Fundraising Goal Reached For Dominion Park Upgrades

The money is now in place for phase one of the revitalization project at Dominion Park in west Saint John.

A $45,000 donation from the Greater Saint John Community Foundation completed the fundraising efforts.

Derek Chaisson, chair of the Dominion Park Community Association, said they are extremely thankful to the foundation.

“The foundation has an annual grant for non-profits for projects that are going to impact our community, and so we were able to pitch and successfully win that grant,” said Chaisson.

The donation from the foundation was just a small part of the $1 million needed to begin work on the first phase of the project.

Chaisson said J.D. Irving, Ltd. contributed $100,000, while community members also reached into their own pockets and provided small donations.

Saint John councillors also approved a contribution of $865,000 through the 2022 capital budget process.

Chaisson said phase one of the revitalization project will focus on the new canteen and washroom facility, along with a “sunset plaza.”

“The previous site where the canteen used to be located in the centre will now have concrete seating and some shade for folks to enjoy the sunset and just enjoy the beach in general,” he said.

The work is expected to begin in the spring and should be done by August or September, if not sooner, said Chaisson.

Considerations for future phases include a new playground, lookout deck, boat launch, and outdoor recreational courts.

“Over the next couple of months, we’re going to figure out where we’re sitting in terms of a realistic budget for the playground, as well as where the results of some other grant applications are going to land,” said Chaisson.

“Once we have that information, we’ll be able to define a fundraising goal for phase two, focused on the playground, and then we’ll publicize that.”

Chaisson said community members can contribute to the project at any point in time through the Greater Saint John Community Foundation.