Walkerville History Uncovered only to be Buried Again

Century Old Walkerville cobbles discovered after stripping asphalt away.  Click to enlarge. 

Niagra Street is currently in the process of getting a much needed face lift.  Newer curbs were installed over a decade ago and the street has been on the short list for new asphalt for almost as long.  The Giorgi construction crew uncovered the well preserved, original road pavers that date back to Hiram Walker's day in his corporate town known as Walkerville.  Over twenty years ago when Monmouth Road was resurfaced the same pavers were under a concrete decked road along with rails from an old trolley line that connected Wyandotte and Ottawa streets.  Also unearthed were the original wooden mash pipes (lathed from water resistant cypress wood) that transported grain mash from the distillery on Riverside Drive all the way out to Walker Farms on the northern edge of Windsor Airport.

     Several Monmouth Roadies asked if they could have some of the pavers for landscaping projects but were told by the contractor that the bricks will once again be covered over with asphalt.  Not the best solution for asphalt longevity but no one is complaining because the much needed pavement will quiet down the continuous noise assault from the rattling undercarriages of vehicular traffic.

The same pavers  from Monmouth Road used for landscaping projects.

      If the city of Windsor wants to contribute a much needed  and cost effective neighbourhood improvement they might take this opportunity (while the contractor is there) to cut the pavement out of the south boulevard between Monmouth and Walker to bring it back to it's original grassed and treed glory (see upper left corner of road picture).  This would make the gateway to Willistead Park from Walker Road that much more inviting by reestablishing the tree'd and grassed boulevard that were originally there.  It would also reduce some serious heat island issues.

     Hot asphalt will be laid down starting tomorrow.  If you want to witness history come and go again head over to Niagra Street between Walker and Monmouth Roads.  Although the old street pavers still appear to be in good form they are not.  Their composition is a compressed slurry of what appears to be slag (perhaps from an ancient foundry).  They are gritty, full of cracks and crumble easily.  They have been paved over at least a couple of times before and the asphalt life cycle under that condition seems to be about 25 years.  The pavement develops cracks that establish along the bond pattern of the original bricks.  We can expect this to happen yet again.  Hopefully the next time they repave Niagra Street they will pull them up as they did on Monmouth and put in a new and proper road bed that will foster a better half life.

     Niagra is a very utilitarian street that services not only Old Walkerville but all of the neighbourhoods between Walker and Howard Avenues.  It is an east/west thoroughfare which brings locals to work and back every day.  It is heavily used.   Neighbours who live along the street will tell you that it is noisy with traffic, especially because of the poor condition of the road over the last decade or so.  They will also tell you that although the brick bonded streets are charming and interesting to see, the more modern and much quieter paving material is preferred.  "Kind of like our historical homes" one neighbour said.  "We work very hard at maintaining the historical nature but we are also not afraid to use more modern, safer and efficient materials where they count."   Some pragmatic words.
 

“TAR IN THE PARK”

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

Tarscape in Willistead is going to be an ugly, expensive mess.

The first annual Tar in the Park will be held on Saturday, June 7^th, and Sunday June 8^th. It will be preceded by a Beer Festival extravaganza on Friday, June 6^th, which is certain to bring loud noise, loud music, boisterous and at times inebriated revelers well into the morning of June 7^th. As in the past, it will greatly disturb the normally serene residential neighbourhood and prevent local taxpaying residents having peaceful and quiet enjoyment of their homes and property in a manner that could be classified as a legal nuisance.

This first annual event is being brought to you at tremendous expense to the taxpaying public by Mayor Eddie Francis, Councillors Drew Dilkens, Jo-Anne Gignac, Ron Jones, Bill Marra, Hillary Payne, Ed Sleiman and Fulvio Valentinis, Director of Parks and Recreation John Miceli, Chairman of the Board of Willistead Manor, Stephen Marshall and the Board Members, and the Rotary Club of Windsor (1918). These promoters of the event have spared nothing in order to make this a tremendous success including the hefty price-tag, trees, grass and the serenity of what was once the beautiful, historical estate of Chandler Walker. We should all show our gratitude and appreciation of those still seeking office when it comes time to vote in the upcoming municipal election.

I hasten to point out that there do exist persons who defied the edict of Mayor Eddie by not casting their vote as suggested they should, and who are worthy of our support. They are Councillors Alan Halberstadt, Irek Kusmierczyk and Al Maghnieh. All three deserve kudos.

