important than adding another walking path as Enderby has enough set paths or area to walk as it is. Thank you for the opportunity to voice our opinion, and being born and raised in Enderby I’ve noticed a huge decline in youth sports so I just hope these improvements benefit youth activity more than anything else because they are the future of this great town.
It would be nice to have shade trees in the picnic area not just around the edge of the park. Also if there could be tables near the trees so at least some times of the day the tables would be shaded.
I would like to see more shade for the pool area, but I don’t think we need anymore walking paths. There are much better areas where we can spend the grant. The play ground at the ball fields needs to be covered instead of another gazebo at Barnes park. The ball diamonds are becoming very busy and scheduling is hard. With 30 team between mens. mixed and ladies ball, plus all the youth. We need another diamond installed or lights put up. The ball field is busy for 4 months a year compared to a couple events at Barnes park. I have lived here for a long time and I don’t see Barnes park used near as much as the ball park. Where do we need the improvements more?
I would really like to see improvements seen to the ball fields and the playground at the ball fields.
As a community, I think it is very important to support our youth. There is a huge demand for the fields we have right now, perhaps we could get moving on the additional field or get lighting on the diamonds….this would allow for more games.
I would love to see some sort of safety netting (or gazebo) over the playground at the ball field. There is currently no shade over this right now and no protection for the kids from a stray ball.
I don’t feel another walkway is important in our community…..we have a beautiful riverwalk!!!
Thanks for your time and look forward to the new changes coming.
I am very happy to see there is money being allocated to the parks in Enderby.
I really like the idea of more shade around the pool area as it does get quite hot in the summer and being in the water only adds to the intensity of that hot sun.
I am 100% in support of re doing the skate park. I do not feel that behind the arena is the most appropriate place for relocation.
The spray park for kids is absolutely brilliant.
I do not think we need more walking trails through there. We have recently added more walking trails in the MV Beattie area, we also have the river walk and a new community center going in (Not sure what or who is able to use once built). I have also heard discussions about the tracks being turned into a walking trail.
I worry if you add any outdoor equipment for training that it will get vandalized.
If there is funds available to build a structure of any sort, I would strongly suggest adding a gazebo or safety netting to the playground at the ball diamonds. Currently, there is nothing at that playground offering shade for children or protection from foul balls being hit. I have seen children hit with balls and many others have come very very close. To me, this is a very important area that needs to addressed sooner than later before a child gets seriously injured.
If possible, I really think if we could add either lights to the ball diamonds or another diamond in that area it would be hugely beneficial to Enderby.
1. More availability to teams including minor ball. We seem to be getting more attention to our diamonds increasing demand.
2. Can allow more teams to local tournaments including Funtastic and Honeymooners, which brings more people to town supporting our community and local business’.
3. Allows more space and time for wrap up tournaments in June when there is a huge demand for that space.
Thank you for allowing the opportunity for input. I really look forward to the upcoming changes in town 🙂
My comments begin in the south west area, abutting Hwy 97A, and move clockwise around the site.
1. Trees in south west corner (off pool area) increase from 3 to 8 tall and dense shade trees, the additions being to the north, adjacent to the pool patio area to provide shade for many years to come. Views from highway will still be adequate, through trunks. Because of warming temperature trends, future parks will be more dependent than ever on substantial trees – and Enderby is fast losing its existing tall tree canopy. In fact, new and substantial landscaping needs to be planted throughout the park, sited so as not to interfere with mounting future big events and at least some trees need to be planted urgently as they take at least 10 years to provide some shade .
A longer-term solution needs to be found to finance the maintenance of the pool in sound condition, especially as its structure ages.
2. Leave the Enderby Museum in the Park right where it will be in the new plan, surrounded by an inviting walking path, with some big trees to the west buffering it from highway noise. Good access from surrounding streets is in the plan already.
Improve presentation of artifacts and signage. Possibly find one sturdy artifact to leave unfenced for kids can climb on?
3. This plan rightly encourages many varied usages by a wider range of ages and needs a second toilet block to the north east, and clear highway signage – not only to serve Barnes Park patrons but for use by passing motorists.
4. Skateboard area should stay and be redesigned to a more exciting and challenging standard, with some surrounding seating. This area is not suitable for a stage because performers face west and south, right into the summer sun and therefore would be in an untenable situation. Additionally, the sound of traffic is very intrusive to music and the sound of music would be intrusive to close dwellings. The existing shelter can be converted cheaply to a roof only, no sides building to contain picnic tables for shelter from rain and sun. Alternatively, move the redesigned skateboard area to the back of the Arena to make it more accessible to pre and early teenagers.
