The space is wide open and so are the ideas.

The City of Kamloops gathered comments during an open house Thursday evening on the future of a three-plus hectare parcel of parkland sandwiched between Dufferin elementary and housing directly to the north.

In addition to the land itself, parks planning supervisor Mike Doll said there is $300,000 set aside to develop the property.

Residents Shauna Boyko and Mandy Kennedy batted ideas around along with other residents who filed through the open house meeting at Dufferin elementary.

"Personally I don't want a waterpark or tons of traffic," said Boyko, who has two young children and lives nearby the open space.

"Personally I want a waterpark," countered Kennedy, adding she frequently takes her children to the water park at McGowan elementary.

Kennedy and other residents also said they'd also like something done with the parcel east of the school, next to the existing tennis courts. The low-lying area has drainage issues and is boggy and largely unusable.

"Ducks land in it," said Suzanne Burton, who has lived in Dufferin for 35 years. "I counted five the other day."

Burton said as part of the park development she'd like to see the boggy land turned into a natural wetland, similar to Pineview Valley's Python Lake pond, which attracts a large variety of bird life.

"That's what I hope they'll think about."

Doll said ideas that have come out so far include a BMX track and waterpark to "don't touch a twig.

The park is also intended to serve Pineview Valley. Both neighbours are expected to grow substantially in population.