Centennial Park Master Plan Community Consultation

The Salt Spring Island Parks and Recreation Commission (PARC) has approved a Master Plan for Centennial Park following an extensive community consultation process. 

• Centennial Park Masterplan Final Report 2017 (PDF)

• Centennial Park Masterplan Final Landscape Plan (PDF)

The updated plan will inform Capital Regional District (CRD) decisions for the next twenty years about long range capital projects as well as design and management decisions related to day to day and short term activities within Centennial Park.

Community consultations revealed Centennial Park has a fantastic location, hosts great events and boasts a few well-loved features. The consultations also helped identify where Centennial Park can be improved to fulfill its potential as a well-utilized and welcoming space, particularly on days without planned events. Areas to consider addressing include: design limitations for activities that take place there; barriers to year-round use; recurring nuisance, drainage, and safety, illegal activities, and lacks issues; and a desire for strong connections to the waterfront and the surrounding village.

Community Consultation

Community stakeholders and the general public had several opportunities to participate in the early planning process:

• Roundtable (27 community stakeholder organizations & 9 First Nations Chiefs were contacted directly)
• User survey (open to the public: posted on the CRD and Salt Spring Exchange web sites and the CRD Facebook page, and distributed as hard copy to the local pool, library, seniors centre, Portlock Park and at the Centennial Park Roundtable)
• Design Charette (open to the public: posted on the CRD and Salt Spring Exchange web sites, and announced in the SSI Driftwood Newspaper; 27 community stakeholder organizations & 9 First Nations Chiefs were also contacted directly)
• Draft Designs (public feedback requested on 3 draft park plans distilled from Design Charette outcomes: request for feedback posted on the CRD and Salt Spring Exchange web sites and in the SSI Driftwood Newspaper).
• In addition to these activities, the Consultants met with First Nations to review opportunities.

Most of the trees in Centennial Park were planted a few years after the infilling. The planted trees have since grown and created a beautiful urban woodland that is used on a daily basis by residents and visitors alike. In 2012 a Tree Management Plan was developed to look at the preservation and management of the woodland as well as to identify dead or dying trees that pose a safety issue.

• Centennial Park Tree Management Report 2012

Based on community feedback from the three draft designs, one draft design has been developed and will be presented to PARC for final comment.

• Centennial Park Draft Landscape Plan

From the Roundtable meeting and Design Charette held earlier this year, three draft designs have been produced.

• Centennial Masterplan Draft Design Options 1, 2 & 3 (PDF)

PARC is looking for community feedback on the draft designs to form a comprehensive update to the Centennial Park Master Plan. Feedback can be sent via email or in person at Portlock Park, 145 Vesuvius Bay Rd.

Gathering input from you and other community stakeholders is essential for the CRD and its consultants to understand current park uses and issues, and begin to explore opportunities to enhance and revitalize this important public space. Thank you to all who have participated.

Charette Summary

Approximately 26 people participated in the Centennial Park charette that was held April 10th at the high school. Hosted by the CRD and LADR Landscape Architects, the day began with a brief overview of the history, and environmental and physical attributes of the site, a summary of the February 28th Roundtable and Centennial Park Master Plan survey results, discussion on anticipated impacts of climate change on the site, and an overview of the charette process.

Charette participants worked in three facilitated groups, and over the course of the afternoon each group produced two conceptual layout plans for the park. Common themes emerged: removal of berms; First Nations recognition; redevelopment of the playground as a natural playground/play environment; gazebo/band shelter relocated & reinvented; and, new washroom in new location. The six concepts varied greatly in their proposed locations for the market, play area and cenotaph. Towards the end of the event each small group presented their layouts to the larger group; a short discussion followed.

The participants indicated that they enjoyed the charette process (there was a lot of laughter!) and appreciated the opportunity to participate.

• Draft Plans Created at the Design Charette (PDF)

Roundtable Events

Approximately 36 participants attended the February 28, 2016 Centennial Park Roundtable.

• Summary of the discussions

Participants provided ideas for the future of the park on a number of themes:

• Market
• First Nations
• Accessibility and circulation
• Parking in the Park
• Dogs in the Park
• Safety
• Water Access
• Gathering, Performance and Art Space

Tell us what you think about Centennial Park and how it could be improved!

The online survey is now closed. Thank you to all those who participated.

• Survey Results (PDF)

The survey input will be used to inform a comprehensive update to the 1966 master plan for Centennial Park. The updated Master Plan will set a long term vision for Centennial Park and guide future operations, management and capital investment decisions.

© Photo by Herb Neufeld / CC BY