Parks Abbotsford Exhibition Park Abbotsford Exhibition Park is a world class 75-acre park which boasts a wide variety of indoor and outdoor facilities, including: Ag Rec Building (main floor - 23,040 sq/ft polished concrete floor, capacity 1920) Gallery multipurpose room overlooking main floor (3520 sq/ft, capacity 200, full kitchen) Agrifair Arena (dirt floor - 23000 sq/ft, capacity 1000, built-in bleachers, separate kitchen) Show Barn (asphalt floor with poles between, 23,940 sq/ft, capacity 1995) Pole barn (gravel floor, open-air barn) Legacy Sports Centre (Legacy Banquet room, capacity 210, kitchen, conference room, capacity 66) Board Room (capacity 33). Wrestling Martial Arts gym/room) Cadet Building (5727 sq/ft, capacity 400) painted concrete floor 4 - Slo-pitch/softball diamonds (ball pavilion with scorekeeper s rooms and washrooms) Field House (shared by stadium and playing fields, 6 change rooms, washrooms, concession) Rotary Stadium (Grandstand capacity 4000, announcer s booth, timing tower, score clock, 400 meter rubberized track, grass playing field, washrooms, change rooms, concessions) World class BMX track Abbotsford Exhibition Park - Natural Turf Wicket In 2011, the artificial cricket pitch at Abbotsford Exhibition Park was converted to a natural cricket wicket. The wicket has four pitches that were constructed with specialized soil that was brought in from the Edmonton area. The soil requires a clay content that is significantly higher than local soils have. Specialized equipment has been purchased and maintenance procedures have been established to provide the local cricket community an exciting venue for play. This conversion allows for Abbotsford to host both national and international cricket events. General Park Information The City of Abbotsford operates and maintains 70 playgrounds in our parks. In 2003, a Playground Replacement Program was put in place and, with the ongoing support from the Rotary Club of Abbotsford- Sumas, the City has been able to replace 12 playgrounds since that time. In 2013, the City was awarded a Federal Government Matching Infrastructure Grant to replace 10 of its aging playgrounds. This funding has enabled the City to replace the last of its non-csa compliant playgrounds. Playground structures in Larch, Southern, Glenridge, Charlotte, Everett, Juniper, Renton, Fairfield, Uplands and Jubilee Park were replaced, as well as upgrades to surrounding infrastructure were completed in March 2014. New playground designs address inclusive play and serve children of all abilities. Replacing the old pea gravel surfacing with wood carpet not only provides better fall protection, but also makes our playgrounds wheelchair accessible. New protective fencing and asphalt pathways have been added at several of the playgrounds (where needed) to further enhance and provide better accessibility. New Development Abbotsford Senior Secondary School - Synthetic Turf Field In partnership with Abbotsford School District No.34, Abbotsford Senior Secondary School is home to the newest synthetic turf field. Synthetic turf fields provide great training venues for athletes involved with school and community sports. This field has been marked for soccer, American football, unified field lacrosse and field hockey. Bakerview Centre for Learning - Cricket Pitch In partnership with Abbotsford School District No.34, Bakerview Centre for Learning is home to the newest cricket field. An artificial cricket pitch has been constructed to provide a venue for divisional play for local cricketeers. Cricket continues to be one of the fastest growing sports in the Fraser Valley. For more information about the park section, please contact our office at: Ph: 604.859.3134 email: prcoffice@abbotsford.ca website: www.abbotsford.ca 40
