Saint John residents had the chance to see design templates for phase three of the Rockwood Park redevelopment.
The City of Saint John and GEMTEC Consulting Engineers and Scientists held two public meetings on Thursday.
Part of this phase includes enhancements to the duck pond area, according to Cameron Whitcomb, project manager for the city.
“Phase three is the remediation of the duck pond area, so there’s a causeway that is on Lake Drive South that’s in pretty bad shape, so we’re fixing that up, and there’s currently a retaining wall system that surrounds the duck pond and we’re trying to that area more natural looking by removing the walls, which are basically a wire basket with rock inside them,” Whitcomb said during Thursday’s meeting.
“So we’re removing those walls along the perimeter of the pond and replacing it with a safe slope that looks a little more natural,” continued Whitcomb.
The first two phases were completed in the previous two decades and involved work along roads surrounding the area.
“Phase one and two started at Mount Pleasant Avenue, which was all fixed up, and the Lake Drive South roadway was fixed up as well,” mentioned Whitcomb.
Part of phase three will also continue some of the road work that was not part of the first two stages.
“It will continue lighting and pathway improvements along Fisher Lakes Drive up to the Interpretation Centre. It will also improve the roadway, and also add a multi-use trail up to the Interpretation Centre. As well there is an existing gravel trail on the north side of the duck pond that will turn into a hard surface trail for accessibility,” said Marco Sivitilli, engineer and project manager at GEMTEC.
Another part of the project will include replacing and refurbishing the decking at the Interpretation Centre.
Sivitilli mentioned that GEMTEC and the city are in the preliminary design phase.
“As part of the project, the city requires public consultation, and that gives the public the opportunity to view the designs to date, and provide feedback,” he said.
“It will also help us get ideas of what the public likes and dislikes of the project.”
The final design is set to be completed by this summer, with the tender complete by the end of summer or early fall.
The cost of construction has been set at $1.2 million and is coming from gas tax funding.
Today @rockwoodpark Interpretation Centre a public meeting regarding phase III of the redevelopment project. pic.twitter.com/cXNYjxl75s
— Tim Herd (@timherdradio) May 26, 2022
