On Wednesday night, Innisfil Council agreed that a BMX pump track would be a great amenity for local youth – but councillors weren’t prepared to spend nearly $300,000 to build a pump track at Innisfil Beach Park before the park's Master Plan Implementation Study has been completed.
As Coun. Donna Orsatti noted, the question isn’t if a BMX Pump track is needed or wanted. “The whole question for council is, is the park the right location? And in the park, the rationale for that particular location.”
The vote followed a presentation by Capital Team leader Jessica Jenkins and Capital Project Manager Meredith Goodwin, urging council to use funds pre-approved for Innisfil Beach Park to install both outdoor fitness equipment and a BMX Pump Track.
Noting that the implementation study, looking at the phasing-in of the Innisfil Beach Park Master Plan, won’t be completed until the end of 2021, staff proposed moving forward with the two projects immediately. The estimated costs: $233,000 for outdoor fitness equipment, and $292,000 for the BMX Pump track.
Council was told that the projects would have limited impact on the overall master plan, require limited background studies, and target “key user groups currently underserviced” by town amenities, including youth.
The BMX pump track was shown as an undulating track “topped with asphalt to provide a smoother surface,” said Jenkins, that could be used by “all wheels and all skill levels… If it has wheels, it can be enjoyed on these tracks.”
The location proposed is at the west end of the park, near the soccer field and outdoor washroom.
“Why now? Youth are looking for a place where they belong,” Jenkins said, adding that a pump track “will further enable our community to enjoy the outdoors, try something new, stay active and get to know others in the community with similar interests, all while doing so in a manner that aligns with current public health recommendations for physical distancing.”
The outdoor fitness equipment was proposed for an area beside the Park’s snack bar. Hand-sanitizer would be available, to help offset safety concerns, Council was told.
Coun. Carolyn Payne was in favour of outdoor fitness equipment, but questioned the BMX track. “It’s more like an amusement park, and I don’t know if that’s what we really wanted for the park,” she said, asking the size of the track.
“It would be based on a certain area that we have,” said Goodwin, the exact size to be determined during the design. “It wouldn’t be a huge amenity.”
Payne also raised issues of safety, and accidents. “I can see this as a horror show, to be honest. I guess it’s my age talking here.”
“We would have to work that out with operations and come up with safe practices,” replied Goodwin.
“As with any new amenity, we do look at opportunities for public education,” added Jenkins.
There was support from Coun. Rob Nicol. “My son and his friends would love a BMX track, here in the Gilford area,” he said, noting that kids will have no problem in figuring out how to use the track safely. “It would be so much fun.”
Coun. Kevin Eisses agreed the track would be fun, but questioned the location in Innisfil Beach Park. “I’m a little confused about how we as council can balance… the need for green space and quiet, with this,” he said, noting that a public engagement survey identified green space and passive uses as needs, but did not include “a specific ask for this pump track.”
In the survey, 68 percent of respondents identified walking as their preferred use of the park, 63 percent ‘relaxation,’ 56 percent ‘water sports’, 33 percent dog walking, and 31 percent, physical exercise.
Jenkins noted that the Master Plan includes areas of green space, in addition to amenities. She suggested the track would have a “fairly small footprint,” comparable to a track in Washago, although no details were provided.
“Was that part of our vision, that we approved the pump track?” asked Coun. Bill van Berkel. “It also seems to take up an awful lot of room in the park. By the time you put in a splash pad, a pump track, a dog park – is there any green space left?”
Jenkins said the idea had been received through feedback from the public, although it was not part of the original Open House. “This was an amenity that was suggested” and later integrated into the Innisfil Beach Park Master Plan approved vision, she said.
Goodwin noted that at a public meeting for the Town Square project at the library, she was approached by “a little guy who said, please put in a pump track… That’s not the first time I’ve heard that.”
Goodwin later provided information that the track would take up “0.3 to 0.4 percent of the total size of Innisfil Beach Park,” and told the councillor that there are no plans for a splash pad at Innisfil Beach Park. The pad is slated for the Town Square.
Coun. Orsatti asked if staff had considered other locations for the track.
“We think that Innisfil Beach Park is the right location for a couple of reasons,” Jenkins said. The proposed site proposed is currently “underutilized space,” close to a future youth hub – and could, she suggested, provide opportunities to partner with local cycling networks on events, generating revenue.
In debate, Orsatti noted that a total of 40 projects are included in the Innisfil Beach Park Master Plan. She urged council to wait for the Implementation Study, which will carry out background studies, on traffic, geotechnical issues, utilities, environmental and cultural impacts, “and decide what goes first.”
She supported putting in the exercise equipment at this time, but questioned a paved pump track without further study. “If we were just to start projects… we could be missing something in the long term.”
