By Pepper Parr
January 14, 2016
BURLINGTON, ON
It was described as the only decent sized stadium in the city – if you wanted something like it you had to drive to Guelph or Mississauga; the Nelson Stadium User Group, formed in the late 1990s wants the city to climb into bed with them and give the stadium a major overhaul.
The delegation, headed up by one of the strongest community groups this writer has seen in some time, was led by Janeen Stodulski – and she meant business. They presented a very detailed proposal that was supported by a motion from Councillor Jack Dennison to:
Direct the Director of Parks and Recreation and the Executive Director of Capital Works, in partnership with the Halton District School Board, to work with the Nelson Stadium User Group on their proposed Nelson Stadium Revitalization project including vision, scope and future budget impacts, and in order to move this project forward,
Direct the Director of Parks and Recreation and the Executive Director of Capital Works to work with the Halton District School Board, and report back with as much detail as possible by April 7, 2016, so that we can be prepared for the next meeting with the Nelson Stadium User Group scheduled for April 21, 2016.
What was interesting is that most members of council agreed that there was a lot of work to be done but there had never been a proposal come forward from the Parks and Recreation department.
The property on which the stadium is located is owned in some instances by the city and in others by the Halton Board of Education.
The Nelson Users Group has been working with the Board of Education and plans on that side are very well advanced. The council members didn’t really seem to be “in the room”. At one point the Mayor said he had been taken on a tour “two or three years ago” and that the stairs to the press box were dangerous then. The press box is no longer used.
Stodulski, who is charmingly aggressive, let it be known that she has Cogeco Cable TV down for a specific donation amount.
In the summer of 2011 through a joint partnership with the Halton District School Board (HDSB), Nelson Stadium User Group and City of Burlington, an artificial surface was installed at Nelson Stadium.
In 2013 the Nelson Stadium User Group expanded to include representation from all major user groups. This group has prepared a Proposal for Nelson Stadium outlining the needs, costs, upgrades and improvements required for the stadium, its facilities and surrounding areas. The Nelson Stadium User Group is requesting to again work with the HDSB and City and provide the much-needed improvements to Nelson Stadium – improvements to make our city’s one and only stadium a World Class Sports Facility.
Architects rendering of what a club house – change room could look like.
Nelson is the only Football and Hardball Stadium and home to various associations in the city. It is the only stadium that can accommodate larger number of spectator viewing, has dedicated change rooms for visiting and home teams and a press box.
Unfortunately, the facilities are now in dire need of improvements and upgrades. The people behind this project, and this is something that is being driven by the community not led by either the school board or the city, want to turn Nelson Stadium into a World Class Sports Facility
Nelson Stadium’s track and multipurpose sports fields are located at the west end of Nelson Park, off Belvenia Street and is the first general gateway into a sport corridor. Adjacent to the stadium one can stroll past baseball p arks, an outdoor pool, an indoor ice rink, soccer pitches, BMX Park and tennis courts. All linked by walkways and bike paths a cross bridges and streams: A gem of a sport corridor in the City of Burlington.
Rendering of what a press box could look like.
Paying for all this may not be all that difficult. The Director of Parks and Recreation explained that there were “small pockets of money here and there” that could be used and the user groups were quite prepared to get into joint ventures with the city to raise some of the funds.
Wonderful to see the drive coming from the community – council needs to just raise their hands and vote yes and let these people get on with what they have set out to do. We are lucky to have them.
