The people of Owen Sound want the City to turn Kelso Beach Park back into a beach.
That was the overwhelming sentiment of those who attended a public meeting last week.
More than 30 people attended the ‘visioning’ meeting which was intended to find out what the community has in mind for the park.
Kim and Richard Allerton of Northwood Associates Landscape Architects have been hired by the city to prepare a master plan for the park.
They led a two-hour-long discussion that attracted representatives from current and prospective user groups.
People say above all else that they want the beach back at Kelso — which will necessitate the removal of the invasive common reed grass that has separated the beach and the water from the park itself.
Kim Allerton says the way to do this is to flatten and burn the grass, and spray the remnants with pesticide.
The city has received an estimate of 12 thousand dollars for that work in all areas of the Owen Sound Bay and Pottawatomi River.
In the meantime, plans for one proposed new improvement at Kelso Beach Park are going ahead.
The Scenic City Order of Good Cheer wants to build a splash pad for children at the park and is raising money toward a goal of 250 thousand dollars.
The Order is staging a fish fry on November 12th at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.
As for the master plan, the Allertons want to have it finished this fall.
The public will have two more opportunities to offer input into the plan.
A schematic design plan will be unveiled at an upcoming open house.
A public meeting will also take place as part of a regular meeting of the citys recreation and parks advisory committee.