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Community park expansion will have space for seniors

Land has been levelled at Queen Charlotte's community park behind the village office.Known as community park phase two, the project involves dealing with the knotweed on the property and creating a tot park, washrooms, parking and a seniors activity area at the site, says chief administrative officer Bill Beamish. The possibility of including a teen centre on the site in the future has also been discussed, but Mr. Beamish said no funding for this aspect of the project has been received.Mr. Beamish said councillors will make decisions in the coming week about what the priorities are for the site. Much of the knotweed has been covered over, but Mr. Beamish said there was more than they anticipated. The noxious weed is now growing up out of the levelled area. The next plan is to plant grass seed and keep mowing the plant down on a regular basis. Mr. Beamish said he discussed this with Keith Alexander, the contractor with the Northwest Invasive Plant Council, and Mr. Alexander is interested to see what happens when this strategy is undertaken on such a large site."In the short term the area is going to be a grassy field," said Mr. Beamish. In the future, any of the above mentioned developments may be built there.The village has a $200,000 grant from Gwaii Trust for this project along with BC Hydro funding for trees for the area.The community park also includes the longstanding tennis court and new ball hockey area. The ball hockey "rink" is encased and set up with goal nets, thanks to funding from a school community connections program. Mr. Beamish said the rink is already being well-used.The skateboard park was the first phase of the community park.