RBJ Schlegel Park taking shape in Kitchener’s south end

A multi-million-dollar project nearly 15 years in the making is taking shape in one of Kitchener’s fastest growing districts. Construction crews continue to make headway on RBJ Schlegel Park; Kitchener’s newest multi-use sports park.

What once was a barren field at the corner of Fischer-Hallman Road and Huron Road is quickly transforming into a multi-use facility with outdoor soccer fields, a splash pad, a playground and a cricket pitch.

Project manager Mark Parris said it’s been a long journey, but progress is coming along on the 16.8-hectare multi-use sports park. “It dates back to the late 1990s in the Leisure Facilities and Master Plan recognizing that there needs to be district-like park facilities in the area.”

Back in 2005, the city of Kitchener identified the southwest Kitchener corridor as an area of growth and a potential site for a sports park. Ward 5 Councillor Kelly Galloway-Sealock helped secure some of the funding for the RBJ Schlegel Park project and is pleased to see the park coming to fruition.

“I think there are a lot of people who have been waiting for a park to open in the southwest area,” Galloway-Sealock said. “It's an opportunity to have some park amenities and for people not to travel as far for swimming lessons, soccer and to have something a little closer to home.”

The city aims to have Phase 1 of RBJ Schlegel Park complete by the fall, which includes the installation of two artificial turf fields, one natural turf field, a splash pad, playground and a cricket pitch. The cricket pitch will be open to the public and residents can book the pitch; the first of its kind for Kitchener.

“When we were doing the Master Plan for the park, there was a vocal group who wanted a cricket pitch,” Galloway-Sealock said. “I know that with the demographic of our community, it’s something that we need.”

The signature piece of architecture within RBJ Schlegel Park is a heritage home situated on the property. It will take on a second life in RBJ Schlegel Park as the home is being retrofitted as a changeroom and washroom for the splash pad and playground.

“It was a residence from the late 1800s,” Parris said. “It represented architecture of the era, so it was determined to be of significant value to the heritage component. Council opted to retain it and use it as the changeroom-washroom facility.”

One of the biggest obstacles in constructing the park was moving the 150-year-old building 200 metres from its original location. Parris explained that conditions had to be perfect for crews to transport the heritage home.

“Weather was a big part of it” Parris said. “Picking and planning for a date that is ideal, low winds, and we wanted to have a deep frost in the ground so there wasn’t any traction as we moved it. Cutting of the building itself, the temporary bracings, the masonry that’s 150 years old, that’s all pretty straight-forward. But it was getting it to and from and having roadway access, that was the biggest challenge.”

Phase 1 construction on RBJ Schlegel Park is on track to be finished later on this October. The second phase will see the completion of the heritage building changeroom-washroom facility, as well as outdoor basketball, tennis and volleyball courts.

The future phase of RBJ Schlegel Park will eventually include a multi-use indoor facility with an indoor soccer field, ice pads and a swimming pool.