Iitopatopa Park in the Town of Okotoks will be getting a new playground, and they are asking for help picking which one to choose.
In March of 2022, the Okotoks Town Council approved a concept plan for developing Iitopatopa Park, which is located at 370068 40 Street East, into a leisure recreation space.
The Town approved a budget of $1.5 million for the project, which was being phased over 2023 and 2024.
The proposed concept plan came about due to the Town's 2017 Recreation, Parks and Leisure Master Plan (RPLMP), the Social Wellness Framework, and the Council's Community Life Purpose Statement, and included developing a day-use space and associated leisure recreation amenities for the area.
To align with the Town of Okotoks' commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, a Traditional Knowledge and Land Use assessment was completed and then they consulted with their Indigenous partners.
The concept plan they developed incorporates feedback from that work, and council chose the Indigenous site name of Iitopatopa, which means 'A place where we return to often.'
The natural assets in the Town also helped to guide the planning of this site, which focused on the balancing of conservation and respect for the area's natural assets with the complementary and respectful day-use features and amenities.
In 2022, the Town invited people to participate in a survey to help figure out how they should develop the park.
Participants identified that their top three choices for the park amenities were a Day Use/Picnic Area, improved access to the river, and a playground/play space, with 48.56 per cent of the survey participants wanting the playground to be made from natural materials or materials made to look like natural materials.
Now, the Town is ready to install the playground in Iitopatopa Park, and have created two playground designs to choose from.
People are able to provide their input on which of the two playgrounds they would prefer.
Both options have swings, a merry-go-round and a slide, but they differ in the other playground equipment.
The survey is currently available to the public but will close on July 19th.
Once the survey is complete, playground installation is expected to begin in August, and if everything goes to plan, the work will be completed in October.
To see both playground options and to cast your vote, click here.