Reimagine Oliver Wellness (Oliver Park)

[IanO]

Have your say about fitness/wellness/community for Oliver and Oliver Park.

Reimagine Oliver Wellness

Thank you for participating in the final phase of the online engagement for Reimagine Oliver Wellness. The engagement closed on January 4, 2021, and we appreciate all the feedback that has been provided to us. The feedback gathered will be used to inform the long-term vision of recreation in Oliver.

engaged.edmonton.ca

Ideas:

A multi-level community hub/League Hall with programmable, publicly-accessible, well-designed gathering spaces. Additional ideas for the community hub can include: fitness, studio and meeting spaces; Edmonton Public Library Programming space; a green roof that could offer additional green space and could serve as a community garden; a patio/deck with an all-season gas firepit and bathroom access to encourage year-around passive recreation; a partnership-based cafe/vending to benefit community gathering. The building would replace the Oliver Arena as the designated shelter for the nearby Oliver School.

The Oliver park playground could benefit from updated design and natural elements.

A landscaped seating area could facilitate community gathering and intergenerational, multipurpose, year-around use.

In case of pool closure, an outdoor skating rink could replace the Oliver Outdoor Pool.

Alternatively, to increase ecology in the area, the space could be converted to naturalized open space.

Additional landscaping elements such as trees and shrubs could enhance ecology.

A heated gazebo could encourage multi-year use.

The SE corner could remain as green space to accommodate pop-up events and community celebration use. Can also be programmable for outdoor fitness activities.

Maintained and lit paved walkways with disability access throughout the park would ensure equitable access

 

[thommyjo]

Thanks for sharing this Ian! Really excited for this park to be improved. Are there other park spaces in Oliver besides Paul kane and kitchener? Is the city looking to add more or just develop these to be more utilized?

I wonder what a true "winter city" park would be? Playgrounds and green spaces and water and benches are very summer oriented often. Not many playgrounds are well used in the winter I find. Anyone know of examples or have ideas of what a snow/cold concious park would be?

Sledding, skating, fires, enclosure from wind, ice resistant, well lit,

 

[IanO]

It desperately needs more active senior outdoor 'gym' possibilities. When I was in Shanghai back in 14', I was blown away with how active/social their seniors were and often it was centred around park space with physical activity opportunities.

 

[Avenuer]

It desperately needs more active senior outdoor 'gym' possibilities. When I was in Shanghai back in 14', I was blown away with how active/social their seniors were and often it was centred around park space with physical activity opportunities.

Most large international cities I've visited have outdoor exercise equipment in public parks: Mexico City, Seoul, Saigon, Hanoi, Bangkok...

 

[Daveography]

I've always thought Ezio Faraone park would be an ideal place for this; loads of people already go there for training, yoga, running the stairs, crossfit, you name it.

 

[ChazYEG]

Most large international cities I've visited have outdoor exercise equipment in public parks: Mexico City, Seoul, Saigon, Hanoi, Bangkok...

It's not even a trend, in Asia, anymore, is just the general rule. Western and, in particular, North American cities still have a long way to go. The ones that have it are the exceptions (Mexico City and Sao Paulo, for example, are tow MAJOR exceptions in Latin America, where it's not common, as it tends to be readily vandalized). I would love to see Edmonton make a push for this, especially in areas where we want people to be out in the streets, such as Oliver.

Btw, not wanting to derail things, but am I the only one that thinks that a second funicular would make a really great addition to the Victoria Promenade area, connecting it to the River Valley?

 

[IanO]

There is/was one planned near the south end of the high-level bridge to Kinsmen.

 

[Platinum107]

Btw, not wanting to derail things, but am I the only one that thinks that a second funicular would make a really great addition to the Victoria Promenade area, connecting it to the River Valley?

It sure would be pretty functional! It could happen along with Touch the Water, linking up the promenade with Victoria park and the revitalized river valley road trail. It'd be even better if the LRT ever comes down Jasper that way, a station entrance could be right beside the funicular, making it accessibility heaven for people with mobility issues trying to get to the river valley

 

[Platinum107]

There is/was one planned near the south end of the high-level bridge to Kinsmen.

Omg never heard of that one before! Wait... what if the city did built these and MORE around the city, making an accessible river valley network?? That would be crazy awesome, and would definitely get more demographics of people to regularly use the river valley, with getting down there and back up again being a barrier for many people. Realistically it would be quite costly for the city to build and maintain I know, but no harm in dreaming of the possibilities, right?

 

[ChazYEG]

@Daveography could we turn this thread into an Oliver developments, in general, or create one for this purpose? Not only the neighborhood has enough projects to deserve a thread, but I think it would be interesting to be able to connect all of the ideas we`ve been seeing here and in other threads, regarding Oliver!