“The youth in our town need amenities, and amenities that are cost effective,” Orsatti said. “We should be doing the Implementation Report to include the siting rationale of this, and to make sure we are gathering the right information. We only have one opportunity to do this right – the right location, the right fit, and we’re spending our money wisely in the park.”
She added, “It’s ensuring it’s going in the right location, and that we do the implementation studies first.”
Coun. Rob Nicol disagreed. “As staff has identified, this is an opportunity to do something right away. The youth need something to do… I would hate to see it slowed down just to go through a little bit more studying,” he said. “I’d hate to stall it at this point.”
Asked how the town could ensure the track would be used by local kids, Manager of Operations Jason Inwood noted there are approximately 800 homes within a kilometre of Innisfil Beach Park, and youth would be able to ride their bikes “straight in.”
Inwood pointed out that the proposed site is usually used for overflow parking. Not only would building the pump track allow for greater utilization of the area, “it’s not a significant undertaking to install this project,” he said.
“I think it’s a great opportunity, I think it’s a great activity, I think it’s something youth would go after and that they would want,” said Coun. Alex Waters. “Would I rather have parking, or would I rather have a pump track? I’d rather have a pump track.”
“This BMX pump track – this wasn’t on the survey before, and yet we use surveys for everything we do,” said Deputy Mayor Dan Davidson, suggesting the track could be better placed in a location where there are fewer recreational amenities, such as Wards 5 or 6.
Inwood noted that the town is planning “further enhancements to all of our park network,” that will involve every Ward – but that the current discussion was about Innisfil Beach Park.
“All of our kids need something in each area,” agreed Coun. Nicol, suggesting that a track at Innisfil Beach Park could be template for other areas. “Council has been innovative… and we’re stalled on a small BMX track which would benefit so many kids,” Nicol said. “Let’s put it everywhere. Let’s start in Innisfil Beach Park.”
“This is where the demographics of our council hurt us. We can’t relate to what the kids want,” said Mayor Lynn Dollin, noting that at a recent youth engagement meeting, youth said “there was no place they felt that they could go, that somebody wasn’t there looking at them saying they shouldn’t be there.”
Dollin proposed surveying youth, to see if they want a pump track, and suggested that opposition was a form of NIMBY-ism – “We really need it, we really want it, just not next to me. Put it somewhere else.”
“I’m certainly not stating that youth wouldn’t want this, that it’s not necessary for the town. It’s just with all the other things that we have, it’s about spending our money wisely. It’s about ensuring we have the right information to make the right decisions for the park,” replied Orsatti. “Let’s just make sure it’s in the right location.”
She put forward an amendment, proposing that the town move forward with the outdoor exercise equipment and the Implementation Study, but not the BMX pump track at this time.
Again, there were objections from staff.
“This BMX pump track location doesn’t preclude all those other uses. It’s complementary,” said Director of Growth Tim Cane, suggesting that the Implementation Study will be limited to implementing the vision and siting already identified by staff. “The idea isn’t to reshuffle the deck now. The idea isn’t to reopen the discussion.”
Orsatti’s amendment asked that the implementation study consider siting of amenities, based on the background studies.
The councillor noted that the question is not, is a BMX pump track is something that is needed and wanted by youth; “The question is, is it important to them in this location? Would it be just as widely used by them if it was in another location?”
Coun. Waters warned that re-examining location would “set up a competition about who wants it the most.” He accused councillors of Nimbyism. “I think the real question is, certain people just don’t want it in the park.”
His view was echoed by Coun. Nicol. “A BMX track would be absolutely stuffed with kids… hundreds of kids would bike there,” he said. “I didn’t hear anything negative from residents, only a few councillors.”
He said he would rather scrap the fitness equipment, urging, “Let’s build something for the kids… We need to show a bit of fortitude, to just go forward. It’s not about the finance, the budget itself is minimal.”
“I don’t think anybody, no-one on council, is arguing with the merits of a BMX pump track,” replied Coun. Eisses; the question is location, especially in light of the 917 responses to the public survey on Innisfil Beach Park. “We have so many opportunities elsewhere, that’s what I struggle with. It’s evident that this is a great thing, but why does it have to be here?”
CAO Jason Reynar told council that public opinion surveys are not required for a decision. "That’s not the way any of our master plans work. The survey is one component.” He suggested council accept the staff report and recommendation, which offer a way to “get going, quick and dirty, to get something done.”
Orsatti said the question is not if a BMX pump track should be built. “The whole question for council is, is the park the right location, and in the park, the rationale for that particular location.”
Council voted 6-2 in favour of the amendment. Coun. Nicol and Waters voted against.