Quispamsis council has unanimously endorsed its new 10-year recreation master plan for the town.

The plan is meant to help determine future recreation service delivery, investment and development.

Jim Scott with Trace Planning & Design said the plan includes a number of recommendations and initiatives.

“None of this is an emergency. All of this can happen rationally and over time,” Scott said in a recent presentation to council.

Scott noted the town is experiencing a population evolution where senior resident growth offsets a decline in youth and adult residents.

The town’s overall population is expected to rise around eight per cent by 2036, according to the plan.

All population segments will drop with the exception of the age 65-plus segment, which will rise 14 percentage points to 32 per cent.

“When we speak to the senior populations, they’ve been very clear as to what they think recreation is about — social, activity, gathering for all people within the community,” said Scott.

Scott and his team identified five main themes as part of their consultations: active living; inclusion and access; connecting people and nature; supportive environments; and recreation capacity.

The master plan divides the recommendations and initiatives into five categories: high priority, medium priority and low priority.

High-priority includes projects for Cedar Ridge Playground, Gondola Point Beach, Millennium Cycle Park, Parkside Playground, qplex master planning, Quispamsis Active Transportation Network, Quispamsis Turf Complex master planning, Neighbourhood, Community and Town Pride program, as well as the winter and summer Maintenance policies.

Medium-priority includes projects for Arts and Culture Park, Chelsea Park, Goldrush Playground, Hammond River Park, Nottingham Playground, Quispamsis Memorial Arena and Memorial Ball Field, Ritchie Lake Park, the Tri-Community Recreational Facilities Equity Strategy, Public Art and Signage Master Plan, Recreation Department Operational Review, as well as the Town Growth Model.

Low-priority includes projects for Firefly Playground, Mathew’s Cove Park, Meenan’s Cove Park, and Squire Drive
Playground.

You can view the full master plan by clicking here.