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Town holds "parks summit" to get input on all local parks

Writer's picture: Ron GiofuRon Giofu
Residents look at maps of local parks.

The public had an opportunity to provide input on every park in the town's parks system this past Monday.


A “parks summit” was held all day Monday at the Libro Centre with displays showing current and future proposals for each of Amherstburg's parks put up around the main rink. Director of parks, facilities and recreation Heidi Baillargeon called it “a high level look” at all of the parks in the Town of Amherstburg.


Baillargeon said the input will be factored into the town's updated parks master plan (PMP). She stated the last PMP was adopted in 2018 and 75 per cent of the recommendations have been adopted.


“We're still working through some of it,” she said.


The PMP works in conjunction with other planning documents, such as the Official Plan and active transportation plan among others, with Baillargeon adding the “parks summit” open house was drill down and get ideas on what the community wants.


The summit allowed people to see all the parks, see how the park system can operate and what can go where. Baillargeon said the goal was to determine “what do we want and where do we want it?”


“What this is going to do is help us with any future grants,” she added. “If you have a master plan, it can go a long way.”


Baillargeon said upper levels of government look for plans and public input into them when municipalities apply for grants. The parks master plan is anticipated to be complete in August or September 2025, she added.


“This is one step in a big process,” she said.


Questions have been raised both in town council meetings and by the public regarding why H. Murray Smith Centennial Park and Jack Purdie Park were included given they went through well attended processes a few years ago.


Baillargeon said the town would like master plans for every park and administration does not want to undo what was done several years ago, but possibly add to it depending on input.


“We're not looking to re-invent the wheel on parks that have already been done,” she said. “We're trying to bring all of them together and create a cohesive parks system.”


Representatives from the Town of Essex and Town of LaSalle were on hand due to Amherstburg sharing Co-An Park and River Canard Park respectively, she said. Forec Consulting representatives were also present. The summit ran from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.


Baillargeon said the online survey will be open at www.talktheburg.ca/parksmaster until Sept. 2. Paper copies will also be available at town hall and the Libro Centre, she noted.


Chantal Kristensen and her mother Lucy were two of the people in attendance. Chantal said she is planning to study urban planning and wanted to check out what plans were and how they might be implemented going forward.


“I really like the ones with wetlands and trails,” said Chantal. “I don't think we have a lot of trails right now.”


Green space and trails were important to Chantal with Lucy adding bike paths were also key.


“I think all ideas are good but it means more if you can access them,” said Chantal.


Dave Tales said he attended open houses several years ago and wanted to provide input again this time.


“I came tonight because we went through this four or five years ago,” he said. “I paid attention then to all of the different plans of what they wanted to do.”


Tales wanted to know if there were any changes or modifications proposed. Many of the suggestions proposed Monday were “too much,” citing a proposed sledding hill at Jack Purdie Park as an example He said with short winters in this region and sledding hills at Centennial Park and the Libro Centre, there was no need for another one.


A second splash pad was also questioned by Tales.


“They've hit everything,” he said. “Everyone wants everything but we can't have everything because then we have to pay for it.”


Tales said he prefers open space, noting he often chooses to walk his dog over grass than stick to sidewalks and trails. He recalled playing multiple sports on the same field when he was a kid. “Let kids be themselves and just go out and play,” he said.

Town holds "parks summit" to get input on all local parks

By Ron Giofu

 

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