It will be very painful to see her neighbourhood park close, but Myriam Breau knows that’s a very real possibility. “It’s really hard. My daughter has been arriving with signs, ‘Don’t close the park’ and she wants me to send that to the council, but it’s hard. I’ve put my heart into this,” said Breau. Brookridge Park in Irishtown, N.B., will close on Sept. 28 because the non-profit organization Breau is the president of is unable to obtain the liability insurance needed to continue operating it. The Parc Brookridge Park group received over $500,000 in government funding to build the park which opened in August 2024, and the group has operated it ever since. Group vice-president Mark Barbour said they were served notice in the fall of 2025 that they would no longer be able to receive insurance, but were given an extension so that they could operate this year. “We’ve been insured for three years now and unfortunately our insurance provider, from a business perspective, I have to assume they’re de-risking their business,” said Barbour. “We believe they’re just finding ways to reduce their risks and their liability.” The community group that has over 900 members on its Facebook page has shopped around with multiple other insurance providers and are still in discussions with a few more, but have had no luck so far. “They’re saying essentially that everyone is getting out of the business of insuring these types of facilities,” said Barbour. But Barbour said the majority of insurance companies would be willing to provide the insurance needed if the Municipality of Maple Hills owned it. “For those that don’t understand really how corporate business law operates, if we don’t have that liability insurance we become personally liable,” said Barbour. “We can’t operate this with the potential risk of somebody suing us and completely losing our homes, our life savings.” Breau said the park is used by kids of all ages. The basketball court has special flooring and can also be used for ball hockey, volleyball and pickleball. “It gets a lot of use,” said Breau. “It’s really popular.” The group has plans to build a gazebo so teens have a place to hang out during the evenings. “The little kids are here in the morning all summer long and after that the teenagers when the come from school,” said Breau. The group has reached out to the Municipality of Maple Hills unofficially. They don’t believe it would be a huge cost to the municipality, but understand they may not have the funds in the budget. An information session is planned during a committee of the whole meeting on Oct. 6. In a statement to CTV News, Maple Hills Mayor Erica Warren said the group has yet to present a proposal to council. “I am unable to offer an official position as council has not had the opportunity to review any information, discuss and debate the topic,” said Warren. The mayor said she’s aware of the community discussion regarding the future of Brookridge Park and the municipality is hearing from residents who support the municipality taking over the park and from some who do not. “It is not a municipal park,” she said. Warren went on to say the group asked for funding in 2024 to put toward additional infrastructure at the park, but council did not approve the request. “In 2025, the organization asked Maple Hills to take responsibility for the park. Council considered the request and decided not to take it over at that time based on resident feedback, as well as ongoing costs and responsibilities that would fall to taxpayers,” she said. Council is currently gathering input from residents and wants to make sure they are aware taking over the park could mean new costs and responsibilities for the municipality. “Council will hear the proposal, listen to residents, gather the information it needs and then make an informed decision through the regular public process,” Warren said about the meeting next month. “Until then no decision will be made.” The Parc Brookridge Park met with lawyers on Friday afternoon to understand how they will wind down the operations and de-risk themselves of any liability. Barbour said they are in a unique legal quagmire and isn’t sure what happens next or who will inherit the park on Sept. 28. “We’re hoping we can find solutions,” said Barbour. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
