Minoru Park's three-year facelift commenced this week with preparations being made to relocate the playing fields at the south end of the park.
The changes will close some walking paths and disrupt sports activities this summer.
The most southern artificial turf soccer field will move north to make way for a new $80 million aquatics facility and seniors' centre. It will be fully removed and replaced with preload (mounds of sand) by June.
That field will replace the baseball field, which will then become a hybrid artificial turf baseball and soccer field, to be located where there is presently open space in the middle of the park. To the east, the cricket field's location will also be slightly adjusted.
The new sports field configuration was done in consultation with the Richmond Sports Council and will be completed this fall.
To accommodate the new location of the fields, two tennis courts will have to be moved further north as well. Minoru Pavilion will be demolished.
Two new parking lots will also be built off Gilbert Road.
The city says trees that are cut down will be replaced at a three to one ratio.
It has yet to be determined by the city as to what to do with the site where the existing pool and seniors' centre stand.
In the midst of all those changes construction of a new No. 1 Fire Hall at Gilbert and Granville Avenue will also take place.
