Draft plans available for public review until February 28, 2020

The City has released two final draft park management plans for Odell and Killarney Lake for public review by Friday, February 28, 2020, at 4:30 p.m.

These two new draft park management plans are designed to complement one another, an approach that ensures established recreation in the parks will continue to thrive at the appropriate scale and new activities will be located thoughtfully.

Each plan identifies traditional and adaptive approaches, short and long-term objectives, a guiding strategy, and includes management zones to help identify ecological features and balance recreational activities.

“These plans are rooted in the goal of achieving the right balance between ecology and recreation,” said Ken Forrest, Director of Planning & Development. “They set the framework for the evolution of Odell Park and Killarney Lake Park under a shared vision and align with our newly adopted Municipal Plan under the Community Goal, ‘Green & Healthy’.”

Odell Park Management Plan

Introduces a management strategy that fully considers ecological features and human use.

Divided into three management zones: Conservation, Natural Environment, and Recreation.

Ecology is prioritized because a large percentage of the park contains sensitive features, such as an old hemlock forest, steep slopes, water features and sensitive breeding areas for various plants and animals.

In the sensitive areas, some sections of the trail will be reforested. In other zones, trails will be accommodated with appropriate construction methods, such as boardwalks.

Current recreational opportunities will continue but may be modified to respect the natural features and decrease the conflict of use.

Killarney Lake Park Management Plan

Introduces a management strategy that fully considers ecological features and human use.

Divided into four management zones: Conservation, Natural Environment, Recreation, and Sport Tourism.

Recreational activity is prioritized as the park is capable of providing the recreational needs that Odell Park cannot absorb.

The vast majority of the park falls within the Natural Environment Zone, meaning the land is able to support larger scale and more intense recreation.

Current recreational opportunities will be enhanced and new ones introduced for the park to become a regional sport tourism hub and national destination for sporting events.

“This is great news! Fredericton’s citizens love their parks, and are especially fond of Odell and Killarney Lake,” said Henri Mallet, Councillor Ward 12, and Chair, Community Services Committee. “Killarney Lake has had a plan in the past, and we know it works, but we’ve never had such a comprehensive management plan for Odell Park. We are so excited to have the public review the final drafts of what we feel are strong, sustainable plans and to start rolling both of them out.”

Both management plans are guided by the Municipal Plan, Fredericton Growth Strategy, Recreation Master Plan, By-law No L8 Respecting Parklands, and the Trails/Bikeways Master Plan.

These are the last two park management plans in a series of six significant planning projects undertaken in the previous four years. The six plans include regional parks Odell and Killarney; municipal parks Carlton and Wilmot; and neighbourhood parks Lian/Valcour and High Point Ridge.

For more information, the draft park management plans are available for public review at Fredericton.ca/ParkPlans.

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