Top Ten Reasons You Should Not Support “Tar In The Park”

10.  You have already contributed enough money for this event through your tax dollars.

09.       You shouldn’t have to pay an admission charge to enter a public park.

08.       The tar roadways will be hot and burn your feet.

07.       You don’t want to show support for the promoters.

06.       Only a very small percentage of the revenue goes to restore the Manor and can never make up for the expense of the project and continuing maintenance.

05.       You will not sit idly by and allow them to think this will go away.

04.       Historic properties mean something to you and they shouldn’t be defiled.

03.       You don’t support promoters who force their Will on the public.

02.       Elected officials have a sworn duty to listen to the citizens.

01.       Show Mayor Eddie that this is a democracy and not a dictatorship.

  

Together we can make the first annual event of Tar in the Park the worst attended event since 1978.

Together we can make it understood that Tar in the Park is no longer wanted in this neighbourhood and it is time for the Rotarians to act on their prior threat of changing the venue for this event once and for all.

Together we can make it understood that Beer Festivals in a quiet residential neighbourhood and a public park do not belong and must cease to exist.

Together we can demand an end to those persons who are determined to turn these historic grounds into a money-making amusement park for the benefit of the pet projects of the promoters at the taxpayers’ expense.

Harold G. LeBoeuf.

Part 4: GET YOUR FREE ELECTRICITY NOW!

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

Where? - - At the Willistead Amusement Park.

Of course, you will have to be a registered vendor for the Rotary Club’s Art In The Park and pay it the appropriate fees; or, you could be a performer who requires electricity instead of your own electrical generator; or you might want to operate some type of booze tent with entertainment for the hootenanny; or you might be a promoter of some other money generating event for the Rotary Club or Willistead Manor such as a carnival attraction or circus, in which case a number of clowns will be provided at no extra cost (sorry, no dogs, other pets or elephants allowed).

“How is this possible”, you might ask, “since this is supposed to be an historical, public, Heritage Park?”  Well, Messrs. Miceli and Marshall have worked out a scheme to provide free electricity via four electrical stations situated strategically throughout the park. The cost of all of the underground conduit, electrical cables, controls in the Maintenance Building and upkeep have not been disclosed to anyone. No, Miceli didn’t tell City Council about these plans and Marshall was never in attendance at any of the council meetings to explain what was going on.

If you spoke to any of the workers excavating the trenches and installing conduit and cable, and I did, you would be told that the work was all being done by City employees. There was one City owned truck there sporting the City’s logo on the side. There was also another truck there that didn’t have any identification marks on it whatsoever. I took several pictures of the trench, the conduit, the workers, and the City owned vehicle on the scene without any problem whatsoever. However, when I tried to take a picture of the unidentified truck, a person stood in front of the license plate so I couldn’t take a picture. I literally had to race to the back of the truck to get the picture. But this is just a teaser for a future article in this ongoing saga.

New electrical being installed to accommodate
Art in the Park Vendors and Beer Tent

 There was already a “stop work order” for construction in the park resulting from the objections to Councillor Alan Halberstadt by the Save Willistead Park Group. The apparent supervisor of the operation (definitely a City employee) told me that John Miceli had given them their instructions and to proceed with the matter. However, that same gentleman when advised of the stop work order, telephoned Miceli. Miceli told him that the stop work order didn’t apply to this project because it wasn’t a part of the other proposed project involving drainage and pathways. Miceli repeated his instructions and told the Supervisor to continue with the work regardless of what anyone says. For once, Miceli may have been correct. How on earth could the stop work order include the installation of the four electrical stations when in fact no one even knew about this project (except for Miceli and Marshall).

Station 1 (my numbering) is located two hundred and six feet, eight inches (Please don’t ask me for metres and centimetres - that’s a foreign language to me, and my measuring instrument isn’t in metric) due east from the east wall of the Maintenance Building (Washrooms). It is easily viewed from the existing pathway.

These have been installed throughout the park.
 Is this to ensure accessibility?  Can citizens use it too?

Station 2 is located two hundred and fifty-three feet north by north east from station 1 or twenty-one feet diagonally from the southern most pillar on the southeast corner of the Honourable Paul Martin Gardens. It too is clearly visible from the existing pathway and very close to where the beer tent is setup for the Beer Festival held on the Friday evening before the opening of Art In The Park (coincidence?).

