Kiwanis Park not to be sold!!

On June 23 (2009), the City of Kitchener's Development and Technical Services Committee heard from delegations interested in the proposal to sell portions of Kiwanis Park and other park lands across Kitchener. Our neighbours at the Park, the Friends of Kiwanis Park, were there in full force and made their views heard by the Committee.  WODS' own Steve Chris stood up and spoke in favour of keeping the park to preserve our great Ultimate fields. At the end of the meeting, the Committee voted unanimously NOT to recommend the sale of the park lands to City Council next week.

Our voices, and the voices of many others across the Region have been heard. We are confident that Kitchener City Council will vote next week to keep Kiwanis Park as it is. WODS is pleased and relieved that the future of the Kiwanis Ultimate Park appears secure.

Thanks to all WODS members who have expressed their support in this matter. For more information, see this article from the Waterloo Region Record.

Huck on!

Councillors spare Kiwanis Park
Green space advocates win pledge from Kitchener politicians to expand parkland
June 23, 2009 Terry Pender
RECORD STAFF

KITCHENER

City councillors got a standing ovation yesterday when they voted unanimously against selling parkland and green space.

Instead of selling part of Kiwanis Park and three other parcels of land, city councillors told staff to expand the system of parks, including more along the Grand River.

The decision by the development and technical services committee was made after more than 150 residents packed the council chambers in an organized and vocal protest against the proposed sale of parkland and green spaces.

"You have made my decision easy tonight," Coun. Kelly Galloway said.

Galloway moved the motion to have the parcels of green space included in plans to expand the city's park system. It passed unanimously.

"Very few issues have seen this level of citizen engagement we have seen tonight," Coun. Berry Vrbanovic said.

Vrbanovic moved a motion that calls for a report on how the city can finance the purchase of lands along the Grand River to create more waterfront parks. That, too, passed unanimously.

Coun. Geoff Lorentz said he heard from many residents opposed to the sale of any green spaces. "That's what democracy is all about," Lorentz said.

Coun. John Gazzola said it was good for people to learn that if you stand up to be counted you can beat City Hall.

"Every little piece of land is going to be important," Gazzola said. "We are here to serve the public and the public has really spoken."

Mayor Carl Zehr thanked the residents for turning out and showing their passion.

"It really is important," Zehr said.

He added: "The public has clearly spoken about the principles we are dealing with here tonight."

It was not a complete victory for the residents, however. At the urging of Zehr, the decision over what to do with an empty lot on Kehl Street was delayed until Oct. 5.

At the start of the evening, Jeff Willmer, the city's general manager of development and technical services, quickly acknowledged the widespread opposition to the recommendation by city staff to sell part of Kiwanis Park and four other parcels of public green space around the city.

"Let me start by saying that I think I am outnumbered and not the most popular person in the room," Willmer said to applause from the public gallery where many residents wore T-shirts saying Kiwanis Park Not for Sale.

Willmer said the city could get $5 million to $7 million for the Table Lands in Kiwanis Park and use that money to buy more land along the Grand River and create more riverfront parks.

"Kiwanis Park is clearly loved by this community, and if you could create another one in this community, I think that would be a terrific outcome," Willmer said.

But the residents were having none of it.

Coun. Christina Weylie, a 25-year veteran of city council, met her match in Jordan Schroecker, a 10-year-old girl from Lancaster Street.

"I think Kiwanis Park is perfect the way it is," Schroecker said near the end of her presentation.

As a loud round of applause broke out, Weylie told the crowd there was no clapping allowed in the council chambers. The applause only got louder and Weylie conceded defeat, to hoots of laughter, by congratulating Schroecker on an excellent presentation.

Stephen Chris, of the Waterloo Region Organization of Disc Sports, said the Frisbee league has 34 teams playing three nights a week with 600 players in the summer league.

"We feel that large, open spaces such as the Table Lands at Kiwanis are rare in urban settings," Chris said.

The 9.6 hectares (24 acres) of Kiwanis Park that is a candidate for possible sale was not the only parcel of public land at issue last night. A smaller parcel, 1.4 hectares (3.3 acres) adjacent to Lakeside Park, drew many residents to the meeting.

"Once this green space is gone, it is gone forever," Kathryn Braun, of the group Friends of Lakeside Park, said.

The other parcels of land that city staff recommended be sold included two on McLennan Park Gate and one on Kehl Street.

Sue McKay said the small parcel of land on Kehl Street is loved and used by people in that area.

"Don't sell us out," McKay told councillors as she filed a petition with the names of more than 90 people opposed to selling the land on Kehl Street.

McKay said if the city needs money so badly, it should sell the downtown parking garages it is building because they won't be needed when rapid buses and light rail transit come to the city.

The City of Kitchener has committed or planned expenditures totalling about $70 million for five parking garages in the central part of the city. One is currently under construction at Charles and Benton streets. Another will be built behind the library on Queen Street. Others are planned for Centre Block, Charles and Water streets and the warehouse district.

"Could I ask for a silent show of hands for those who are here in favour of not selling our green spaces?" Ginny Quinn said in a presentation. Nearly everyone in the public gallery held up a hand.

Coun. Geoff Lorentz told Quinn that the city's environmental advisory committee had recommended that three parcels of green space be sold -- the Kehl Street lot and the two on McLennan Park Gate.

Bob McColl of the environmental advisory committee defended the decision in a presentation to the meeting yesterday.

When committee members visited the Kehl Street lot, it was littered with rubbish, old tires and dead car batteries, McColl said.

"It is our belief this property has significant problems with topography," McColl said.

The empty lots on either side of McLennan Park Gate have no landscaping or worthwhile environmental features, McColl said.

All revenues from the sale of public lands should be put in a reserve fund for buying more parkland, he said.

"We are in desperate need of more parkland," McColl said.

Catherine Drown, of Friends of Kiwanis Park, filed a petition with the names of more than 2,000 people opposed to sale of any part of the park.

"We are Canadians, we treasure our parks, we protect our parks and we are asking you to represent our views," Drown said.

Later, Drown said: "This issue has cut to the core, selling parkland does not cut it."

tpender@therecord.com