Sports Fields The Abbotsford Parks, Recreation & Culture Department coordinates booking services for outdoor sports. For information on field schedules and bookings, please contact the Field Coordinator, at 604.859.3134. Field Inspection Procedure During periods of potential inclement weather, generally November to March, when normal play may cause damage to fields, or compromise the safety of users, fields are inspected and reported upon as to the present conditions. These inspections occur daily during the business week regarding field status. Parks staff report on conditions daily prior to 12pm for daily status. Prior to 12pm on Fridays, the weekend field status will be reported on. This status is for the entire weekend until further inspections and reports to the website and the hotline are updated, on the first business day of the next week. Field status over the weekend cannot be changed but are monitored by weekend staff, to ensure safety. Fields are closed to prevent situations that may lead to player injury and degradation of the field surfaces. Conditions that warrant field closures are: Standing water Frozen or snow covered field surface Excessive wear Excessive frost Weather forecasts stating inclement weather Picnic Shelters The City has numerous picnic shelters that will accommodate your needs. Picnic shelters are next to playgrounds, washrooms and green spaces for all sorts of activities. Fire restrictions limit cooking to propane barbecues, supplied by the user group. Reserve your picnic shelter from April 1 - October 31. Picnic shelters are on a first-come first served basis for the remainder of the year. To reserve, please visit our website at www.abbotsford.ca to submit an online request. Volunteer Are you interested in beautifying your local park space? The City of Abbotsford provides volunteers with the equipment and guidance necessary for adopting your local park. Challenge your family and friends to get involved with their community. For more information on volunteer opportunities, please contact: Alanna Carmichael, Volunteer Coordinator, 604.557.7050 or volunteer@abbotsford.ca Park Programs Parks Gift Program The Parks Gift Program was developed to allow citizens, community groups and businesses to donate gifts to the City of Abbotsford for the enhancement of public parks and recreation facilities. Applications are accepted year round. To ensure survival, planting trees and shrubs may be delayed until an appropriate time of the year. Benches, picnic tables and similar gifts are ordered immediately upon receipt of payment and are installed upon receipt from the manufacturer. Donors can work with our Parks staff to ensure that the gift is appropriate for the location requested. All donations in excess of $1,000 will receive a bronze plaque inscribed with a message. Messages can be a maximum of 70 characters and plaques will be installed on, or next to your gift. Donations greater than $15,000 can be recognized with a plaque unveiling at a special event. Cost Sharing of Private Fencing As a Good Neighbour, the City of Abbotsford will consider cost sharing the installation of fences constructed on residential properties shared with city parks and / or pedestrian walkways. Trees The City of Abbotsford has a bylaw in place to preserve the tree canopy in Abbotsford. The City also has measures in place to ensure that all trees are healthy and viable and contribute positively to the natural environment. Trees are important in our community to help us sustain a healthy, natural environment. Before cutting down any trees on your property, it is important to contact the Urban Forestry Section to ensure that you comply with the bylaw (please see bylaw at www. abbotsord.ca). There is a fee for the tree-cutting permit. The current fee is indicated on the tree cutting application form. Permits are valid one year from the date of issue. For information on tree permits or if you have any comments or concerns regarding a tree on a City boulevard or park contact Parks, Recreation & Culture. Tips for your Trees Fertilizing: Fertilize your tree ONLY if a soil test shows that nutrients are lacking. If so, an application of a balanced fertilizer may be applied before the tree begins to bud. Applying weed and feed to your lawn may injure or kill your tree. Most combination weed killers and lawn fertilizers will injure trees. Do not use anything that states it will kill broad-leaved weeds within the drip line of a broad-leaved tree as it may harm the tree as