The Town of Hinton is planning to redevelop Erith Park. Two options are being considered.

Option 1: The park is redeveloped with updated infrastructure for outdoor activities, elevating Erith Park from a Neighbourhood Park to a Community Park.

Option 2: The recreational infrastructure is updated on one portion of the space while infill housing would be constructed on the other portion.

Hinton has significant housing needs and developing spaces that are already served by Town services such as roads, water, and sewer, are less expensive for taxpayers than developing new subdivisions.

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Work to Date

At the January 12, 2021, Standing Committee Meeting of Council, the Hinton Wheeled Park Association (HWPA) presented a vision for Erith Park that included an all-wheel skate and bike park. HWPA dissolved in early 2023.

In August and September 2023, a public engagement survey was conducted to inform the potential redevelopment of Erith Park.

Redesigning and beautifying Erith Park was supported by 65% of respondents. Of those, 54% to 93% supported a picnic area, flushable toilets, pathways, spray features, parking solutions, plaza style wheeled park with integrated seating and natural components, a pavilion for outdoor community gatherings, and an amphitheatre/stage. Half of the respondents also supported space for vendors (farmer’s markets, food trucks) and a community garden.

In the 2024 Town budget, $50,000 was set aside to create a redevelopment plan for Erith Park. In spring 2025, the condition of Erith Park was assessed. It identified the following.

• Baseball diamond – In disrepair and not maintained. No official baseball games occur here.
• Outdoor skating rink – In poor condition and not easily maintained due to the amount of sun it receives during winter.
• Outhouse – Out of commission due to a fire.
• The basketball hoops are well-used.
• The playground is the most-used asset.

What’s Next?

In summer 2025, the Town hired an independent contractor to develop two potential redevelopment options for Erith Park: one has an upgraded community park with no residential development component and another features both recreational park enhancements and integrated housing. The goal of this work is to explore what is feasible for the site while continuing to prioritize accessible, high-quality park space for the community.

The contractor's designs include park components supported by residents during the 2023 engagement process. The concept plans will be shared at an Open House on October 29, 2025 and in the survey below from October 21 to November 4, 2025. Results of this latest round of public engagement will be considered by Council, and a decision made on which type of park redevelopment to pursue.

Once Council approves either Option 1 (Park) or Option 2 (Park and Housing) redevelopment, further public engagement will occur to gather feedback on the specific features to be included in the selected option.

Get Informed

Understanding the current recreation and housing needs of Hinton residents and how they affect the Town’s liveability and future is essential for making educated decisions about park redevelopment.

This webpage is the main source of information. Upcoming opportunities to provide feedback will be posted here, on the Town of Hinton’s website, on the Town’s Facebook page, and via email to those who choose to be notified.

Being well informed will assist residents in offering useful feedback to Council as they work through the Erith Park redevelopment process.

Additional Information

In 2019, ISL Engineering and Land Services created a Parks, Open Space and Trails Master Plan (POST) for the Town of Hinton. Community feedback was incorporated and that plan now dictates which amenities are constructed at each park.

Erith Park is a neighbourhood park which POST describes as:
"can be tot lots, decorative parks, and ornamental parks that service town needs at the neighborhood level. These parks are generally smaller in nature and can include a mix of passive and active program".

A community park is more complex and is described in POST as:
“school grounds, large municipal park spaces, recreational amenities, and community lease sites that service town-wide POST needs”.