Our club has been working behind the scenes for two years to get an agreement in place with the MTO in order to make improvements to Skyline Park. The agreement is now in place and work is proceeding !
Rotary's next big capital project is improving Skyline Park opened by Premier Leslie M. Frost in 1958. The scenic overlook has fallen into disrepair over the past few decades, and the club plans to make significant changes to improve the visitor experience in the next few years (2025-26).The planned capital improvements to the park include the following:
- Remove trees and brush to improve the view (Status: Underway),
- Repair the broken concrete on the existing viewing platform (Status : Complete),
- Construct a left and right hand extension to the existing viewing platform,
- Create a new upper-viewing platform off of the parking area to accommodate people with mobility issues who cannot walk down to the existing viewing platform
- Build two new picnic pavilions with concrete pads and covered roofs,
- Build year-round accessible washrooms to replace the seasonal toilets,
- Provide new benches and picnic tables (Status: On order),
- Improve pathways using recycled asphalt which will not erode and which are more accessible,
- Expand the paved parking area and draw parking lines on the paved area to indicate regular and handicapped parking spaces,
- Create designated bus parking that allows for safe and easy turnaround for tour buses
- Install display boards highlighting our community’s history and current attractions,
- Improve safety fencing and signage, and
- Remove old stone BBQ’s (Status: Underway).
Skyline Park Project Fundraising and Sponsorships
While the Rotary Club will lead the implementation of the project, we are looking for donations and sponsors to assist with the cost of the project. Before we even started fundraising activities, we already have one financial contribution of $5,000 from a local resident and several local retailers have offered to help supply materials for the project. Fleming College students will be assisting in the design and construction of the new picnic shelters in spring/summer 2025. You can assist the Club in implementing the Skyline Park Capital Improvement Project in one of the following ways :
- Donation of your volunteer labour to help build on site facilities alongside Club members,
- Donations (or reduced costs) for the provision of project materials,
- Cash contributions to the cost of the project.
- Supply of equipment and/or machinery to implement the project
Every contribution counts and many hands make light work !
Thanks to Committee Chair Charles Wheeler for his perseverance!