The Flats finally on track for further improvements after a year pause

Improvements slated for Milt Dunnell Field next year could include a new pavilion

At the Oct. 14 St. Marys council meeting, councillors agreed to include a number of priority improvements for the park known locally at The Flats in the draft 2026 capital and operating budgets.

By Galen Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Following the improvements made to Milt Dunnell Field in 2024, which included washroom renovations, an accessible dock, paving the Farmers’ Market area and playground enhancements, the picturesque St. Marys park could see additional improvements intended to improve the user experience beginning next year.

At the Oct. 14 St. Marys council meeting, councillors agreed to include a number of priority improvements for the park known locally at The Flats in the draft 2026 capital and operating budgets. Subject to budget approval, those improvements include a new pavilion, improving accessibility at the playground, new covered dugouts and repairs to the bleachers at the ball diamonds, and the cutting of grass and trimming of shrubs and weeds closer to the riverbanks to improve sightlines and use of the river, among others.

“It’s been since August 2023 since we had a touchpoint and discussed the Milt Dunnell Field project,” CAO Brent Kittmer told councillors. “Since then, the project has sat in abeyance as we waited for the recreation (and leisure) master plan, and the primary purpose of putting it on hiatus is we were expecting there to be recommendations in the recreation master plan as it related to the baseball diamonds down at Milt Dunnell Field.

“At that point in time, we weren’t certain there would be recommendations in the rec master plan that we’d keep them in Milt Dunnell Field, and we felt we needed to have that information before we moved forward in developing ideas on how we might implement council’s direction for future visions of the park.”

With what appears to be a permanent relocation of minor baseball from East Ward Park to Milt Dunnell Field, Kittmer said the baseball diamonds will be staying at The Flats, so staff began brainstorming park improvements both for next year and in the longer term.

As proposed by town staff, longer-term projects could include improved drainage, the provision of WiFi at the pavilion, enhanced lighting, additional seating along the river, preventative measures to combat shoreline erosion, improving signage, increasing the tree canopy, establishing a walking path around the ring road and relocating parking away from the river to elsewhere in or around the park to reduce impediments to river viewing.

“Through the public consultation two years ago, we certainly had a mixed message in that in-person consultation led us to believe that the public was willing to see some change down at the park, but the overwhelming response in correspondence after those visions were put forward that showed the ring road changing was that the public really liked the park the way it was,” Kittmer said. “They felt it was functioning, and we shouldn’t see significant change at the park. … We believe the park is functioning well and it’s well-used, so we really wanted to develop a list of ideas for how we might make incremental improvements to the park.”

According to Kittmer, the construction of a new pavilion, which could cost as much as $250,000, is necessary as the current pavilion was not built to code and needs to be torn down and rebuilt. Kittmer said users of the pavilion have complained about a lack of wind screening and hard surfaces, as well as birds roosting in the rafters. Though a new pavilion hasn’t been designed yet, Kittmer said council could consider improvements and new amenities like having it face west towards the river, updated electrical and water hookups, having it able to host film screenings, and the installation of WiFi.

Similarly, Kittmer said the baseball diamonds’ covered dugouts need to be rebuilt and the bleachers require a refresh using the existing metal framework before reinstalling them onto a hard surface.

In their discussion, councillors added a few more park improvements to the list including solar lighting along the ring road, an information sign or centre for tourists and a basketball court.

“The feedback from the community has been the improvements have been really awesome and well-received,” Coun. Dave Lucas said before council voted unanimously to include the priority improvements in next year’s budget. “So, I think we’re definitely on the right path and I like the thought of small, incremental changes, but they’re definitely noticeable and appreciated by the town.”