Improved surfaces, lighting, nets and other upgrades await sport court users at Hickey Park in Southwest Coquitlam.
COQUITLAM, B.C., March 29, 2021 – Improved surfaces, lighting, nets and other upgrades await sport court users at Hickey Park in Southwest Coquitlam.
The park’s tennis and ball hockey courts reopened earlier this year after a major overhaul that began in September. Residents are now welcome to use the outdoor courts, within the current public health orders. The project was funded in part by the federal Gas Tax Fund, a cost-sharing infrastructure program administered in B.C. by the Union of B.C. Municipalities.
Project Improves the Experience for Park Users
With six lit tennis courts, two full basketball courts and a ball hockey court, Hickey Park is Coquitlam’s second-largest outdoor tennis facility and a popular destination for people of all ages.
The upgraded amenities will help meet the growing demand for parks and outdoor recreation in the city, and many of the recent improvements – including brighter, energy efficient lighting, enhanced tennis court surfacing and fencing – will help enhance the player experience.
Improvements include:
- A new tennis court surface of “flex-court” plastic composite tiles, approved by Canadian and U.S. tennis associations, in place of the former degraded asphalt;
- New black plastic-coated chainlink mesh fencing to replace the old galvanized fencing;
- New UV mesh to improve wind screening;
- State-of-the-art LED lighting;
- New push button lighting controls;
- Repainted lines on ball hockey and basketball courts; and
- New basketball hoops.
The $750,000 cost for this project has been offset by $200,000 provided by the federal Gas Tax Fund.
Quotes
“I’m glad to see that the federal Gas Tax Fund has helped provide Coquitlam residents with new and improved ball courts at Hickey Park. Creating safe, up-to-date recreation facilities is key to encouraging people to stay active and building healthy communities. Canada’s infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities.”
- Ron McKinnon, Member of Parliament for Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
“The upgraded courts at Hickey Street Reservoir Park are a great example of a community project that will benefit residents and visitors alike, and help build a better and more resilient B.C.,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “Our government is proud to invest in community infrastructure that supports healthy and active lifestyles and provides additional facilities for groups to use when it is safe for them to do so.”
- Josie Osborne, Minister of Municipal Affairs
“More and more, Coquitlam’s parks and outdoor spaces have become critical to our residents’ health and wellbeing – they go there to socialize, to enjoy nature and to stay healthy in mind and body. As a result, it’s important that we continue to maintain and improve these valuable assets, and to do so in a cost-effective and sustainable way. We welcome the support from our federal and provincial partners and UBCM through the Federal Gas Tax Fund program in completing these much-needed upgrades to the Hickey Park sports amenities enjoyed by so many in our community.”
- Mayor Richard Stewart, City of Coquitlam
“The federal Gas Tax Fund is expanding the capacity of local government to implement their capital plans, accelerating the pace of infrastructure renewal and expansion in B.C. As a result, local residents are seeing the delivery of services that better meet current demand and priorities. I appreciate the support provided by the federal Government for these upgrades to Coquitlam’s Hickey Park.”
- Councillor Brian Frenkel, Union of B.C. Municipalities president
About the Federal Gas Tax Fund
The federal Gas Tax Fund is in its 16th year of delivering funding to local government infrastructure and capacity-building projects in British Columbia. During that time, the fund has transferred over $2.5 billion to B.C.’s communities. The fund, administered in British Columbia by the Union of B.C. Municipalities, provides municipalities across the country with a permanent, stable and indexed source of infrastructure funding. For more information, visit www.infrastructure.gc.ca/gtf.
Media contact:
Kathleen Reinheimer
Manager, Parks
City of Coquitlam
604-927-3533
kreinheimer@coquitlam.ca