Station 3 is located three hundred and one feet, nine inches in a southerly direction from Station 1. It, too, is clearly visible from the existing pathway.

Station 4 is located in a southwesterly direction two hundred and thirty-four feet, nine inches from Station 3, or four hundred and thirty-two feet, one inch from Station 4 to the small drinking fountain situated on the east wall of the Maintenance Building.

So at the very least, the installation of the four electrical stations requires a minimum length of nine hundred and ninety-six feet, two inches of underground conduit and wiring. But wait, how many more electrical stations to they plan on installing. You won’t get an answer to that question. It is strictly on a wait and see basis.

What is the real cost of this project, and how could it possibly get authority to proceed without prior approval from City Council? Call Micelli at 519-253-2300. Ask for John and pose the question. Or, in the alternative, use these facts and come up with your own guesstimate: five city employees wages for one day just for Station 1; one City owned vehicle; one vehicle not owned by the City; one excavator (owner not known - yet); one or two persons who may or may not be City employees but in control of a vehicle not owned by the City; 996 ' 2" of electrical conduit (absolute minimum); the same amount of electrical cable; four 8x8 wooden posts on which to mount the boxes; four steel electrical boxes; the necessary switches and breakers inside each station; necessary electrical boxes, breakers and switches inside the Maintenance Building; plus the unknown employee hours to install the other three boxes and equipment, trucks, digger machine, etc.  I very conservatively came up with a cost of $100,000.00. Ask John when you call him. That number again is 519-253-2300. Oh, and don’t forget to go through the same procedure for any additional electrical station that is installed later.

Mr. Mayor, Councillors, Board of Willistead Manor, Messrs. Miceli and Marshall - What are you thinking?

Harold G. LeBoeuf

Rotary Club, City Looking to Monetize Willistead Park

Walkerville residents are concerned and worried about the City's plan to lay asphalt over more than an acre and a half of Willistead Park without any neighbourhood involvement or discussion.   The plan to do so centers around adding more events to the park and facilitating loading and unloading for Art in the Park vendors.  Twelve foot wide paved paths will mimic the exact vendor booth  route as detailed in the Rotary Clubs vendor application form.  The plan is being spearheaded by Stephen Marshall, Chair of the Willistead Board of Directors, John Micelli, head of the Parks Department and member of the Willistead Board of Directors, and Phil Cohen, Chairman of Art in the Park and member of the Rotary Club.   None of these plans were known to the general public until late October of 2013 when surprised park goers with the help of Ward 4 Councillor Alan Halberstadt managed to temporarily halt an army of heavy tractors and dump trucks from further ripping up Willistead Park.   Since then, Windsor City Council has deferred the issue to the Heritage Committee who in January of this year more or less rubber stamped Willistead's original plans under the steerage of Windsor's Heritage Planner John Calhoun (he had previously rubber stamped the plan anyway), John Micelli and Councillor Fulvio Valentinis who is also a member of the Heritage Committee and who is rumoured to be planning a run for Ward 4's Council seat in this year's coming municipal election.  The Heritage Committee will be presenting City Council with their recommendation later this month.  Last week the Rotary Club's annual check in the amount of $25,000.00 was presented to Mayor Francis at a special event held at Willistead Manor.  It is important to note that the Rotary Club is a client of  the Willistead Board.  The Rotary Club is on contract with the City of Windsor to organize and run Art in the Park in exchange for a percentage of generated revenue from the event.

Area residents and park goers alike are certain that this plan is a mistake and that it will ruin the park for all of Windsor's citizens and tourists alike.  They insist that Willistead Park which measures only one kilometer around its periphery is too small for the city's planned eight extra paved road runs.  "Pavement  will bury the beauty, serenity and history of the park and it really is in violation of the parks historical intent.  Every  perfect view of green grass, magnificent trees and colourful flowers will be cut up by repeating bands of pavement" say's Sara Venney who resides on Monmouth Road.  Others are concerned about heat that will be generated by the asphalt and about graffiti which is already a growing nuisance in Old Walkerville.   

