OCR Document

Terrace Heights Park & Playground

Redevelopment Survey – Results Summary

293 Surveys were distributed to single-family homes North of 101 Avenue,

West of 67 Street and East of 75 Street on Sunday, September 10^th.

An addressed envelope was provided for the return of the completed surveys.

Return was requested by September 20^th, 2006.

61 surveys (~21%) were returned.

The results from those surveys are summarized below.

1. How many members of your household are in the following age groups?

adults 18-65	96	55%
children 6 - 12	29	16%
children 5 years of age and under	22	13%
adults 65+	23	13%
youth 13 -17	6	3%

2. Do you currently use the Terrace Heights Playground & Park

yes	37	64%
no	21	36%

If “no”, why and where else do you like to go?

Cloverdale CL Playground
No kids. Nothing for adults, Do cross-country ski through
Walks in surrounding areas
New to the area
Don’t have children, don’t use playgrounds
Travel to “better” playgrounds like Cloverdale, Fulton, Clara Tyner
Our grandchildren have outgrown the park
Rundle Park, Gold Bar Park, Terrace Heights School playground
Places that are dog friendly
Don’t usually use parks. No kids but I use the river valley
No kids
Water parks, adventure style playgrounds
Also use Terrace Hts School pk. Gallagher Park playground is prime example. Our kids love it.
We haven’t moved in permanently yet. We like spray parks in summer & sled hills in winter
We also use former Terrace Heights School playground
There are no places to sit
No visitors with kids that age to use playground & as far as a park, I sit in the backyard
All children are over 15
Nowhere. Cannot walk on uneven ground
Worry about glass often found in the sand
More from 1980 – 2000 when our boys were young
Former Terrace Heights School playground
Also go to former Terrace Heights School playground. Great Stuff there!
Occasionally. No kids at this time
No children
Plan to use Terrace Hts park since closest park to my house. Have 3mth girl & will use next summer
Gold Bar Park & Hawrelak Pk. Great walking trails with picnic sites & benches and lighting
Fulton Place School Playground. (children go to school there)
Walking on the park trails (Capilano to Gold Bar)
Not much for the children, old

3. How often would your household use the playground & park site?

Summer-often	24	11%
Summer-Occasionally	21	9%
Summer-rarely/never	13	6%

Fall-often	17	8%
Fall-occasionally	25	11%
Fall-rarely/never	14	6%

Winter-often	8	4%
Winter-occasionally	17	8%
Winter-rarely/never	28	13%

Spring-often	18	8%
Spring-occasionally	24	11%
Spring-rarely/never	13	6%

4. Please indicate which of the following playground equipment would you prefer to see and number your choices in order of preference:

	Score
swings	4.0
slide	4.3
climbing wall	4.6
bridge	4.8
houses & forts	5.1
early child play area	5.2
swinging pods	5.3
toddler swings	5.5
children's jeep (vehicles)	6.5
wheelchair accessible	7.2

Comments (anything else?):

Drawing with - Spring riders, space ship, tire bridge, big fort, slide & Swings
Add sand to list
Some Merry-go-rounds are safe - Rundle Park-new
I would like to see no sand or little rocks; would like the soft spongy material that most parks have
Might use a gazebo or picnic tables. Current problem: older kids mug there to do drugs/vandalism
Rubber floor instead of sand
Benches, picnic tables would be a great thing for apartment dwellers to get outside to read/picnic.
At my age I have no idea what should be done there. Parents of the little ones do.
Gliders, swinging discs (flying saucer swings)
Spray park (as in the spray parks at community leagues and green shacks)
Hope this survey has gone to daycare owners in area who used to bring kids to park & now don’t
Sandbox
No preference
Water play area
We would like the playground to be geared for older children. Now it is only good for wee ones
After renovations we would use the park much more than we currently do.
Tunnels, slides that curve around
Picnic table and trail to the area at the end of 73 Street
We visit this spot daily & it would be nice to see families enjoy this place more; is beautiful & peaceful
Monkey bars
We’ve lived here 25yrs – always walk thru the ravine. A path down into would be nice. Picnic tables
Adults volleyball net/court
Sand!
Adult and youth swings
We enjoy the park when we go for walks and when the grandchildren visit.
The fountain has remained shut off & broken since I was a child. I think that should be rectified!
Apollo. Climbing bars
Area should be fenced so cars can’t drive thru it. Lighting might make it safer. Too much teen parties
Jungle gym trolleys water feature
Small stage or theatre area
Fireman pole zip line

5. What type of enhancements would you like to see to make this community area more attractive? Please mark with an X

park benches	45	19%
picnic benches	41	17%
lighting	36	15%
trees & shrubs	26	11%
shade structure	24	10%
gazebo	20	8%
trails	18	8%
BBQ area	18	8%
skateboard ramps	8	3%

6. We would also like children in the neighbourhood to also have an opportunity to have their input into their playground. Please encourage your children to either draw a picture or write about their three (3) favourite pieces of equipment on a playground.

