Stone Lake Drive Community Park

Natural Play Space Project

Thank you to the approximately 35 people who came to the project information session on Thursday, October 24th, 2019 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Stone Lake Drive Community Park. RDN Parks staff and the Electoral Area E Director were on site to talk about the project and share the Concept Plan for an improved trailhead including natural play elements.

Given the feedback, minor adjustments were made and the project was tendered in late 2019.

Project Construction

The Design-Build contract for improvements to the park entry and natural play area was awarded to Milestone Equipment Contracting for a value of $75,113.47.

Construction began in February 2020 and was fourtunately able to continue through the COVID-19 pandemic, with completion in early May, 2020. Site improvements include natural play elements, riparian planting along the fence line, gravel pathway surfacing, drainage works, removal of invasive species with the preservation of native trees, and site amenities including garbage can, bike rack and bench.

Background Information

This natural park contains regenerating forests and several detention ponds for stormwater management. Easy walking trails loop around the ponds. In June 2017, a delegation to the Nanoose Bay Parks and Open Spaces Advisory Committee brought forward the idea of integrating some natural play features into a park in the Madrona/Timberstone Estates neighbourhood. Stone Lake Drive Community Park is easily accessible on foot or by bike from the surrounding residential neighbourhoods, and it's naturalness is well suited for adding features that provide interest and play opportunity for families visiting the park. The RDN Board approved Stone Lake Drive Community Park as a pilot project for a natural play space in October, 2017.

A focus group with area residents was held in December 2018 to explore the project in more detail, to identify where the natural play elements could be located within the park, and to talk about other site design ideas.