Local residents do love Art in the Park.  They literally clean their streets and alleys a week or so in advance to show off their neighbourhood.  Walkerville residents went as far as swarming the park with lawnmowers and leaf bags to save Art in the park from being cancelled during the year of the City Strike.  People don't even mind losing their parking spaces to the thousands of annual Art in the Park patrons or putting up with hundreds of city buses winding through their streets during this annual two day affair.  Windsorites know that Old Walkerville is a special place and that it's anchor is Willistead Park.  '"Why mess with such a great formula and brand" is the local sentiment.  Indeed.  Making it like any other park does not speak to any logic.  Some say that Walkerville's hosting of Art in the Park is like having a neighbourhood celebration every year where everybody is welcome.  It's something unique and special to Old Walkerville.  There is also weighty caution that outfitting the park for additional events for the sake of generating more revenue is not good for Art in the Park, Old Walkerville or Windsor.   People are concerned that it will cheapen the events and turn the park into the likes of a permanent swap meet.  The park, Walkerville, Windsor and the region at large will lose a significant cultural edge.  Many Windsorites believe that Art in the Park is the event that it is because of the natural green back drop that Willistead Park provides.   "Pave it and they will come" is unfounded and wrong headed.  It will not attract more patrons or vendors and it is doubtful that it will ever be the icing that attracts new events.  Adding extra pavement  is certainly not worth it's  price tag of $400,000.00 ($100,000.00 shy of the City's entire allocated pot-hole repair budget).  That money could be better spent elsewhere like the continued renovation and upkeep of the manor house and all of it's outbuildings.  It could be used to add even more drainage tiles and catch basins and for extra top soil to fill in the central depression in the park (many have commented that this is all that was ever needed to re mediate the parks occasional flooding.  Some of that money could be allocated for things like better security.  For more trees.   

Area residents are quite content with the current layout of the park and its paths yet they are not afraid to offer suggestions for meaningful and practical improvement.  Currently the park is serviced by four main paths that cover the park from north to south, from east to west, from the Niagra Street main entrance to the side entrance on Devonshire Road and to the Children's play set.  Another acre of the park is already paved for vehicular entrance into the park and for parking around Willistead Manor and its coach house.  Every area of the park can be seen and serviced from these centrally located paths.  All existing garbage receptacles reside along these current paths and their maintenance will be made easier as well.  Adding eight twelve foot wide paths will only add to regular maintenance costs.  All current paths are 54 inches wide or wider in order to satisfy today's accessibility standards.  Although there have been no accessibility issues to date, area residents suggest that the existing paths be widened to 72".  This will also allow for club cars and small vehicles to marshal vendor goods and equipment along the entire length and width of the park.  As it is, the majority of these vendors are transporting everything with wagons and hand carts so this suggestion will give them another option.  Simple grass also allows for more flexibility in vendor placement and will even accommodate more vendors because the route will never be locked in place by the proposed, permanent vendor roads.  The nub of this plan is to make the park even better than it is.  Keeping the existing paths but almost doubling their width makes the park enjoyable for all Windsor residents and guests.  It maintains the natural green state of the park while at the same time making the park easier to service.  Its a win, win plan.

So far, the Willistead Board has refused to look at this plan or to allow any stakeholder input.   Park goers and area residents are naturally anxious for Windsor City Council to see the merit, the dollar savings and the long term advantage of leaving this one of a kind historic property in tact.

Here are some pictures of Willistead Park as it exist now.  Pictures are borrowed from the "Save Willistead Park" and "Willistead Photo Pages on facebook:

Queen Victoria fountain on a sunny day.

Art in the Park in the grass 2009.

This area will be paved over.

Fun at the park.  Check out hide and seek behind tree.

Family enjoying the grass.

Heavenly place.

Music in the grass

Just grass and trees.  So cool.

Walking the dog.  Chasing squirrels.

Morning haze.

This view already has a 12 foot wide path cut through it.

Couple on Willistead Path.

Classics on grass.

Area residents cutting grass during city strike.


For more photos please go here:

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

Proposed 12 foot paths.  Over 1.5 acres of added pavement.

Heritage Committee Recommends Asphalt Roads in Willistead. Why?

Determined Parks Boss Routes Park Lovers, 

 Heritage Committee.

Area in background will be broken up by 12 foot wide asphalt roads.

      John Micelli, Windsor’s newly minted Parks Department leader since Don Sadler retired last year, will have nothing to do with the heritage or green aspects of Willistead Park.  In a January 8 meeting with the Heritage Committee, deferred to by City Council,  Micelli made his position loud and clear:  “Your getting paved paths whether you like it or not”. 

