Almost 30 years after the city first recognized a need for it, plans are in motion to start work on a new Glenmore Recreation Park.
At Monday's meeting, council gave its first approval to rezone a portion of farmland, to build a new Glenmore Recreation Park.
Planning Manager Terry Barton says it's a huge undertaking.
"The master plan does acknowledge that it will likely take the better part of 20 years to build out this park, as it is a significant, large area for an ammenity for the Glenmore Valley, and for residents beyond," he said.
"The master plan includes soccer fields, play fields, potentially artificial turf, basketball courts, (and a) skateboard park."
The 10.5 hectare piece of land runs off the east side of Valley Road, running south from Longhill Road, about halfway down towards Kane Road.
Barton says the $2.6 million that's in the budget for the first phase will address the most basic requirements for the land.
"Phase one is what was approved for 2017. It will include the underground utilities, that are requirements for both the park as well as the upland property owners, and will also include a stormwater detention pond for the future, in order to properly filter out the water before it enters into the stream," he said.
He says the parks and rec kinds of things wouldn't come along until a second phase, which hasn't been funded yet.
"Phase two does require further council approval in the 2018 capital budget. Staff are prepared to bring an item forth for consideration that would include the provision of the actual soccer fields, and the grass areas and irrigated areas, so that phases one and two would be hopefully be established by the end of 2018," he said.
In exchange for the park, council would convert another property into leasable farm land.
The proposal for that is the site of the Glenmore Fire Hall at Valley and Scenic Road, along with the three softball fields beside it, which the city describes as undersized and underutilized.
The plan to re-zone will move on to a public hearing, before council is asked to give final approvals.