File photo of the Town of Coaldale municipal office. (Lethbridge News Now)

By Mario Cabradilla

Civic Square Project

Public’s input sought for new outdoor space in Coaldale

Jun 16, 2022 | 12:34 PM

COALDALE, AB – The Town of Coaldale has launched a public engagement campaign that will run over the summer to help determine the final design of a new outdoor space.

The space is located between the Coaldale Public Library and the new Civic Square building.

Map of the outdoor space. (Photo supplied by the Town of Coaldale)

According to a release issued on June 16, 2022, the design plan so far includes:

• A large concrete pad for community events such as Coaldale Summer Fest, farmers’ markets, concerts, movie nights, and festivals;
• What the Town refers to as “refrigerant line ‘rough-ins’” for an outdoor skating rink on the concrete pad to make sure the space can be used year-round, in both cold and warm weather;
• Parking spots for roughly 44 vehicles, including four spots with electric vehicle charging stations.

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The Town of Coaldale is asking for the public’s input for other potential uses and opportunities for the space and seeing if the “roughed-in” outdoor skating rink should be prioritized.

As part of the public engagement campaign, residents can directly share their input and ideas for the space with town staff and council members via an online survey.

Community members can also share their thoughts in-person during the Coaldale Summer Fest event, which is scheduled to take place August 6, 2022, in front of the Civic Square building.

According to Coaldale Mayor Jack Van Rijn, the survey results, supplemented by in-person feedback, will give the town the necessary information to finalize the design and “get to work on turning this outdoor space into something all our residents can enjoy and be proud of.”

“In Council’s recently launched 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, we single out continued community engagement on new recreation projects as one of our top priorities,” said Van Rijn.

“Before plans for this outdoor space are finalized, we will make sure that just this kind of engagement has taken place,” he said. “As a Council, we strongly believe that residents should have a voice in the decision-making process for amenities like the Civic Square outdoor space.”

The citizens of Coaldale previously raised concerns over the project in 2020 due to an alleged lack of transparency and communication from the town’s council and administration.

READ MORE: Citizens raise concerns over proposed new ‘Civic Square’ in Coaldale

The Civic Square Outdoor Space redevelopment is the third and final phase of Coaldale’s Civic Square project, funded primarily by a federal grant for specifically revitalizing downtown cores and reinventing outdoor spaces across Canada. The grant will cover 63% of project costs, up to $1.2 million.

READ MORE: Construction begins on Civic Square, Coaldale’s new town office & commercial space

More information on the Civic Square project is available from the Town of Coaldale.