      Micelli’s entire argument focused on standardizing Windsor’s Parks with 10 to 15 foot wide paved paths for the accommodation of  trucks and equipment.  Problematic, he says, are the recently installed garbage receptacles in Willistead that are embedded ten feet underground to deter bored teenagers from tipping them over.  The Parks Department brings in a large truck with a specialized attachment to pull, empty and re-seat the containers.  It was pointed out to the Committee that all of the receptacles in Willistead are next to existing paths and park entry points with the exception of one that is ten feet away from the childrens play set and 35 feet from an existing path.  His other reason is to accommodate Art in the Park which, as one Heritage Committee member pointed out, is  The “elephant in the room”.    The proposed circuitous asphalt track and its tributaries will replace as much as 11 percent of Willistead’s grassy, treed surface.  That is a lot considering that Willistead measures only 1 kilometer around its perimeter.  The path plan mimics the Art in the Park Vendor map.   Micelli also introduced a revised path plan for Willistead that eliminated one secondary and redundant tributary and modifies the proposed paths in the North West corner of the park.  Area residents were expecting a compromise in width to 72 inches but that was clearly not what was offered.    It became apparent that  Micelli does not want to compromise on his 12 foot wide paths.  Area residents and park users do not want the paths at all.  Asked if the plan revision was posted on the city’s web site Micelli answered “No”.  This admission left the Walkerville delegation to speculate that Micelli is going to try and get his wide paths approved when this issue is brought before City Council later this month.  Lastly, Micelli brought up the Accessibility card which others pointed out was a non starter because the current paths and entry points are already in compliance. 

This is how the east side of the park looked up until this fall.

Same area with gravel bed for new path.  

      Delegations at this Heritage meeting were as follows:  Howard Weeks, founder of the group “Save Willistead Park” and son of past Mayor Bert Weeks,  Gayle Jones, a lawyer and Windsor’s Diversity and Accessibility Officer and John Micelli , Windsor’s Parks Boss, although he seemed to play more of a Steering Committee role than anything else. 

      Mr. Weeks presented passionately around a couple of points:  Mainly that stakeholders were never made aware of changes to the park until heavy equipment came to tear it up.  Willistead’s  Board of Directors claim otherwise but as of this writing there are no area residents who have stepped up to verify involvement.  Weeks repeatedly called for stakeholder participation in the process but was rebuffed in each attempt.   He asked if there was any assessment to determine what is actually needed to improve accessibility.  Micelli pointed out that Gayle Jones was present to address accessibility issues. 

Proposed 12 foot asphalt roads represented in yellow.  Close to scale

Yellow  represents total area to be covered with asphalt.  1.5 acres approx.

      Ms. Jones introduced herself as Windsor’s “Diversity and Accessibility Officer”.  She clarified that she was unaware of the Willistead path issue and played no part in it until a few hours before the current Heritage Committee meeting.  That clearly answered Howard Weeks’ question about an “Accessibility Assessment”.  She spoke in certain terms about what is acceptable and what is not.  Jones reminded that 54 inch wide surfaces are quite OK for accessibility in outdoor public areas (Willistead complies) but that 72 inches would be her preference.  She also stated that she preferred smooth surfaces such as cement or asphalt over pavers even though pavers do meet the requirement.  She said that pavers make an acceptable compromise if they are installed on the edges of a paved surface because they can be used as warning or cuing surfaces for white cane technique.  

      After all delegations completed their presentations it was time for the Heritage Committee to chime in and vote on the subject.  There were some who questioned the added paths but they were coaxed by Micelli to keep moving forward.  The group voted in favour of the new paths per Rev. 2  by a narrow margin.  They voted that the paths should be no more than 72 inch wide and that they should be paved with asphalt.  This recommendation will be presented to City Council later this month. 

Area residents take control and save Art in the Park during City Strike.
This exact area already has a twelve foot path running through it.

Classic tree lined straight entrance will be torn out.
 Serpentine paved road to weave through trees

This view from Devonshire Road no longer exists.

      The Parks Department has budgeted $400,000.00 for these proposed changes.  Also in attendance at the meeting were Councillors Allan Halberstadt who is also a member of the Willistead Board of Directors and Fulvio Valentinis who is a member of the Heritage Committee.  

Art in the Park on real grass.  

Old brick path being replaced with 12 foot wide road bed.

***All photos courtesy of Willistead Facebook Photo Page. 

 See links below for some great shots of Willistead Park. 

Most taken by area residents. 
Click on images to enlarge.

      For more information about paved pathways for “Art in the Park” follow these links:

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

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

Please Help us to Save Willistead Park! By Sara Venney

Very suddenly, and without proper notification, the city began to build service roads in Willistead Park which city representatives are now claiming, after intense questioning by residents, are for 'wheelchair' accessibility. Many residents of the area are now protesting against the city's plan because we suspect that the roadways (more like super-paths) are being created for a different kind of 'accessibility'. Accessibility for Art in the Park vendors and guests.

We must not let the city take 'paradise' and turn it into what will essentially be an asphalt maze comprised of 10' to 16' wide loop de loop super-paths reaching, and in some cases even circling around, practically every nook and cranny of the park. We can’t allow the city to ruin the manor's lovely grounds by making the complicated Art in the Park vendor route a permanent feature! It would not be right to forever alter, so drastically, the peacefulness of the Walker family grounds - for a two-day-per-year event! It was never, ever intended to be the equivalent of a fair ground.

There are already accessible sidewalks in the park, as well as surrounding the park on all four sides, plus there is a driveway to the manor and coach house. When I walk in the park, which I do several times per week, I follow the existing sidewalk which runs through the middle of the park (north to south), or the other which runs east to west. (The two paths dissect in the middle of the park. All areas are visible from the current paths.) Were I to become confined to a wheelchair I would be just as content to view the park as I always have. From these central paths the beauty and tranquillity seems to be everywhere. As a matter of fact, I would resent having to follow the proposed new route because it is not direct enough, especially for one with mobility issues.

While I applaud the drainage work being done, I feel that we absolutely MUST convince the city to abandon their plan to waste thousands and thousands of tax payer’s dollars ($400,000.00) to construct these roads which will forever deface Willistead Park. We could recommend instead that a portion of the budgeted funds be spent on performing required maintenance on the existing paths to make the surface smooth enough for those with mobility issues to be able to travel throughout the park with ease. We could also suggest that perhaps the city could widen the paths to 6' making it possible for one wheelchair to be able to pass another when necessary. Since Glengarda (just east of Pillette), which was also a magnificent tree’d property (spanning all the way from Riverside Drive to Wyandotte), and which was also entered through wrought iron gateways, was sold to developers by the nuns who owned it, Willistead is the only such property left in Windsor. All the more reason why we owe it to our grandchildren and great grandchildren to preserve Willistead Park - the way it is. The proposed super-paths will destroy the old world charm and ambiance. They will destroy the historical fabric and intent of the grounds bequeathed to us by Mr. Walker. It is important to keep the park as green as possible, with cooling lawns, gardens and trees, and to preserve the integrity and beauty of the manor's grounds for future generations - for ALL Windsorites and whether or not they have mobility issues. It works absolutely fine the way it is. It does not need to be turned into a permanent fair ground. After all…half of the fun of Art in the Park is taking it in walking through the grass.

If you haven’t already written to the city councillors and the mayor to let them know that you will not accept asphalt super-paths in Willistead Park, I urge you to please do so. I would also ask you to please join the Save Willistead Park Facebook group if you are not already a member. Up until now, Willistead Park has withstood the test of time. We must not be the generation which allows the understated charm and elegance of the Willistead grounds to become just a distant memory, something that can only be seen in pictures and paintings.

Sara Venney

Park's Officials Pitch Pavement. Park Lovers Bury them with Wisdom



Park supporters voice their concerns



Real wisdom prevailed during last evening’s public meeting about a city plan to carve up the natural complexion of Willistead Park with a twelve foot wide paved ring road. Park regulars and area residents were angry on several counts: That the project appeared out of nowhere without a single resident knowing about it was a big one. So was the intent to hard pave over ten percent of the parks natural footprint. Willistead Manor was packed Wednesday night with angry opponents of this plan who were upset that the city did not take into account any stakeholder input about the delicacy of this smaller, historical property; especially in lieu of the city’s current push for a new Master Parks Plan.

The entire house expressed support for the Parks Department’s drainage improvement plans. Nearly none supported the plan to build a 12-foot-wide paved vehicular track girdling the inside of Willistead Park. When neighbours discovered a huge compliment of heavy equipment invading and digging up the park a couple of weeks earlier, Walkerville residents Howard Weeks and Gerry Pouget quickly organised and put a halt to the paving process. Mr. Weeks started a Facebook page (Save Willistead Park!) which is now nearly 500 participants strong and growing. This prompted Ward 4 Councillor Alan Halberstadt to plan and chair last nights emergency meeting. "...neighbours “passionately love this park as it is.” said Halberstadt.