5. The 6 fitness stations would be very good if newer types of enticing equipment is installed. Ensure at least 3 include one child-sized piece of equipment (one site for big toddlers, two for older children) so parent or grandparent and child can exercise together.
6. Spray park will be a big drawcard and increase Barnes Park usefulness. Because toddlers and 8 year olds play differently in water (therefore requiring different water force), try to have two areas with a slight break between them where each group can play separately and safely. Look ahead to the day not far distant when birth to elementary school age children will be on the increase in Enderby and its district.
7. I am presuming the redevelopment of Old Vernon Road and completion of the Splatsin community centre with its indoor walking track will complement this proposed revitalization of Barnes Park. All helps to attract new families and to strengthen Enderby’s tax base.
8. Finally, please protect the tree planted by our Mayor and NORD representative in 2005 to commemorate Enderby’s Centenary (in the south east quadrant above the No. 6 on the plan). It is, I think, a Norway Maple Crimson King – and will be about 18 metres high, 15 m. wide and very beautiful 15 years from now when it becomes a teenager.
Trees for shade, and seats for Granny’s, path’s for prams, a escape proof toddler area, a fish and chip shop, an ice cream shop and an exhaust barrier from the busy road. Good luck with this great project…
updating the park and making it more of a community feel and a place people want to take their children would not only make Enderby closer as a community but also invite more families with children to move here.
I love swimming laps twice a week at the pool during the summer but it’s an oxymoron to be pursuing physical fitness while inhaling the car exhaust from the busy summer highway traffic. How about a green barrier of trees to block off some of the highway polution? I’m sure others pursuing fitness goals on the proposed track or activities at the spray park would appreciate breathing cleaner air.
I love our little outside pool and use it every chance i get in the summer. I would love to see more trees for shade and a spray park for the kids. A patio is also a good idea, what kind of fitness stations are you thinking of? How about a couple of benches by
the spray park for us grandmas to watch from? I am excited to see what comes of all these ideas!
A refurbishing of the park seems to be a decent enough idea. A patio in the pool area has long been needed and will be a great addition. However, the pools main building could use a major facelift to go along with the park update. A more modern, family friendly, cleaner looking building would go along way with an updated park.
hi ,my little guy enjoys the park and playground! But when it gets hot out that playground has no shade what so ever and it gets hot! The slides and swings get to hot to sit on would love to see some big trees around the playground for shade to keep
It cool so the kids can play on it while it’s hot out 🙂
Hi, I have been going to the Outdoor pool in Enderby almost every day from June 1st to the end of aug. I love the water and I use it for therapy and exersize … but I also react to the SUN…I am not the only one I am sure ..that would LOVE to have a bit of shade….some how a partial roof be added on?? I know it is nice to get out into the sun and tan …but I will tell you that I am the only one in there when its +30 .. it’s .too hot for direct sun!!!!
i am curious and hopeful that the spray park will be somewhat like the spray park in salmon arm with the rubber surface on the ground. the kids love the salmon arm park. please let me know if it is like that.thanks!
Hi Brenda – Thank you for your comments. The current spray park design does not use the rubber surfacing, but that is something that could be considered as we move into a detailed design stage. It does cost a lot more, however.
I have been organizing the Canada Day Car Show for the past 18 years. This event along with the kids games and parade have been one of the biggest events held in Barnes park. The event draws people from all over Bc and is a great family day…. The addition of the spray park and workout stations are great… but the path way wandering in and out and all over the park limits the use for a large number of events. The large gazebo in the park has been fenced in and the fenced area is growing every year. With the loss of the other covered areas it seams to me that the park is getting a little more non usable for families that have birthday parties and family outings such as picnics there. I was one of the organizer s of the skate park many years ago and myself and a lot of kids in town did fundraiser s for the park and brought it forward to the city with plans of what the kids wanted and drawings from a designer in Vancouver that builds parks along with a 3d model of what we wanted to see…. what was built was not what brought forward but what the city thought people wanted.. well I am sorry but now we have a nice place for graffiti and a skate board park that never gets used. … unlike the ones in other communities in the area.
Please build what the community wants and what the community will use…. not what a hand full of people want and please keep the park useful to the community in general… just my two bits.
My mistake. .. it appears that the gazebo will been opened up to the public. ..
I agree 100% in regards to the skate park. My son loves skateboarding and has used many parks in many cities. He has mentioned many times that our skate park is not nearly as good. Between the rough surface making it hard on boards and the jumps that are there not being “right”. He tends to ask if we can go to the Armstrong park or using other areas in town to skateboard which tends to upset business owners.
I definitely agree that if we can give these kids a proper park to skate in, not only does it give them a safe area to skate; it will also keep them off business parking lots.