Drawing with - Spring riders, space ship, tire bridge, big fort, slide & Swings
Drawing with – glider, twisty slide, and tire swing
Really big slide (like the one previously there) new sand, spray park, monkey bars, merry-go-round
Monkey bars spray/water parks
Drawing with – swings, tire swing, and a big crocodile
Drawing with – monkey bars, cars, climbing wall, slide, & big girl swings
Gliders, swinging monkey bars, and climbing wall
Drawing with – swings, monkey bars, slide, bridge, and jungle gym
Revan (8) : gliders, forts, climbing wall Ethan (6) : climbing wall, rope, forts
Too young, but states she likes to climb, hang, & jump, slide & swing
One of the things my children enjoyed was the little fountain in the middle of the park.
Drawing with – climbing wall & monkey bars
Drawing with – monkey bars & jungle gym

7. What is important to you?

First - Check-off your "Top Twenty" (Feel free to add items)

Second - Rank your "Top Ten" by placing the number 1-10 beside those you previously checked.

	Pathways and Signs
	- Curving Paths		19	2.4%	# 14
	- Stepping Stones		12	1.5%
	- Direction Signs		5	0.6%
	- Information Signs		9	1.1%
	- Bulletin Boards		16	2.0%
	Play equipment Settings
	- Rope to climb		26	3.2%	# 7
	- Swings		40	5.0%	# 2
	- Balance Beams		19	2.4%	# 15
	- Climbers		35	4.4%	# 4
	- Slides		39	4.9%	# 3
	- Bridges		30	3.7%	# 6
Vegetation and Gardens
- Dandelions to blow		1		0.1%
- Berry Bushes		10		1.2%
- Climbing Trees		19		2.4%		# 16
- Daisy chains		2		0.2%
- Forget-me-nots		2		0.2%
- Flowers to smell		14		1.7%
- Fruit Trees		6		0.7%
- Giant Sunflowers		11		1.4%
- Gnarled tree roots		0		0.0%
- Horse chestnuts		0		0.0%
- Hanging plants		0		0.0%
- Meadows		9		1.1%
- Mushrooms		2		0.2%
- Mosses		4		0.5%
- Nut Trees		4		0.5%
- Native Plants		18		2.2%
- Overgrown places		4		0.5%
- Pansies		3		0.4%
- Rose bushes		8		1.0%
- Tulips		5		0.6%
- Tiger Lilies		5		0.6%
- Vegetable Patch		6		0.7%
- Wildflowers		31		3.9%		# 5
Play Fences and Enclosures
- Fences to walk on, climb over and through		12		1.5%
- Garden gate		6		0.7%
- Heritage fences		3		0.4%
Groundcovers and Landforms
- Hills to roll down		18		2.2%
- Native plants		18		2.2%
- Tall grasses		4		0.5%
- Hide-and-seek areas		8		1.0%
- Games area		22		2.7%		# 12
- Grass whistles		2		0.2%
Sand/Dirt Settings
- Digging patch		10		1.2%
- Pile of dirt		1		0.1%
- Deep digging sand		26		3.2%		# 8
Play Props
- Carvings		6		0.7%
- Garden gnomes		2		0.2%
- Musical sculptures		6		0.7%
- Native traditions and artifacts		3		0.4%
- Rain gauges		8		1.0%
- Rain Barrels		2		0.2%
- Tree Houses		24		3.0%	# 11
- Unicorns		3		0.4%
- Logs, rocks and lumber		10		1.2%
- Compass, sundial, telescope		18		2.2%
Seating and Gathering Areas
- Benches		43		5.4%	# 1
- Drama and pretend places		13		1.6%
- Huge rocks		22		2.7%	# 13
- Reading and quiet areas		25		3.1%	# 10
Stumps to sit on Walls to sit on and climb		14		1.7%
Watching and Waiting areas		26		3.2%	# 9
- Stage		6		0.7%
- Gazebo		17		2.1%
- Sitting circles		11		1.4%

8. Park & Playground re-development involves much time & effort on the part of those organizing the project. The more help we can count on, the less work for everyone. If we can count on your help – please indicate below how you would like to be involved:

playground assembly	24	36%
physical labour	22	33%
personal donations	10	15%
fundraising	8	12%
corporate donations	1	2%
materials (e.g. cement)	1	2%

Name: 55 provided

Address: 54 provided

Phone: 49 provided

e-mail: 30 provided

9. Finally, is there anything else you would like to comment on with regard to redevelopment of the Terrace Heights Park & Playground?

