The Town of St. Marys has been undertaking the preparation of a Recreation, Culture and Leisure Master Plan Update to guide strategic decision making and investment over the next 10 to 15 years to meet the needs of all residents.
The Master Plan considers:
- Indoor facilities such as arenas, pool, cultural spaces, etc.
- Outdoor recreation facilities such as sports fields, pickleball courts, event space, etc.
- Parks, trails, and open spaces.
- Service delivery, including programs and services.
The Master Plan is a comprehensive exercise that has considered community input, demographic data and growth forecasts, participation and usage levels, trends and best practices, and related community input. Through comprehensive research and consultation, the priorities advanced in the Master Plan are evidence-based and respond to needs of Town residents.
We want to hear from you!
The draft Recreation, Culture and Leisure Master Plan is now complete and ready for review! We invite you to review a draft and submit your feedback until January 13, 2025.
View the draft Recreation, Culture and Leisure Master Plan and submit your feedback. Key draft recommendations are highlighted below. Please note that the recommendations are subject to change prior to being finalized.
You can submit your feedback on the draft Recreation, Culture and Leisure Plan by:
- Take our community survey online.
- Submit your written comments to sische@town.stmarys.on.ca.
- Drop off your written comments to the Pyramid Recreation Centre (317 James St. S) or Town Hall (175 Queen St. E).
Read on for the key draft recommendations for the Recreation, Culture and Leisure Master Plan.
| Draft Parkland Recommendations |
- Acquire 6.1 hectares of additional parkland to maintain a target a service target of 4.2 hectares per 1,000 residents. Emphasis should be placed on acquiring parkland in new residential areas in the north and west ends of St. Marys.
- Design parks that are safe, inclusive, and accessible, and support climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability.
- As part of preparing and Active Transportation Master Plan, explore key strategies to strengthen the trail system including:
- Developing a recreational trail classification system to define standards for different types of trails, including width, accessibility, surface type, amenities, and other details.
- Establishing new recreational trails in the north and west ends that connect to the existing network.
- Develop pathways within existing and future parks.
- Maintain paved trails during the winter season.
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| Draft Indoor Facility Recommendations |
- Accommodate the needs of arena users within the existing ice pad supply, which includes encouraging the use of non-prime time and shoulder ice. Undertaking a comprehensive review of the Town’s Ice Allocation Policy to ensure that the allocation and distribution of ice time is fair, transparent, and equitable for all users.
- Renovate the main hall at the Pyramid Recreation Centre to be more gymnasium friendly to accommodate active recreation activities.
- Explore the use of the Lind Sportsplex, St. Marys Museum and Archives, and downtown facilities, as well as non-municipal facility providers, to strengthen the distribution of youth and older adult opportunities.
- Promote the downtown core as the Town’s cultural hub to recognize key assets, including the Town Hall (and theatre), Public Library, Station Gallery, and Lind Park and encourage arts and culture-related programs and gatherings within these spaces.
- Undertake a cultural mapping exercise to create an inventory of community-based arts and culture providers to understand what exists in St. Marys and to explore future collaborative opportunities.
- Work with the St. Marys Public Library to update its 2016 Library Space and Service Needs Study.
- Continue to support cultural organizations to ensure long-term success through strategies including promotion and awareness, ensuring Town-owned spaces are suitable for cultural programs, services and events, and regularly engaging cultural groups to understand short-term plans, challenges and where greater support is needed.
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| Draft Outdoor Facility Recommendations |
- Work with outdoor sports organizations to maximize the use of existing soccer fields and ball diamonds, including encouraging weekend use.
- Explore the feasibility of developing vacant Town-owned lands to address sports field needs on a temporary basis with an emphasis on minimizing capital investment.
- Increase the number of dedicated hours for organized tennis and pickleball groups at the existing racquet courts.
- Investigate the feasibility of filling in the north quarry to create land for constructing dedicated racquet courts for tennis or pickleball and additional parking to support the swimming quarry.
- Construct two outdoor basketball courts, including one in the north end and one in the south end. Basketball courts may be multi-lined for other sports such as ball hockey and pickleball and may include small-scale features for skateboarding and other action wheel sports.
- Undertake enhancements to the off-leash dog park including creating a fenced area for small dogs, and adding shade (e.g., trees or built structure) and lighting.
- All new and redeveloped playgrounds should be designed with accessibility in mind; the level of accessibility features, including surface material, will vary based on the type of park. For example, Town Parks should have rubber surfacing, and all other parks should have engineered wood fibre surfacing, which are both accessible surface types.
- Establish a new community garden on the west side of St. Marys. Raised garden beds and pathways should be located at the existing and recommended community garden to ensure that both locations are inclusive of all users.
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| Draft Service Delivery Recommendations |
- Create new policies to address gaps or update existing policies (e.g., Ice Allocation Policy) to ensure they reflect current conditions, community needs, and public expectations and ensure that they are made available for the public.
- Community partnerships and joint initiatives continue to be encouraged to share roles and responsibilities to meet community needs, share resources and responsibilities, and minimize service duplication.
- Examine creating a Volunteer Coordinator/Community Liaison for the Community Services Department (or as a position that plays a multi-departmental role for the Town) to support and encourage local volunteerism.
- Explore new program offerings to maximize the use of indoor and outdoor community facilities, with an emphasis being placed on providing and promoting affordable and accessible programs, activities for key age groups (e.g., children, youth and older adults), low to no cost outdoor recreation opportunities year-round, and convenient and unstructured activities.
- Regularly review the Town’s financial subsidy programs for households and organizations and adjust as necessary to recognize the increasing cost of running and participating in programs, services, and events.
- Engage community and key groups, such as Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities, and others as part of planning and developing future parks and facilities.
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