Shelved park project in Waterloo gets new design and council go-ahead

It was all the way back in 2002 when Waterloo City Council approved a study to build a natural amphitheater in the Vista Hills neighbourhood, at the western edge of the city.

That led to the creation of the West Side Natural Amphitheater Study and Master Plan, which was approved that same year, though the amphitheater never came to be.

Fast forward to 2024 when city staff began looking at options for the site at the end of Sun Dew Drive at Wood Lilly Street. A public consultation and information session was held in October to gather input from residents on three design concepts:

• Concept 1 Passive Trailhead – some similarities with the 2002 Master Plan including a parking lot with 20 parking spaces and a pollinator garden
• Concept 2 Community Space – includes a parking lot with 12 parking spaces and a community garden
• Concept 3 Small Active Recreation Hub – includes a fitness station, layby or on-street parking and 2 Pickleball courts (multi-use court)

All three concepts include trailhead kiosk, lookout, covered seating or small gathering space, accessible trail connection to existing and future trails and tree planting.

Ultimately, Concept 3 was selected and Emily Brown, senior landscape architect, City of Waterloo presented the plan to council at its meeting on March 3.

She told council a lot had changed in the 23 years since the amphitheater proposal and a redesign was necessary.

“Construction of an amphitheater, like the 2002 plan showed, would encroach into the forested hills ESPA (Environmentally Sensitive Policy Area). There would also be significant safety concerns, accessibility concerns and tricky maintenance with the trail, steep slopes and the lack of natural surveillance in the area.”

The cost of the redesigned and renamed Wood Lilly Park was estimated at $528,000. Funding was included in the 2024-2026 capital budget.

Brown said that should council approve the design, the next step would be to tender construction in 2025/2026.

Council adopted the motion, unanimously.