Parks & Rec Master Plan Update + Feasibility Study

Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update + Community and Aquatics Centre Feasibility Study

The City of St. Thomas is undertaking a Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update and a Community and Aquatics Centre Feasibility Study to address significant changes in population growth and community needs since 2020. These initiatives align with the City’s Strategic Plan and will provide Council with the necessary insights to guide future recreation planning and investment decisions.

Both projects will be informed by public input, best practices, demographic and growth forecasts, and activity trends to ensure that these valued public facilities and services continue to address the community’s needs into the future.

The projects will be completed near the end of 2025, with opportunities for public input throughout. A team led by London-based Monteith Brown Planning Consultants has been retained to assist the City with these projects.

We’re currently in the initial community engagement phase of the project, and we’d love your input! Click here to complete the online Community Survey.

The City of St. Thomas is updating their Parks and Recreation Master Plan to guide the continued delivery of high-quality services and facilities in the community. This Master Plan Update will consider:

Improvements and future needs for:

Recreation facilities such as swimming pools, arenas, sports fields and courts, and program spaces.
Parks and park amenities such as playgrounds, splash pads, pavilions, and more.

Policies and initiatives that support community access, service delivery, and sustainability.

A Community and Aquatic Centre Feasibility Study will be conducted that will focus on current and growth-related needs for an indoor pool, indoor turf facility, and other recreational spaces. This Feasibility Study will assess:

A site selection process to identify and evaluate potential locations.
Potential phasing of construction.
Cost estimates for constructing and operating the proposed facilities.
Funding opportunities and potential partnership models.

St. Thomas is growing, and this presents an exciting opportunity to improve existing services and create new parks and facilities that will serve current and future residents. Community input is needed to understand satisfaction with existing opportunities and to learn how they can be improved.

We encourage you to start thinking about how you envision the future of parks and recreation spaces in St. Thomas by considering the following:

What do you enjoy about the parks and recreation facilities and services in St. Thomas?
How can these spaces be improved?
What new amenities and activities are needed?
What would you like to see in a new community and aquatic facility and how might you use it?

Over the next few months, there will be several opportunities for you to become a part of the conversation and make sure your voice is heard. Current input options include:

Click here to complete the online Community Survey for the Master Plan + Feasibility Study. If you require a hard copy, please visit City Hall, Joe Thornton Community Centre, St. Thomas Seniors Centre, St. Thomas Public Library. The survey will be available until February 28, 2025.
Attend a drop-in Open House to learn more about the project, provide your ideas and suggestions, and talk to the Consulting Team. These sessions will be held at the St. Thomas Public Library on February 13 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Display panels and input stations will be available. There is no presentation – you may drop in at any time during the sessions.
Submit your ideas, comments, or questions by e-mail to [email protected]

Additional input opportunities for residents and stakeholders will be held as the project proceeds. Please check back to this page regularly for project updates.

The City of St. Thomas is updating its Parks and Recreation Master Plan and launching a Community and Aquatics Centre Feasibility Study. Learn more in the full media release here.