The City of Maple Ridge is seeking feedback on its plans to build new recreation facilities.
A good place to get started is to click on the Community Facilities Conversation on the City of Maple Ridge’s website.
There, via five separate links, you can learn about the proposed multi-use wellness facility (aquatic centre) the sports stadium, ice facilities expansion, neighbourhood amenities and the civic and cultural facility.
The city launched its communications initiative last week.
Each link provides a short description of the project, plus a video, that’s part of a multi-million-dollar recreational upgrade and update that council is proposing for Maple Ridge, providing voters are OK with borrowing the money to build the projects.
Pop-up surveys throughout the city, a chat room, online survey, open houses with displays of each project are also part of the six-month consultation process reviewed with council on Monday.
“This is excellent. I think that is so clear and easy to navigate for the public,” said Maple Ridge Mayor Nicole Read.
Coun. Gordy Robson agreed, but added that at least the approximate costs for each project should be included.
Operating costs are still being determined and once that happens, facility costs will be added to a survey and to the website, council heard.
The civic and cultural facility proposed for next to the Maple Ridge Leisure Centre would include space for the Maple Ridge Museum, post-secondary education and meeting rooms and maybe housing or hotel space on upper storeys.
The recreation consultation process will carry on for six months.
An alternative approval process will then allow taxpayers to approve the borrowing or require that a plebiscite be held. Ten per cent, or more, of eligible voters, would be required to force a plebsicite.