Duchess Community Park Project

Earlier this year, the City of Prince George acquired 3.26 hectares of land currently occupied by the existing Duchess Park Secondary School facility. This land is proposed for redevelopment as a community park that will serve both neighbourhood residents within the Crescents area, as well as the larger school community. The redevelopment will honour the site's historical prominence at the heart of the Crescents Neighbourhood as conceived by the Grand Trunk Pacific Development Company in 1913. The public recreation uses that are being proposed for the park area are consistent with the policies of the 2003 Crescents Neighbourhood Plan and the new park will partially address the present deficit of District Parkland within the East Bowl District, as identified in the 2008 Parks and Open Space Master Plan Parks and Open Space Master Plan .

To view the Duchess Community Park area map click here.

To view the recent Staff Report to Council on Duchess Community Park click here.

Open House

On the evening of Thursday, June 25th 2009, the City of Prince George and School District No. 57 hosted the Duchess Community Park Open House at Duchess Park Secondary School. Residents and stakeholders were invited to attend and provide input into the concept and proposed development of the proposed Duchess Community Park. The Open House included a park design exercise where residents worked with City and School District representatives to help determine possible park facilities and layouts for the Duchess Community Park site. The Information Boards from the Open House are available for viewing:

Information Boards

Public Input

The Open House event on June 2009 included a Public Input Survey as well as Input Boards to help determine the community’s needs and desires for the Duchess Community Park site. The results of these public input processes have concluded that more than half of the Crescents neighbourhood uses the existing Duchess Park grounds multiple times per week. Strong support was indicated for new facilities that would include a Fenced Off-Leash Area, Trails, and a Playground. Support was also indicated for a Mt. Bike Skills Area, Hard Surface Court, Ice Rink and Community Garden. An All-Weather Sports Field was also supported, although concerns with lighting were noted by residents. Programming for seniors was strongly supported and suggested to include accessible and heritage facilities. Programming for families was also supported, particularly around activities for youth and children.

To view the detailed results of the Survey and Input Boards, click on the links below.

What’s Next

Over the winter of 2009/2010, the City of Prince George will be preparing concept plans for the Duchess Community Park site based upon the public input and stakeholder feedback received to date. These plans will be presented to the public for feedback by spring 2010 and will then be refined further to prepare detailed plans for the park’s development. The existing Duchess Park School facility is scheduled for removal in mid 2010, along with the opening of the new Duchess Park School facility. The development of the Duchess Community Park grounds will occur over the 2011 to 2012 construction seasons.

For More Information

For more information on the Duchess Community Park project, please contact:

Laurie-Ann Kosec, Parks and Open Space Planner
Phone: 250-561-7611