When Shane Kennedy and his wife bought their Waterdown home three and a half years ago, part of the draw was that a park was slated to be built nearby.

In fact, some residents have been waiting for the park - which is expected to be constructed on the land around the water tower, bordered by Nisbet Boulevard, White Gates Drive and Cole Street - for close to a decade.

But in its place remains nothing but a barren lot - and a large mountain of dirt.

"For us, a big part of moving there was it's a growing community, it's a young community," said Kennedy. "We had heard there were plans for parks in the area and we were really excited about that."

But after living in the area for a year or two, Kennedy said he noticed the park was not forthcoming - and heard from neighbours that the saga had been dragging on for years.

"It was a draw for us," he said, especially with a young son, Kellen, who just turned one. "Memorial Park, it's only about a half-hour or so walk with an infant, but we'd rather not drive.

"It would be nice to have something there and if it's planned, why not make it happen?"

However, the planned park remains in limbo, due to an ongoing Ontario Municipal Board challenge.

Sally Yong-Lee, the city's manager of infrastructure planning, said the park will be built once Country Green's Parkside Hills development proceeds to Phase 2 - something that's delayed by the OMB challenge.

"As a condition of this development, there is land swap with the developer and the city will obtain the balance of the lands for the park," Yong-Lee said. "The developer will be responsible to grade and seed the park block."

She said while the draft plan of subdivision for phases 2 and 3 - and therefore the park land - is still at the OMB, a settlement may be pending.

"We don't have all the land for the complete park," she said of the city. "(The developer has) not received approval to proceed - I know that they are anxious to proceed with the next development."

While the OMB has been replaced by the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, anything that was commenced under the previous board will be completed by the OMB.

Two cases in relation to the Parkside Hills Phase 2 development remain before the OMB, with both commenced by the developer because the city hasn't made decisions on applications to facilitate the plan.

The developer could technically give the land to city prior to the plan of subdivision being approved, but there is grading and drainage work that needs to be completed prior to the transfe, Yong-Lee said.

"There have been quite a few inquiries about getting that park established, but we can only do so much without having all the land."

Yong-Lee said the city has put aside money for the development of the park with the funding allocated in 2022.

"If we find that they are moving faster than we are anticipating, the budget items get reviewed every year, so there's a potential that we could move the funds forward, so we can get the park built earlier."

She explained that the actual development of the park is paid for through development charges.

Ward 15 Coun. Judi Partridge said the park has been an ongoing issue for her office.

"It has been tied up at the OMB for quite a few years."

She said the timing of the developments is the prerogative of the developer.

"It's up to them when they move forward with development."

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Patridge said residents have been raising concerns about the park for eight years.

"When people buy a home and they're promised a park - then eight years later, they still don't have a park, they get annoyed." she said. "Some people are downright angry about it."

Country Green Homes did not immediately respond to requests for comment.