Is Lions Park in Mount Brydges properly being represented amidst ongoing residential development around it. If you ask the Lions club itself the answer would be no.
A letter to council submitted this week by the club states the park itself is owned and operated by volunteer members of the Lions Club. It is not a public park but it’s being represented as one by both the Municipality and area developers. The letter says not one of the subdivisions in the area include an allotment for greenspace, and the town habitually collects a cash percentage of the value of each development in lieu of providing greenspace there.
The Lions Club says this collected cash ends up being re-allocated elsewhere by the Municipality. The letter requests a portion of the revenues collected to go to the Lions to assist in the maintenance and public enjoyment of the park amenities. A request to have the letter added to this Monday’s council meeting was also submitted.
Here is the complete letter sent to council.
To: Council Members of the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc
The Mt. Brydges Lions Park has become a recognized and popular destination for family activities in our broad community. Dog walking, family gatherings, soccer games, outdoor movies and children’s activities are only a few of the many happenings in our park. For seventy-five years the Mount Brydges Lions Club has taken pride in the proper upkeep and cleanliness of the park and this, in turn, has been recognized by the many users of the property.
Our park is owned and operated by volunteer members of the Mount Brydges Lions Club. It is not a public park but is being represented as such by both the Municipality and the developers who have all but circled our park with over four hundred new homes/families in recent developments. Soon, another thirty-eight homes will be occupied in the apartment building built just to the east of the park. As we look ten years into our future, there will be a further three hundred plus homes built to the north of our park in subdivisions planned on the east and west sides of Adelaide Road. This continual growth within our community has shown accelerated usage of our greenspace and has brought with it an increase in maintenance, increased vandalism and increased public use.
At this point, we note that not one of the above-mentioned subdivisions includes an allotment for green space. The Municipality has made it a habit of collecting a cash percentage of the value of each development in lieu of providing greenspace within their development. This collected cash ends up in the coffers of the Municipality to be spent on other projects.
Is this spent on our community as it should be? We feel it should be and we feel that some of this revenue should go towards improvements that would benefit the users of our park, A few years ago, our club approached the Municipality asking for a public washroom to be built in the area as we could already see the need for this in the future. We offered to partner with the Municipality. The Municipality declined this request.
Mount Brydges Lions Club Email: mblionsclub@gmail.com
Mount Brydges, Ontario
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MountBrydgesLionsClub
Mount Brydges Lions Club is requesting that a portion of the revenues collected from developers in lieu of providing greenspace be ongoingly allocated to our club to assist in the maintenance and public enjoyment of those using the walking trails and the greenspace in the park. It is clear that our privately-owned park is being marketed by the Municipality, the developers and the realtors doing business in Strathroy-Caradoc and we feel that this request is not out of line as we look to our future. We ask that you give this request your consideration and suggest that it be added as an agenda item in your next council meeting.
Regards,
Jim Balicsak
Mount Brydges Lions Club