Heritage Park, located at 913A Greg's Trail, is now reopened to the public. New play equipment has been installed.
Heritage Park will be closed again fall of 2026 and possibly spring of 2027 as remedial work of the Township of Huron-Kinloss Heritage Park Drainage Ditch Restoration Project continues.
New play equipment has been installed, and the park is open now.
BM Ross engineering of the ditch restoration is almost complete
The Township of Huron-Kinloss intends to tender the project early fall 2026 with a late fall early winter completion date.
Phase 2 (Fall 2026 Spring 2027, Fall of 2027)
Engineers have designed the drainage channel from Boardwalk to Lake Huron, with riprap armouring to control erosion. A maintenance access path is recommended where feasible, though existing topography may prevent continuous access along the channel
The large pile of wood chips will be used eventually along the ditch to create a trail as the timeline permits.
Staff planted perennial rye grass for the summer to simply provide some ground cover and anticipate planting again after ditch reconstruction with a meadow mix seed full of pollinators this fall 2026, next spring 2027 and again next fall 2027 along with an extensive tree planting reforestation program.
As part of the commitment to the project staff is proposing to engage the public to participate in a plant monitoring / minor maintenance program to ensure the long-term health of the reforestation project. The program will include species identification (trees and shrubs that have been planted) , education regarding plant health and associated diseases or stresses to look for including remedies and solutions. Ideally volunteers will adopt a section of the parkland for monitoring and minor maintenance purposes. More information about workshops will be available this fall and winter.
Background
Heritage Park is a predominantly wooded parcel of parkland, and residents and visitors use the park as a place to walk, play, and rest. The park is surrounded by Gregs Trail, Heritage Drive, Park place, and Kris street with entrances off Gregs Trail, Heritage, and Kris Street. The park is approximately 4.5 acres (1.78 hectares) and contains mature trees, newly planted trees, and many wind damaged cedars; drainage ditches on the south and north sides and a modest playground.
An existing drainage channel runs through the Heritage Heights subdivision and the neighborhood park. The section being reviewed extends from Lake Range Drive to Lake Huron. Over the years, and since the subdivision was constructed (circa 1980’s) maintenance activities within the channel have been difficult given the access challenges that exist through the park area. Vegetation and trees are overgrown along many sections of the drainage channel, with many downed trees and limbs partially blocking the waterway. These impediments have restricted the conveyance capacity of the ditch and often lead to the channel overflowing its banks and flooding onto adjacent properties and across roadways during large rain events. There is evidence of erosion of the side slopes along sections of the channel as well, and particularly at locations where restrictions exist and channel velocities are impacted.
With the Playground Revitalization Program, the Township aims to revitalize existing “traditional” play spaces to meet the needs and interests of the community and to offer new, vibrant, and engaging experiences for all visitors. The Township’s vision is to seamlessly integrate play opportunities within existing Township parks to: Encourage social, physical, and mental engagement of persons of all ages and abilities, foster motor, sensory, creative, and social skills, and connect visitors to the park with access to nature.
For more information, please contact the Community Services Department at recreation@huronkinloss.com or call 519-395-2909.
