LaSalle council is being asked to approve a concept for an outdoor skate trail and water feature within LaSalle Landing.
A report going to the April 25 meeting details the concept for the project and asks that council approve it so administration can move forward with detailed designs for the natural ice skate trail and water feature.
The trail would be located right near the Event Centre within the nearly $50-million LaSalle Landing waterfront project, bringing together the current Gil Maure Park, Front Road Park and Riverdance Park into one 60-acre site along the Detroit River at Front Road.
A design concept for a new outdoor skate trail and water feature proposed for the new waterfront project in LaSalle known as LaSalle Landing. April 17, 2023 (Image courtesy of the Town of LaSalle)
Administration had considered a synthetic ice surface for the skate trail and had three temporary artificial ice setups for the public to try.
Peter Marra, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, says the are recommending a natural ice surface for the skate trail.
"Those artificial trials did not produce sufficient enough approval from the public for using that particular product," he says,
The report indicates there are risks inherent with a natural ice outdoor skate trail due to unpredictable winter weather patterns, but officials estimate that the outdoor ice trail will be usable between December to the end of February.
Marra says the skate trail would have an ice plant to help maintain the natural ice, as long as there's cooler weather.
"This will be very similar to a lot of the outdoor rinks that maybe you see in the City of Windsor or even downtown Detroit, they do have ice plants that help maintain the ice. We anticipate that ice being available roughly through the months of December, January and February of any year," he says.
Marra says this is not a rink for figure skating or playing hockey, it would be like a recreational trail around half a kilometre in length.
"There's a number of cut overs through this trail. It will be about six or seven meters wide, so you will be able to enjoy linear-style skating as opposed to constantly going around in circles. There's going to be some good areas to go through long stretches, if you want to turn off and don't want to go through certain areas, there's some cut throughs along the way," he adds.
The proposed water feature would have benches surrounding a circle with ground orientated water jets, providing an area for our residents and visitors to relax, cool down and enjoy water play.
The Town envisions using the water feature area as a potential warming area, with proposed fire pits, and as a place for people to put on skates and rest on a bench while using the skate trail during the winter.
A map detailing plans to develop a 60-acre piece of land along Front Road in LaSalle, a waterfront area being rebranded as LaSalle Landing. April 17, 2023 (Photo from the Town of LaSalle)
The report also details that the Rotary Club of LaSalle-Centennial is proposing to sponsor the water feature in the amount of $132,000.
A 'LaSalle' sign with giant letters is also proposed for the overall project along with two proposed buildings. They could include washrooms, a town use
"storefront," an indoor area to be used for putting on skates, and general shelter from the weather during all seasons.
A total of $8-million is available in the waterfront reserve build-up set aside for the construction of the entire skate trail/water feature. There is also $1-million available for the associated parking needs of this area.
LaSalle council meets April 25 at 6 p.m.