Oxford Park in NDG should be in textbooks as a case history of how not to run a green space. It has had an epic history of mismanagement since the Brodie family sold it to the city in the 1940s. And I'm sad to announce the latest chapter of disastrous mismanagement of the park on Oxford near Upper Lachine. The Brodie family farm, once known for growing the famous Montreal melon, became Oxford Park in the 40s when the family sold it to the city for $70,000 and a handshake promise not to demolish the beautiful stone structure on the land. City administrator Lucien Lallier had it knocked down almost right away. The park was a hotbed of baseball, so of course the diamond was removed and a fenced-off soccer field installed, effectively, cutting people from the area off to access of most of the park.
The privileged users of that field were a soccer league that was more of a park party that brought hundreds of people some of whom would bring weapons, drugs, booze, there were attempted murders, police, politicians threatened on numerous occasions. They were banished and now apparently they're allowed back, based on one administrator's decision. Even the city councillor didn't know that an administrator had allowed that league back. And of course there was the issue of the name change which was a hijack of the local customs and traditions, of course the weird new name never stuck so it's in a name-limbo these days. Around 2000 the city built a city community centre on corner of the park, cutting down a load of trees and removing a big chunk of the park in the process and they also swallowed more space with a bocce court that cost a ton. So what's happening now? And now the city has started their final push to eradicate almost every remaining blade of grass in Oxford Park with pavement. The city of Montreal is replacing a big chunk of the remaining field with a parking-lot-style paved surface. The new heat-island will serve as a basketball court of 100 feet by 50 feet plus will contain another practice area on the side. That gobbles much of what remains of the green space in that section. Apparently this was something the community centre pushed for and nobody said no.
If the borough of CDN/NDG needed a place to put a basketball court - and they don't, as there's an indoor court a few feet away in the community centre - the obvious answer is on their giant already-paved parking facility at Melrose and St. James. That's in an area that has no access to any recreational facilities and this would have been a no-brainer. I have publicly recommended this to them on multiple occasions over the years but the borough values their access to parking more than citizens' access to green space.
Here's a short video of what this heartbreaking nightmare looks like. A guy at the end said it looks like a concentration camp, "whoever thought of this doesn't have a brain," said another neighbour.
I'd recommend that if you live near a green space, be vigilant, keep your ears open and don't allow them to ruin it with concrete.
This isn't just happening in Montreal but here in the UK as well. There is a park not too far away from where I live with a massive big green field that was enjoyed by kids playing soccer, dog walkers, people just chilling out in the sun, etc. Now Leicester City Council has dug ALL of it up and replaced the grass with crappy Astro Turf and chain link fences so only those playing soccer can use it, bugger everyone else and the environment!
ReplyDeleteIsnt that area where the Green Party Peter McQueen is the councillor? Did he oppose it? What did he say about it?
ReplyDeleteI personally think there are many people who will be happy to have a full basketball court. But you make some good points. I had never considered before how much of the park was cut off due to the soccer pitch.
ReplyDeleteWhat's typical about the mayor Applebaum and company is that citizens are never consulted. I doubt they even bothered to consult Project Montreal's McQueen before the decision was made.
I don't understand why the escarpment nearby isn't opened up as a park. It's a huge area and there's already a path through it - although it's pretty overgrown.
Now I love Peter like a brother but he personally green lighted this without consulting the community. (In other places sych a decision would never happen without public input). I should add that there's already a full size basketball court indoors in the community centre facility about 100 feet away from this, so there's no need to pave this green space at all. Ive asked Peter to stop construction until it's discussed further. Hopefully he will.
ReplyDeleteSomeone needs to start tracking the amount of green space that has been lost in city parks over say, the last 10 years. It's one thing for say, CDN-NDG borough officials, to say they are being green and another to pave over green space and build in parks.
ReplyDeleteWhat does Projet Montreal say about this?
In this case it's Projet Montreal that's doing this. I know that their website has a lot of stuff encouraging public consultation but I guess it's not taken too seriously.
ReplyDeleteso it's a green party guy fighting to pave a green space? most excellent irony thanks for that.
ReplyDeleteA decision like this would never be made by the councillor of a district, even if he were with the governing party, which Peter McQueen is not. It's a decision which would be made by the parks people, and endorsed (or not) by the mayor of the borough (who has executive powers) and presumably voted on by the entire council. It is quite possible Peter voted for it, but it would not be a decision that came down to him unless he has some deal with Appelbaum which gives him sovereignty (oops - I know how you hate that word Kristian) over his district. Something I really, really doubt Appelbaum would ever do.
ReplyDeleteSo I'd really like to know Peter's side of the story.
And I agree that paving over green space should be avoided at all costs.
Thanks for the note Daniel. I haven't spoken to Applebaum about it but I've spoken to Rotrand who says he knows nothing about it and that it's entirely Peter's affair, so I don't think there's a big consensus happening here. I've watched borough meetings in the past where people have proposed stuff like dog runs in various parks and the councillor simply says no. So that gets me thinking that they have the power to shoot bad ideas down. Too bad they don't always use it.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta watch what Rotrand says. He's a professional politician and he's been known to lie through his teeth to reporters.
ReplyDeletePaved spaces in an urban area are very problematic according to the literature I've read. They radiate a lot of heat and will undermine adjacent area. It's not the sort of thing you do without a long-discussion first. Many American cities have been removing basketball courts and returning them to green spaces, so I don't know why Montreal would do the reverse. Are you sure there were not years of study involved in this? If it was a surprise, then residents should try to get an injunction to stop the work.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget all the green space lost at Benny Park, also in NDG.
ReplyDeleteThey used to have a nice outdoor pool. They demolished it and built that horrendously ugly and huge sports complex in its place. Only problem is, it not only occupies the space where the old pool was, but a fair bit of trees and green space that used to be around it. I don't see the appeal of swimming indoors in the summer, which is generally the time you want to enjoy an outdoor pool.
They were supposed to use the vacant lot across the street, but no, why built on a vacant lot when you can destroy a beautiful park, trees and grass! Cette le vie au Montreal. The most backwards place in the world.
Marvin Rotrand keeps getting re-elected, so he probably has a good idea of how to deal with his constituents. Whereas I wouldn't put my money on Mcqueen getting voted back after this.
ReplyDelete-Phil the Thrill
"Badminton is my life!"
Maybe Pavement Peter should be in the paving busines...-Shazzia M'Laiq, NDG
ReplyDeleteRE: Anonymous' comment "Marvin Rotrand keeps getting re-elected, so he probably has a good idea of how to deal with his constituents." Unless a municipal politician does something really stupid they are in there for life. If politicians were held to their oaths, few would be re-elected as they are supposed to do "fully what is in the public interest." Here is Marvin doing the exact opposite: http://murraymakingadifference.wordpress.com/2011/05/17/will-murray-be-banned-from-asking-questions-in-public-of-mayor-tremblay/
ReplyDeleteFirstly Murray, the topic isn't about Marvin Rotrand. Secondly, if you have a criticism to make about somebody it has to cite actual behaviours not just lazily say somebody isn't good. Show it, don't say it.
ReplyDeletePresumably, whoever is responsible for upgrading our parks seems to subscribe to the idea that it is better to build something "functional" rather than to leave an otherwise empty space--green grass or otherwise. What do other cities do?
ReplyDeleteAs for building indoor swimming pools, I suppose it is better to have year-round facilities rather than having only the outdoor ones which are, after all, only open when school is out for the all-to-brief summer period.