Shown is the empty lot on 101 Street near 11 Avenue in downtown North Battleford that was used as a pocket park last year. (Google Maps)

By Angela Brown

Issues raised

Future of downtown pocket park being reviewed

Apr 29, 2022 | 12:28 PM

The City of North Battleford hopes to review plans for the space temporarily used as a downtown pocket park last year, before deciding whether to go ahead with it again this year.

Coun. Len Taylor said the North Battleford Business Improvement District (BID) was interested in continuing with the park, located in an empty lot at 1122-101 Street, again this summer. But he noted something should be done to improve the appearance of the building wall at the north end facing the lot.

“I’m just wondering if [the city planning department] could work with the Business Improvement District and see if we can’t find a way to get some paint on that wall and improve that part of the downtown, especially if BID wants to put that pocket park back up. It’s just horribly unsightly,” he said during this week’s council meeting.

It was noted if the city wants to paint the building wall in question it would need to discuss the issue with the property owner first.

Coun. Bill Ironstand voiced several concerns about the pocket park.

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“If the intent of the pop-up park in my opinion was to remove vulnerable people from other benches in the city, then it 100 per cent did its job,” he said. “If it was there for any other reason it failed miserably. It was a gathering area for no good.”

Ironstand said the city and emergency responders, including CSOs and ambulance personnel were continually at the lot last summer, cleaning up garbage and responding to emergency issues.

City Manager Randy Patrick said he was aware there was a great deal of garbage at the park.

He said the city will enquire whether BID can provide a report on the pocket park, looking at both the benefits and disadvantages.

“That was an experiment..,” he said, adding that the BID will need to indicate their reasoning if they hope to continue it.

Patrick added at the same time city administration will obtain feedback from Community Safety Officers, the RCMP, ambulance, and “whoever else who might have had some dealings in that area, so council can make a full decision on it.”

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angela.brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW