By Sue Stefko
(Appeared in Glebe Report June 2016)
Now that it’s June, and park use is in full swing (no pun intended), The Glebe Annex is setting its sights on improving parks and greenspace in our community, and we’re asking residents for their input on two initiatives.
One is the use of a small plot of land near the south end of Bell St. South, just south of Dow’s Lake Towers apartment building. That piece of federal land has been fenced off and inaccessible for years. This summer, this piece of land will be transferred to Canada Lands Corporation for disposal as part of a larger land transfer of the Booth St Complex. The Glebe Annex Community Association has its sights set on making this a piece of much-needed greenspace for our community.
We are looking for input from residents of our community. What would you like to see in this small space with so much potential? Some ideas we’ve discussed include a dog park, a community food garden, a toddler park, space for adult exercise equipment, or a butterfly and bee garden. Please let us know if you’re interested in a park here, and if so, what you would like to see. The more interest from the community, the stronger our case will be. Please write to us by July 15th at info@glebeannex.ca. Your input is important!
The other initiative is about the renewal of Dalhousie South Park. The City of Ottawa has a renewal schedule whereby it replaces ageing structures in its infrastructure inventory. 2017 is supposed to be the year that Dalhousie South Park is ‘renewed’. If this happens (recognizing that the City is behind on many of its planned park renewal projects), this will be the first time since the park’s founding 24 years ago that Dalhousie South Park will receive new equipment. When the time comes, we want to be ready, and make sure we have our say.
To that end, we have invited a city planner to come to the park to give us a planning primer. We’ll discuss possibilities for the park, considerations, regulations, and, most importantly, the planner will take our input and suggestions into consideration for the design and renewal of the park. Stay tuned for the time and date, which we will advertise around the community, and for those of you who are Glebe Annex Community Association members, you’ll be receiving an email with more info. We hope you will come with your ideas and suggestions for making this a better park, a more communal gathering space, a better play area, or – whatever you want it to be.
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