well. Mulching: Maintain a ring of mulch around the base of the tree (the wider the better). Organic materials like wood chips and leaves are best. Wood chips will take longer to break down and, therefore, will not require replacement as often. Mulch layer should not exceed more than 10 cm. deep over the roots as this may inhibit oxygen from reaching the roots. Mulch should not be placed against the bark of the tree or placed in a mulch volcano. Watering: An important factor in tree survival is providing water at the correct frequency. The first three years are most critical, but pay attention to watering needs throughout the tree s life. The best way to know how often to water is to check the soil moisture approximately 15cm below the soil surface. Water when dry. For the first three years after planting, provide about 10 liters of water per 3cm of trunk diameter. Water the root ball and just beyond radiating out from the trunk. As the trees age, supplemental watering is encouraged in times of low rainfall to assist in the development of healthy trees. Water larger trees within 2m of the trunk out to the drip line. Geese and Ducks Please do not feed the geese and ducks. While it is enjoyable to feed waterfowl, it is detrimental to them and to our environment. Feeding waterfowl creates numerous problems such as: Disturbs natural migration patterns, leading to extremely large concentrations of birds - overcrowding can lead to disease and fighting amongst the population. Destroys the birds ability to forage and find food for themselves. Deprives the birds of essential nutrients and can cause serious digestive problems. Attracts rats and other vermin due to the large amount of food scraps in the area. Reduces usable areas for people due to large amounts of feces and potentially aggressive geese. Causes costly efforts to keep our parklands usable and clean and to manage the ever-increasing numbers of waterfowl. The presence of wildlife can greatly enhance your park experience but, when waterfowl concentrations become too high, it can diminish your experience as well as causing significant increases in maintenance costs. Please help us to manage these large waterfowl populations by allowing the birds to feed themselves. Remember, real geese don t eat bread. PARKS 41
Abbotsford Cemeteries The City of Abbotsford owns and operates four cemeteries: Aberdeen, Hazelwood, Mt. Lehman and Musselwhite. Aberdeen is located on the Fraser Highway close to Aldergrove and currently has limited opportunities for cremation interment. Mt. Lehman is located on Taylor Road in the historic farming area of Mt. Lehman. There are currently only cremation interment options at Mt. Lehman. Hazelwood is located along Hazelwood Avenue just east of the Abbotsford-Mission Highway and has a wide variety of interment services available. In addition to in-ground cremation and traditional casket burials, Hazelwood now has a columbarium consisting of 1,056 wall niches and 200 in-ground niches. A columbarium is an above-ground, multi-level structure composed of a number of niches to house cremated remains. Inground niches (or vaults) are constructed of concrete with internal liners. As well, an ossuary and scatter garden has been added at Hazelwood. An ossuary is an in-ground receptacle in which cremated remains are co-mingled, and a scatter garden is a specially landscaped area where cremated remains can be dispersed. A small plaque can be placed on granite memorial pillows located at the ossuary and scatter garden. Musselwhite is located at the intersection of Marshall Road and Old Yale Road and currently only has inground cremation interment options available. The four cemeteries are the final resting place for many of the Fraser Valley s early settlers and continue to reflect the ongoing growth and diversity of the community. Abbotsford s cemeteries are landscaped and maintained in park-like settings with views of the nearby mountains and the Fraser Valley. These historic places are cultural resources and community assets that provide an ongoing legacy for generations of Fraser Valley residents. Pre-arrangements can be made by contacting Parks, Recreation & Culture. The City of Abbotsford owns and operates four cemeteries: Aberdeen, Hazelwood, Mt. Lehman, and Musselwhite. Cemeteries are landscaped and maintained in park-like settings with views to the nearby mountains and the Fraser Valley.. For more information, visit our website at www.abbotsford.ca Aberdeen 28417 Fraser Highway 42 PARKS Hazelwood 34070 Hazelwood Avenue Mt. Lehman 2900 Block, Taylor Road Musselwhite 3500 Block, Old Yale Road