Since Terrace Heights and Forest Heights Community Leagues are now joined, perhaps some of the city grants that go towards these community leagues can be shared and used to help finance the redevelopment of this park
I would like to help but I have 4 children and are tots so anything I can do as long as I can bring them with me I will.
I find the sand attracts the “stray” (poor owner, let them run around) cats for pooping in. Most of the “vegetation” ideas are not a good plan = fruit & berries that don’t get picked will fall & rot & bring wasps & bees; mushrooms could be poisonous; climbing trees could be an insurance problem for any child getting hurt; dandelions are considered a weed – what about nearby neighbors? A veggie patch could turn into a weed pit, flowers would get picked, etc. Mostly: just grass.
I think it needs a perimeter fence so cars can’t drive in the park.
Any chances of relocating some of the equipment from Terrace Heights School now that it is closed down? When we supported putting all of the available grant dollars and money from casinos towards redevelopment of the school playground (rather than some towards the ravine park) it was because there were kids going to the school! How will evening security be addressed. It’s a concern to us if drinking adolescents access the ravine from the park.
We here have turned into a seniors community. Within the last 2 years we have been getting young people moving in with children. A Great PLUS. The park should be revitalized so that the parents could take their children there to play with their friends. Lighting at night would have to be improved to stop vandalism and people sitting out there at night drinking and breaking bottles during the night.
As a family, although a playground would be nice, I think we would use walking trails most.
“No Parking” signs
Thanks for taking the initiative
Needs some kind of non-chain link fencing so people do not drive through it (chain & post?). Who or how will it be maintained?
If I had kids, I’d take them to the park by Forest Heights school – they have a wading pool and a playground, a grassy area and benches to sit on. That location is closer for me than the proposed Terrace Heights location. If there’s a need for a playground here – more power to you….I hope you get what you’re aiming at.
We think this is a great idea, especially for kids in the area. Unfortunately, due to our age, we don’t use the space.
Ensure redevelopment maintains security for both children & households including equipment in the parks. (e.g. lighting). Chain link fencing.
Deb – Thank you for your initiative in this matter. A worthy project.
Be EXTREMELY! careful about what might be built there. Beyond basic playground equipment any other structures will be nothing short of a magnet for vandalism and later night partying. Given the proximity to the ravine and its’ seclusion this is a recipe for disaster. I respectfully advise you to contact the Fulton Place community league president (especially the past president). Their troubles have been very well documented in the community leagues newsletter that is delivered to our homes occasionally. Thanks
Our family has gone to the park over the years. We have teenagers now and they use the park less and less. Our family is supportive of redeveloping the playground, although we would like to say that we’ve enjoyed the ambiance of the old playground.
Thanks for doing this, Deb, and we felt the only thing missing from the area was a good playground.
I would like to see things that are not offered at Argyll Centre Playground - spray park, climbing wall, obstacle course.
Although I do not use it & do not foresee using it as either a park or playground, I think it would be great for the neighborhood kids to have a fun place to go.
It would be nice if the natural setting was not disturbed too much, so as to prevent the park from looking like a commercial type of place (ie Disneyland). The area could be enhanced without changing the nature, or “feel” of the park. Also it would be nice to keep it “toddler friendly”, as older kids are more likely to be able to travel to a purpose built facility (ie skateboard ramps/bicycle trails).
Something for small children and seniors. The teenagers are not interested in a park. That’s my experience. We went to that park with children and grandchildren and they liked the swings and slides.
Good luck to all of you!
I would like it to remain small and local. The proximity to the ravine could be utilized by a clever planner. It must stay very open so that all play structures & most areas are visible to neighbors to stay SAFE.
Allow dogs in the area, but not in the sand/play boxes. Signs to pick up after dogs or $$ fine.
The area will need to be well lighted at night for security reasons due to its location so close to the ravine.
The drinking fountain needs to be in working order so children can have a drink of water and wash their hands.
How many families are in the area? How many know about the park? Would this project receive any funding from the city?
This is a small park and is lovely just as it is. Equipped for smaller children seems right. A few pieces of equipment (i.e. the new type merry-go-round) would be ok. Other than that the addition of some park benches & picnic tables would be nice for relaxation. The park is too small for large equipment.
Most of the times I have taken my young children there, I have encountered young teens hanging out & smoking & using the younger children equipment (slide & swings).
I think lights at night at the park would be a nice idea so neighbors can see what’s happening at the park & call authorities if needed.
It needs Rules & regulations or occasional drive-bys by police or parks & rec. I want the ravine to remain intact & not damaged by smoke or fires.
We moved into this area 47 years ago. The area has always had a great age span. There were people & families that had already been here for years. Then young families started moving in and the community grew. We had the little park along the ravine to take our children to. The children grew up and the little park lost all its play area because of safety issues and neglect. It’s wonderful to see the interest being taken to make the park special again.
I grew up in this neighborhood and I spent much of my childhood at that park. I would love to see it given the care and attention it has always deserved. And I will continue to enjoy it myself as well as with the new little ones in my life (and my dog!). It would be wonderful to see some positive change given and developed, as opposed to its neglect by the city.
Thank your for starting this. I have often thought about it myself but have not pursued it.
I would like to see shady areas or shade trees planted.
This is a very ambitious program you’ve taken on. Since this area is 99% retirees, I wouldn’t want this park so developed that it becomes a hang-out for young thugs. Why not use the Terrace Hts. School playground – it has equipment.
Any improvements should be “vandal proof” and not attract undesirables to the area.

Terrace Heights Park & Playground Redevelopment Project

Contact: Deb Kardash email: TerraceHeightsPark@kardash.ca or vicepres@forestterrace.org

Fall-often

Winter-often

Spring-often