As Stittsville grows, are our recreation opportunities keeping up?
This has come up in quite a few conversations at the doors lately, especially with parents looking for activities for their kids and seniors looking for more opportunities closer to home. It made me curious about what we actually have in Stittsville today, what's planned, and what other growing communities are doing differently.
We have some really important community facilities already. CARDELREC Goulbourn gives us swimming, ice, gym and program space. Johnny Leroux Arena has been part of this community for decades and its upstairs hall continues to be an important gathering space. We also have great parks, sports fields, trails and outdoor rinks throughout Stittsville.
But our community has changed enormously. We're now a community of more than 50,000 people and continuing to grow. So I think it's fair to ask whether the recreation facilities and programming that worked for a much smaller Stittsville are enough for the community we're becoming.
I've spent some time researching what other fast-growing Ontario municipalities are doing. Whitby is building a major sports complex with pools, ice, gyms and community space, while setting aside land now for future sports fields. Vaughan recently opened a community hub that combines recreation with a library, childcare and flexible program space. Brampton is expanding facilities alongside population growth while adding programming based on changing demand, including more opportunities for youth, seniors and sports like cricket.
I'm not saying Stittsville should copy what any of these places are doing. What stood out to me is that they're planning ahead. They're looking at who's coming and working to figure out what will be needed before existing programs are full or the land is already spoken for.
That is an area where I believe we need to strengthen our approach at the City of Ottawa.
I would like to see a Stittsville-specific look at recreation needs. How many Stittsville residents are on waitlists for City programs? What programs fill up immediately? What are people travelling to Kanata, Barrhaven or elsewhere to access because we don't offer it here? Do we have enough pool time, ice, gym space, arts programs, sports fields and courts? What are we offering teenagers? What about older adults and seniors? Are there activities people want, like cricket or pickleball, that we need to make more room for? What will those needs look like five, ten or twenty years from now?
There are also some big opportunities already on the horizon:
Fernbank District Park is finally moving forward, with City funding committed and community consultation and detailed design ahead.
This is a big project for Stittsville. District parks are designed to serve a much larger area than a typical neighbourhood park, with space for major sports and recreation amenities. Early plans for Fernbank have contemplated multiple sports fields, courts, play areas, pathways and other active recreation uses, including the potential for a dedicated cricket pitch.
There is a lot to be excited about here. As the design moves forward, there are already conversations about opportunities for cricket, including a proper cricket pitch, as well as pickleball and amenities like a skatepark or pump track. Residents should have a real say in what this park becomes. We have an opportunity to build something really special here, and I think we should be ambitious about it.
Kanata West District Park is another project we need to keep pushing forward. It has been planned for years to serve the growing neighbourhoods around Connections and Kanata West, but its timing is connected to a future school site. I don't want to see families move into a new neighbourhood and then wait years for the recreation infrastructure that was supposed to come with it. I'll push for clarity on the timeline and keep working to move this project forward.
1631 Stittsville Main Street is also an opportunity I think we should be paying attention to. The old City-owned fire hall is currently home to the Stittsville Food Bank and sits right beside our local library. The building is aging, and there is already direction at City Hall to look at its renovation or replacement through future capital planning.
First and foremost, the Food Bank needs a permanent, modern home. But if we're going to invest in this property, let's think about what else Stittsville needs. Maybe that's flexible space for seniors or youth programming, meeting space for community groups and service clubs, or space that allows social service organizations to offer more services here in Stittsville. With the library right next door, I think it's worth looking at the bigger picture. Is there an opportunity to think about the two sites together? Could affordable housing be part of a future mixed-use redevelopment?
I don't know what the final answer should be yet. That's a conversation we need to have as a community. But we have an aging City property in the heart of Stittsville that we know will need investment, and I want us to make the most of that opportunity.
There are also improvements that can be made in the immediate future, without waiting on new facilities. I'd like to take a closer look at how we're using the spaces we already have, including CARDELREC, Johnny Leroux, our schools and parks. Are there opportunities to offer more programming, use spaces differently or make better use of hours that are currently available? Those conversations need to include our local sports associations, service clubs and community organizations. They work directly with residents and families and know what programs or facility rentals are quickly filling up, as well as what’s missing altogether.
Some of the answers may be relatively simple. Others will take years of planning and significant investment. It’s important that we’re asking the right questions now, while we still have the opportunity to plan for what's coming. Growth isn't just about building more houses. It should also mean investing in the parks, programs and community spaces that make Stittsville such a great place to live, and making sure those things keep pace as our community grows.