By Ian Holmes

New Gabriola Island rec facilities ‘badly needed’

Feb 7, 2018 | 4:50 PM

NANAIMO — A vastly revamped park on Gabriola Island is hailed as a critical addition for a community short on recreation amenities.

The Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) completed the first of a two-phase plan to improve Huxley Community Park on North Rd. in the heart of the community’s commercial core. Improvements featured a new playground, resurfaced tennis court and new multi-use sports court with perimeter boards.

Gabriola Island RDN director Howard Houle told NanaimoNewsNOW the effort to overhaul the park was four years in the making. He said it will serve the community well because there were limited facilities for young people.

“One of the problems that we have on Gabriola is attracting young families and keeping them here and this is just another component in the infrastructure to help with that.”

Houle said the playground component is geared toward five to 12-year-olds, while the sports courts will serve a wide range of people, including an active ball hockey community. Houle noted the entire project costs $369,000, of which about $277,000 is paid for by the Area B parks budget and community works fund.

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“The location is very key,” Houle said. “Right next door we have all kinds of shopping, there’s the school, there’s a daycare facility just down the road, it’s very central.”

He said the final phase of transforming Huxley Community Park involves a new skateboard park. He pegged the project at around $350,000 and expected an official fundraising campaign to start this spring.

ian@NanaimoNewsNOW.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes