A new master plan for John Oliver Park in East Ladner is back on the agenda for the parks and recreation department.
Among the City of Delta’s proposed 2024 budget plan highlights are a list of “key projects and initiatives the city is excited to move forward with” which includes preparing a master plan for the athletic park site.
It won’t be the first time the 20-hectare (50-acre) John Oliver Park was eyed for major additions over the years.
Back in 2008, the city announced it was working on an agreement with the Vancouver Whitecaps to set up a team training facility, as well as a national training centre, at the park.
The proposal, however, fell apart when Delta and the soccer club could not come up with an agreement on how much community usage would have been given.
As far as the future of John Oliver Park, which is utilized for soccer, football and rugby, the city’s parks, recreation and culture strategic work plan in 2018 noted there are limited development opportunities in Delta’s parkland, but John Oliver Park has potential for enhancement.
Some of the medium-term (2023-2027) wish list items identified in the plan included improvements to the park, such as additional fields, a fieldhouse facility capable of hosting community activities, additional parking and other improvements.
The total estimated cost for all those projects added up to $30 million.
