Kivi Park is now open for snowshoeing, hiking, walking, fatbiking and dog walking.
Kivi Park is located at 4472 Long Lake Rd. It was born out of the demolition of the defunct Long Lake Public School when Sudburian Lily Fielding donated land to the city this past summer. At 300 acres, Kivi Park is the city's largest park — 23 times larger than Bell Park, in fact.
The park provides public access to Crown land leading to three lakes – Crowley Lake, Linton Lake and Camp Lake – and provides a city connection to Killarney Provincial Park.
Thanks to the work of more than 100 volunteers, as well as the talents and equipment of Pioneer Construction Ltd., the park marks a dramatic expansion to the existing sports facilities in Greater Sudbury.
Long Lake Public School is no more, but its legacy will live on in the new community park, and thanks the work of the volunteers who made it happen and the generosity of Lily Fielding.
The park is named in memory of Fielding’s parents, and in honour of the Finnish immigrants who settled the Long Lake area of Greater Sudbury decades ago.
The former school property will be incorporated into the existing Long Lake Playground to give the community 12 acres of park space.
As for the amenities now available to the public, the three-kilometre snowshoe trail has been packed by a park snowmobile.
Kivi Ridge snowshoe trail is also usable, but informal off of the three-km trail. It is not packed or groomed, according to information posted to the group's Facebook page, and there is no signage on it.
A future seven-km snowshoe trail heading south off of the three-km trail towards Kivi Lake is almost linked and signage will go up and it will be opened in the new year.
The lower/flat ski trails are bare and awaiting more snow so they can be packed by the grooming team for cross-country skiing after New Years, said the Facebook post.
However, there is a small groomed loop in the sports field beginning for the kids to practise skiing on before the main trails are open.
In the meantime, Kivi Park is gearing up for its first Winter Karnival at Kivi Park on March 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be sleigh rides, a bonfire, hot chocolate, pony rides, S’mores, face painting and much more.
