Future plans for re-development of St. Rose Park in Riverside have been put on hold -- for now.
The city was looking at re-zoning and developing the former arena lands off Wyandotte Street East for a mixture of residential and commercial space.
But the Riverside Minor Baseball Association wants to use that land on a 25-year lease from the city for a new, Miracle League field.
The minor baseball association has raised $600,000 of an estimated $1.8 million needed to build the new accessible field. It would complement the two existing diamonds already at the park.
Project chair Bill Kellis hopeful city staff will look closely at the baseball association's business proposal before the item comes back to council in six weeks.
“We hope to let them take a look, digest our plan, take a look at and see how the partnering opportunity is there, how the funding is there,” said Kell. “Then maybe possibly have them come back with a recommendation of letting Riverside Minor Baseball lease the property and start creating the Miracle Park.”
Ward 6 city councillor Jo-Anne Gignac supports the idea – saying it would give the community back an identity it lost when the arena closed in favour of the nearby WFCU Centre.
“The project is very intriguing,” said Jo-Anne Gignac after the meeting. “It’s time administration has time the opportunity to dig down with Riverside Baseball and find out exactly what it is we’re proposing for that site, and what they need from us to accomplish that.”
“For council to make an informed decision, we need a lot more information, she said. “We now need to get down to the details.”
The issue will go back before council in early June.
