Town working to address parks and recreation issues

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Taber has many valuable green spaces.

“The town boasts several sports fields, including the Ken McDonald Memorial Sports Complex, ball diamonds in Confederation Park, and soccer fields in our community, amongst others,” Meghan Brennan, Communications and Projects Coordinator for the Town of Taber, said. “All have varying ages, though many have been in use for decades.”

At present, Brennan says, the Town is focusing their attention on the Ken McDonald sports fields to address some concerns and issues that have arisen regarding some heat burn on turf and some irrigation damages.

“The summer heat and supply chain issues have taken a toll on some of our maintenance plans, though we are working as quickly as possible to address any issues that are brought to our attention so the sports fields remain in good condition for user groups and rentals,” Brennan said.

Brennan says that complaints regarding the fields can arise at any given time during the seasons that sports fields are used, and Town crews work diligently to address every concern that is brought to their attention.

“Notices regarding issues primarily originate from local sports enthusiasts, community members, and user groups who are keen on maintaining high standards for sports field conditions,” Brennan said. “Each year is different for the issues that may arise. Any time sports fields are in use, citizens are always able to provide feedback for improvements, upgrades, or issues to address, so we expect these types of feedback as an annual occurrence. Our commitment to addressing these concerns is an ongoing endeavour.”

In the short term, Brennan says, the Town of Taber’s crews are working to address the specific issues brought to their attention, wherever they may be. Some fixes may take longer as the issues themselves are complex or may require parts that take a while to procure, so they always sincerely appreciate the public’s patience when they work to fix issues brought to their attention. For the long term, Brennan says, they are evaluating comprehensive measures to enhance maintenance practices, potentially including improved infrastructure and management strategies. Longer term fixes depend on the type of issues and approval of future budgets.

“A designated budget for maintenance is annually approved within the Town’s Operating Budget,” Brennan said. “Irrespective of complaints, our commitment to regular sports field upkeep remains steadfast, and that’s demonstrated in the annual budget allocations to each field for maintenance, upgrades, and improvements.”

The Town, Brennan says, always encourages users and citizens who observe maintenance requirements or issues to connect directly with the Town of Taber, year-round. 

To contact the Town of Taber regarding maintenance issues, call 403-223-5500 or submit a service request at www.taber.ca/servicerequests.

“Regular maintenance of the fields is part of our ongoing commitment to upholding high standards,” Brennan said. “Regardless of whether there are specific complaints, we proactively allocate resources to ensure the sports fields remain well-maintained and enjoyable for the community.”