Part two of Park Blitz begins

City launching into another year of renovations

By Colten Kamlade, Staff Reporter

Coquitlam has just announced that the second phase of Park Blitz—an initiative aimed at renovating older parks—has just begun.

In 2017, Good Neighbour Park, Crestwood Park, Dawes Hill Park, and Shiloh Park were upgraded as part of the initiative. Some of the new facilities added to these parks include new playgrounds, pathways, picnic tables, and greenery.

The City of Coquitlam has just begun giving Poirier Tot Lot the same kind of makeover. Construction began this month on Tot Lot, which will be one of four parks renovated during the year as stage two of the Park Blitz initiative.

According to the City of Coquitlam website, the 2018 renovations will be split into two different stages.

“The 2018 Park Blitz will focus on the Poirier playground and Cape Horn Park in the spring and Meadowbrook and Mariner parks in summer,” the city website claims. “Improvements at the three other parks also include new pathways, retaining walls, upgraded landscaping and irrigation, new furnishings, and improved signage.”

The Park Blitz initiative was being discussed all the way back in 2015, but construction didn’t start until 2017. According to the City of Coquitlam website, the program is meant to spruce up aspects of some of Coquitlam’s older parks.

“The $2.5 million Park Blitz initiative was approved in September 2016 as a 3-year plan to revitalize 12 aging parks in Southwest Coquitlam,” the website states. “The one-time capital program will replace outdated components to bring the parks to a current standard.”

Some of the upgrades that Poirier Tot Lot will receive include new and improved playground equipment, rubber play surfacing, and retaining walls. The renovation of the Tot Lot playground will coincide with the renovation of the nearby Poirier Community Centre. The centre puts on performances, educational programs, and a wide range of other activities for the community.

Park Blitz is tackling a lot of big projects, but it’s not the only program that the city is funding to improve recreational amenities. The recent work on the Coquitlam Crunch, which will cost approximately $7 million, and the renovation of Rochester Park back in 2017, which cost around $4 million, are just a few of the large endeavours that the City of Coquitlam has undertaken in recent years.