Park’s officials including John Miceli the city’s executive director of parks and facilities and Mike Clement, Windsor’s Manager of Parks Development, said the current paths are “not where they need to be” in order to support the needed new drainage system and that the park is not fully accessible to disabled peoples. The house quickly reminded them that the current paths in the park are already accessible to people with disabilities. The park already has four large entrance points with wide paths reaching through the park in all four directions, to all critical points of the park. The park is also fully embraced by sidewalks around it’s perimeter with one entry point that accommodates vehicle entrance to a fully paved parking lot. As for drainage, the crowd found out that the park already had 100 year old drainage but that it had failed years ago. The newer plastic and filtered system with catch basins is much superior and should last at least that long. Pavement has nothing to do with the drainage.

Miceli put together a power point presentation that seemed more about diversion from the issue than about resolution. He talked about tree species and cherished historical aspects of the property but attendees politely waited him out as they were already well versed about Willistead. At one point Miceli pitched a study that indicated that ageing Baby Boomers demand wider paths in their parks. He was addressing a full room of people most of whom were boomers, and retirees who clearly indicated that they did not want anything to do with the ring road. Ida O’connor, an octogenarian who resides on Monmouth Road expressed that she uses the park every day to walk her dog “Sunny” along the existing paths and grassy areas without problems and that the park does not need extra paving. Others mentioned the heat that all of the paving would generate and many were leary about the city’s long term plan to maintain and repair the road.

Miceli clicked onto an architectural rendering of the park plan. It is thick with truck paths and tributaries and seriously out of scale making it look more palatable to the less attentive. From that drawing it is obviously apparent that the accessibility that the Park’s Department people were pitching was for Art in the Park vendors. It clearly follows the exhibit path around the circumference of the park. Its about getting their tents, displays and merchandise in and out of the park. It even cuts into the north west corner of the park where there is barely enough room to accommodate a paved track that wide. Miceli asked the audience whether the issue was “solely the width of the pathway.” With that he got a loud ear banging: “No paths at all!”

Miceli repeatedly tried to compare Willistead Park to Jackson Park where he already installed these wide paved pathways. He was told by members in the audience that there was no comparison to be made. Jackson Park is 65 acres compared to Willistead’s 15 (approximately 1.5 city blocks). It was also made clear that technically Willistead was not a park at all but rather one man’s (Edward Chandler Walker’s) back yard and that it was gifted to Old Walkerville with the rule that it was to be enjoyed by citizens in the same state that it was enjoyed by his family. Certainly a good reason to make exception.

Some time into the meeting a number of things were revealed: This plan was largely driven by the Willistead Board of Directors in conjunction with the Rotary Club; their regular business partner. It was then (oddly enough) rubber stamped by John Calhoun who is Windsor’s Heritage Planner and then rubber stamped again by City Council. It should be noted that Councillor Alan Halberstadt is also on the Board of Directors for Willistead. He made this abundantly clear during the meeting. Halberstadt pointed out that there were a few of the board members dispersed among the crowd but that the Chair was not in attendance. During the question and answer period one citizen chimed tongue and cheek that perhaps Art in the Park has outgrown Willistead and that the Rotary Club might want to seek out another venue like Ford Test Track Park that already has a very accessible ring road. Art in the Park organizer, Phil Cohen, chairman of the Art in the Park and member of the Rotary Club abruptly emerged from the crowd and said he took those comments as “an affront.” “It isn’t like we’re here to pillage and take away from Willistead … whether we have pathways is immaterial,” he said, reminding that Art in the Park has raised more than $1.1 million for Willistead restoration work since 1970. He added that both of his parents slipped and fell in the park on one occasion. Another area resident and lawyer pointed out with a pretty convincing argument that this addition to Willistead Park might violate the property's heritage designation.

Halberstadt, being caught between the board that he resides on and the constituents he represents indicated that area residents should voice their concerns directly with Willistead’s Board during their next meeting to be held on November 14 at 4:30 P.M. The issue will also be addressed in City Council on November 18. Area residents are already organizing to attend both of those events.

CTV Video Link Here:

http://windsor.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1039111

More Willistead Path Pics

  This old girl is starting to lean.
Some extra dirt dumped over her roots would be good.
 


Perhaps a trencher is all that was needed. 



A lot of tree roots getting disturbed.



Wide swath of screedings.  12 feet wide.