PARKS BOSS, WILLISTEAD BOARD REACHING TO JUSTIFY $400,000.00 PAVEMENT PROJECT

Giovanni (John) Miceli, Executive Director of Parks and Facilities and Stephen Marshall, Chair of the Willistead Board of Directors have been trying very hard to qualify their push to add more than a kilometer of twelve foot wide paved roads (ten feet of pavement plus two feet of gravel shoulder) throughout Willistead Park.  From the beginning their justifications have  raised the brows of frequent park goers and area residents.  At first they argued that they wanted to make the park more accessible but at 54" wide the current paths already meet the accessibility standard.   Next they claimed that they are planning for "future" accessibility standards but those max out at 72 inches wide; not twelve feet wide.  Their rationale also did not explain why they were adding several extra paths because the current paths already cover the park in its entirety.   When they presented their master plan for the new park paths the true purpose was revealed.  The new path circuits overlay the exact route of Art in the Park vendor exhibits to a "T".  Click on this link to view:

http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/parksandforestry/City-Parks/Documents/Proposed%20Pathways.pdf

Neither the Parks Department nor the Willistead Board have refuted this.  This did not deter them from re-jigging their accessibility argument.  Their next explanation was about having accessibility to the new garbage receptacles that are embedded several feet below ground.  These are an overly complicated and expensive way to keep teenagers from tipping them.  Now they need to use a dedicated truck with a custom hydraulic attachment to pull them out of the ground for emptying.  The new park roads, they say, are designed to gain access to these garbage cans.  Once again, their explanation was refuted because all of these receptacles are already located on the current,existing paths and only at four entrance points to the park.  They are already in the most accessible places and the new proposed roads terminate at these same locations.  During this debacle of false arguments it was revealed at a Heritage Committee meeting ( the issue was deferred by City Council to the Heritage Committee) that the real intent of the Willistead Board is to "monetize" the park.  That is, to maximize it's revenue earning potential by seemingly facilitating Art in the Park with paved roads for a better Art in the Park experience and as a solicitation for more such venues.  Mr. Miceli and Mr. Marshall get angered when residents ask them how adding permanent paved roads would enhance an event like Art in the Park, the success of which, is predicated by grass and trees in a park setting.  Miceli blurted during the Heritage meeting:  "You are getting the paths whether you like it or not".  On Monday evening of March 3 the Parks Department, the Willistead Board and the Heritage Committee will present their plan and case to City Council for approval.  Park goers and area residents will likely be there as well.

They are not Done

It appears to be that the Willistead Board and the Parks Department are not all that convinced that they have a water tight case.  Stephen Marshall sent a communication out to various parks contacts in Toronto, Amherstburg and Detroit to bolster his appeal.  Read it here. Click to enlarge:

With his request he got what he asked for but the result does not speak to his favour.  All of these parks, with the exception of Casa Loma and Colbourne Lodge are mega parks that require bikes or cars to traverse them.  Casa Loma and Colbourne are on the escarpment and only have paved lots with some small flower gardens.  High Park is so large (400 acres) that it sports a couple of micro-climates.  The rest of the parks are either large nature reserves or interconnected bike paths that run the gamut of the Don Valley.  The Ford Property not only has roads running through it as one might expect from an auto baron's property;  it also features man made canals so that boats can get in too.  Any of these parks are comparable to taking a ride through Point Pelee.  No comparison at all to a small historic property like Willistead Park.   Fort Malden is small and the path is not all that long.  The Amherstburg Trail runs through the downtown streets.  It really doesn't qualify as a park at all.

Guilty By Omission

Mr. Marshall and Mr. Miceli put more than a little effort in to produce this list of parks but they  left out one very important park that is right next door to Malden Park and at the foot of the Amherstburg Trail.   That historical park is the Kings Navy Yard.  Did they really miss one of the most important parks in this area? The Navy Yard fly's in the face of every argument that Miceli and Willistead's Board have put out there.  Is that why they omitted it from their list?  What makes this park effective and attractive is it's grass, trees and flower beds and all of its paths are all covered in smooth pavers.  The Kings Navy Yard is totally accessible and it even sports a seniors home on the edge of its south flank.  Well coiffed and maintained, clean and respectful of its historic intent and plenty of garbage receptacles of the normal kind.   A picture of it here:

Kings Navy Yard in Amherstburg.  72" wide paths with smooth pavers.

It becomes very evident that facilitating Art in the Park is what this is all about.  Adding all of these paved roads to the park will do nothing to improve Art in the Park or to expand it.  Just as many patrons will come if it is left as grass.  They always have.  Paving the vendor route will do more to wrist-lock and limit the number of vendors and their locations than just leaving it alone.  It will invite graffiti and vandalism. With just grass there is flexibility to add extra vendors whenever needed.   Paving this park will make it look like an empty, purposed  flea market for 362 days of the year.  It will detract from the parks aesthetics and historical intent.  It will make the wrong cultural statement about Windsor, Ontario.  This is certainly not what Willistead Park and Manor are all about.

After this harsh winter that $400,000.00 would be better spent if it was used to resurface city streets.  In fact, the amount of proposed asphalt for this project is almost enough to re-pave all of the streets that surround the park.  This would certainly do more for Art in the Park than destroying the very park that made the event as successful as it is.   Citizens of Windsor who use this park on a regular basis know their park well.  The Parks boss and the Board Chair should too.  It should be apparent that spending tax payer money on a needless project will do more harm than good.  To this park, to Old Walkerville.  To the City of Windsor.

Here are some more images.  Click on them to enlarge:

The city's accessibility  guidelines.  Why is ten feet required?

Aerial view of proposed paths.  Same as Art in the Park vendor route.

High Park.  Pretty massive park.  Over 400 acres.

Casa Loma.  All Parking lot.

Edsel and Elanor Ford Estate.

For more information about this issue

 a group of concerned citizens has formed a Facebook page called

 "Save Willistead Park" 

You can view it or participate in it here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/588452161219766/


For contributed pictures of Willistead Park 
or if you would like to contribute some of your own, 
Sara Venney has a photo page here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/556580677768729/



Please do not forget.  
This issue will be before Council this Monday evening at starting at 5:30 P.M.
If you are concerned about this issue 
your presence can make a difference.