The County of Grande Prairie is looking to a federal government grant to help bolster a pair of local outdoor recreation areas.
Proposals for the Natural Infrastructure Fund include potential changes to the Wapiti Recreation Area project, which would see the area built out, and include new design features like a Toboggan Hill. Another potential for the grant funding would see landscaping completed at Clairmont Parkway.
Reeve Leanne Beaupre says the Wapiti Recreation Area is actually a three phase plan, with several things under consideration in the design phase.
“Phase one looks at a trail system that would connect the existing dunes trails to the bridge,” she says “There is also some natural topohgraphy that lends itself well for a toboggan hill.”
Beaupre says there was also, initially, talk about fitting a parcel of the area for a dog park. She adds however, that the conversation as cooled off in recent months, and it’s something they will likely revisit in the future.
“In conversation with council and administration they’ve set that dog park aside for future consideration. They want to really understand the impact and cost of the dog park before we commit to that,” she adds.
The maximum funding allocation from the Natural Infrastructure Fund is anywhere from $250,000 to $1 million, depending on eligibility.