Who Is Killing Bambi

If the Mayor and Council can support a truck road through the Ojibway Nature Reserve, then selling Superior Park should be no big deal to them.

My friends Kevin and Debbie built their dream home about 4 years ago.

They live behind Superior Park. The park was a major determinant in them moving there and building their house there. I am told that they even paid a $3,000.00 park levy.

Unfortunately for them, on Tuesday night, the City will try to close the park that is behind their backyard, and sell the land for a new French Language High School. And the pressure is on Council too . The deal must be approved on or before August 22 or it is null and void!

The area suffers from pollution from Huron Church Road to the north and E.C. Row to the south. It needs this parkland desperately since there have been hundreds of homes that have been built along the Dominion corridor and there is a need for this green space.

Superior Park runs into a section of land that is supposedly labelled conservation land. My friends and their daughter have seen deer, foxes, rabbits, raccoons, hawks and other bird wildlife. In fact, Debbie has shown me photos of a number of deer right outside her back door.

I guess it is tough luck for them right. They should have known better.

Before they bought their place, they asked Planning about the park and were told it was parkland forever. They should know that only "diamonds are forever." I guess the park is not such a jewel!

I think my friends know in their heart that they have no chance and that it is a "done deal." [Where has Debbie heard THAT term before?] But they are going to complain anyway at Council on Tuesday night. And I expect that they and their neighbours will embarrass a few Councillors along the way.

They thought they had put the sale of the park to bed a year ago when rumours first arose about its sale.

Councillor Halberstadt told them at that time

• "Superior Park is not on the radar screen as a candidate for possible sale as far as I know, but I suggest you get in touch with your ward Councillors and ask them what they think. It is up to ward Councillors to survey their parks and bring suggestions back to the asset review committee. If there are any candidates for possible sale, the policy requires a public meeting before any decision is made."

Councillor Postma said then

• "There are no Parks that are being sold, regardless of what you have read. The only Park being considered for severing and selling is Bradley Park in the West End... Superior Park was never even considered this go around - it was on a list for consideration in 2002 not 2005!"

Should my friends have known that this was coming? Here is the Council agenda item where approval was given for Administration to negotiate the deal:

Moved by Councillor Brister, seconded by Councillor Cassivi,

• M132-2006 That the Report of the special In-camera meeting held May 29, 2006 BE ADOPTED as presented.
  Carried

Interestingly, it was their Ward Councillor, Councillor Brister, who moved the Motion. So what that it was in camera too making it impossible for the public to know anything about it.

It probably makes sense to hold the Council meeting now. After all, why get residents in the area upset to have a second school nearby to increase local traffic dramatically. It's an election year after all. Many are away on vacation, I am sure so won't learn about it or attend at the Council meeting, until it is too late. Is this the "public meeting" for residents required before the park can be sold? It would not surprise me to see the Ward One Councillors vote against the sale so they can blame it on their colleagues. A very clever political touch don't you think?

Several years ago when Atkinson Park was thought to be for sale, Gord Henderson wrote "the private sector isn't in the park business. This is a core municipal responsibility, like policing. If we don't preserve, maintain and expand these assets, nobody else will. "

My friends can always take their daughter to see trees in the $150,000 project, phase 1 of Mayor Eddie Francis's commitment to streetscape our gateways. You know, it's the planting of 48 trees on Dougall Avenue, right close to the new South Windsor Art Gallery under the E C Row overpass.

Oh well, it is only parkland. Just because an Environmental Master Plan was passed a few weeks ago, I assume now that Windsorites ought not to take that too seriously either.