Central Saanich will get the bulk of the work it wants to do in Centennial Park at a basement budget after getting some provincial funds.
The district applied last fall for grant funding for the Centennial Park revitalization project through the Community Recreation Program. They were awarded $300,000.
“It’s 80 per cent funding by the province and 20 per cent from the municipality,” said Mayor Alastair Bryson. That means the cost to the district is $75,000 over three years.
The 2012-16 financial plan provides for upgrades to the core portion of the park – the tennis court, playground and skate park (which was intended to be temporary).
To stay within the $375,000 budget, the district had to alter the plan for Centennial.
“It’s quite good value for the community,” Bryson said. “We can scale back the project and still check most of the significant boxes, so we’re being fiscally responsible.”
All the major components are there, he said. That includes decommissioning the old tennis courts, relocation and upgrade of the playground, adding a multi-purpose sport court and putting in benches, bike racks and garbage bins.
The components left for future consideration include cycling and pedestrian improvements to Wallace Drive between Prosser Road and Blossom Park and a multi-station fitness area.
They anticipate phase one of construction to begin in the fall of 2013 with phase two to follow the next year.