SECHELT TERRACE MCDERMOTT RD LATIMER ST GLADWIN RD Dog Off-Leash Areas Abbotsford currently provides 4 dog off-leash areas within its municipal park system. These are located at: Gladwin Park Bateman Park / Stoney Creek McKay Creek Park / Sumas Dyke Clearbrook Park What is a Dog Off-leash Area? A dog off-leash area is a place where pet owners can take their dogs to run free without a leash. Off leash does not mean out of control and only applies to the specific, designated area. Pet owners must ensure that their dogs are controlled and not violent or aggressive. Pet owners must also be on-site for the duration of the visit and abide by the off-leash area etiquette. Dog Off-Leash Area Etiquette Please obey all park rules and relevant parking requirements. Please avoid parking along residential roads and utilize the parking lots instead. Dogs must be licensed. Properly clean-up and dispose of your dog s feces. Handlers must have a leash with them for each dog. Dogs must be under the control of and within sight of their handlers at all times. Owners are personally liable for any damage or injury inflicted by their dogs. Please ensure that all dogs are leashed before leaving the off-leash area. Dogs must be leashed in all parks, except within designated off-leash areas. We hope you enjoy the dog off-leash areas and have fun with your dogs. NICOLA ST Gladwin Park Gladwin Park DISCOVERY TRAIL Discovery Trail Hydro Towers OKANAGAN DR Stoney Creek Trail Park SAANICH ST HAIDA DR BATEMAN RD Dog Off-Leash Area Bateman Park SHUSWAP Dog Off-Leash Area TERRACE HEARTHSTONE CT Stoney Creek Park Dog Off-Leash Area COACHSTONE WAY WRIGHT S HARTNELL PL COOPER PL UNDEVELOPED GREEN SPACE THORNTON PL ROBSON DR VIE ST DUNSMUIR WAY PRIOR AVE MCKAY CREEK LAKEMOUNT RD NO.4 RD Sumas Canal Dyke Trail / McKay Creek Trail (TRUCK ROUTE) HWY ELDRIDGE RD MCKAY CREEK TRAIL SUMAS CANAL DYKE TRAIL SOUTH PARALLEL RD HIGHWAY NO.1 NORTH PARALLEL RD ATKINSON RD Clearbrook Park P Dog Off-Leash Area Discover Trail SPARWOOD STREET CLINTON AVENUE ASHCROFT PARKS 43
Park Amenities Horse Trail Ball Diamonds Sports Fields Basketball / Sports Courts Trails / Walking Paths Jogging Track Picnic Shelters (R) Reservable Playground Equipment Washrooms (Change Room ) Skate Boarding Outdoor Swimming Pool # of Tennis Courts Water (Spray) Park Parking Abbotsford Exhibition Park, 32470 Haida Drive Albert Dyck Memorial Park, 31515 Walmsley Avenue Babich Park, 33404 Wren Crescent Bateman Park, 32638 Bateman Road Berry Park, 33928 Fern Street Bradner Park, 28665 Haverman Road 2 Clayburn Park, 34845 Clayburn Road Clearbrook Park, 3680 Clearbrook Road Crossley Park, 2630 McAdam Road Dave Kandal Park, 3575 Crestview Avenue DeLair Park, 35570 Old Yale Road R 2 Douglas Taylor Park, 30801 Harris Road Eagle Mt. Park, 2570 Eagle Mountain Way 1 Ellwood/Fishtrap Creek Park, 31580 Maclure Road Gardner Park, 31070 Gardner Avenue R Grant Park, 31850 Maderia Place R Hougen Park, 2675 Cole Road R International Friendship Garden, 32320 George Ferguson Way J.A. Spud Murphy Park, 32285 Hillcrest Drive Jubilee Park, 2552 McCallum Road 2 Kalgidhar Park, 3461 Nightingale Drive Lower Sumat Mountain Park, 36151 Walter Road 1 Mathers Park, 36367 Stephen Leacock Drive Matsqui Village Park, 6074 Riverside Road R 1 McDonald Park, No. 3 Road R McMillan Park, 2499 McMillan Road Mill Lake Park, 32960 Mill Lake Road R Mouat Park, 32355 Mouat Drive Mt. Lehman Community Park, 6418 Mt. Lehman Road 2 M.S.A. Arena, 2323 Emerson Street 4 Ridgeview Park, 31352 Wagner Drive Swensson Park, 27875 Swensson Avenue 1 Townline Hill Park, 30939 Blueridge Drive Upper Sumas Fields, 920 Whatcom Road 2 Yale Courts, 2553 Yale Court 1 44 PARKS