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Additional $1.26M means big improvements coming for Parksville Community Park

Project includes construction of new outdoor stage and multi-use gathering space
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Artist rendering of the Parksville Beach Festival Society’s proposed outdoor performance stage. (Submitted by PBFS)

Big improvements are coming to Parksville Community Park.

The City of Parksville announced Monday it had received confirmation of the successful funding award of $1,263,521 through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream, for improvements to public spaces in the park. Total cost of the project is $1,723,063.

The project scope includes construction of a new outdoor stage and a multi-use gathering space and is supported with grants from the federal ($689,225) and provincial ($574,296) governments, a grant from the Island Coastal Economic Trust ($204,000), the Parksville Beach Festival Society and the city.

“We appreciate the significant support of the federal and provincial governments for projects in the Parksville Community Park, the jewel of our city, which with this support will only get better,” said Mayor Ed Mayne. ”Both the new gathering space and the permanent outdoor stage will provide informal and formal opportunities for people to gather, creating a sense of community and also enhancing the quality of performance-related events, bringing new and exciting cultural events to Parksville for residents and visitors. Our thanks to the Parksville Beach Festival Society for bringing this project forward.”

READ MORE: Raise the curtains: New outdoor theatre coming to Parksville

In 2018, the beach festival society approached council with the concept to build an outdoor stage in the community park. The outdoor theatre will provide a formal entertainment space and support the festival’s five-week international sand sculpting exhibition, concerts in the park and other family activities. Construction of the stage will begin this fall with completion expected by June 2021. The outdoor theatre will be located near the existing picnic shelter and will feature a covered accessible stage, dressing rooms, washrooms, storage space, lighting, acoustic treatments, hardscaped access ramps and area for dancing.

“The Parksville Beach Festival Society board is thrilled and encouraged with this tremendous news,” said Cheryl Dill, beach festival society president. “This funding, in concert with funding from Island Coastal Economic Trust and community donations, which have been raised over several years, will facilitate the construction of an incredible legacy for our community. We will continue to collaborate with the city to ensure the outdoor theatre for the performing arts is a reality in 2021. Our society has hosted well-attended events in the park for many years and this theatre will enhance community engagement, support economic development and improve the vibrancy of Parksville and the surrounding region.”

The new gathering space construction is scheduled for fall 2021 with completion in the spring off 2022. The gathering plaza will be located near the waterfront gazebo and will feature benches, picnic tables, relocation of outdoor shower, shade canopy, plaza and path paving and landscaping. The gathering plaza will be a multi-use, multi-function area that can offer performance space, shaded seating area and public space for interaction, inclusion and engagement.

— NEWS Staff, submitted

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