MEN BEHAVING BADLY
Some residents living near Mount Pleasant Park, which is under redevelopment, are not happy that grown men are using the new skate park even though it's incomplete and designed for beginners and children.
NPA park board candidate Dave Pasin told me that while door knocking in the neighbourhood he spoke with many residents concerned about the noise created by the skaters in the early hours of the weekend, particularly since the skate spot isn't complete or open to the public. The park board refers to the area as a "skate spot" rather than a "skate park," due to its small size and focus on beginners.
Pasin says the neighbours were concerned about the loud music and yelling coming from the skaters, who are described as adult males and not teenagers. Photographs submitted by a reader also clearly show at least some of the men drove to the park last Sunday morning, Oct. 23. The fact the skate spot is just steps away from the toddler play area also concerns residents.
Park board spokesperson Daria Wojnarski confirmed there have been complaints from residents to the city's 311 system. Wojnarski says two park rangers were dispatched to the park last Sunday to ask a group of between 15 and 20 skaters to leave. Wojnarski says the rangers discovered the skaters were climbing through a gap in the construction fencing.
The rangers blocked the hole once the men left the park. Wojnarski adds residents called 311 again later that day to complain about a second large, noisy group that had congregated in the park, again despite the fact it's under construction. This time a non-emergency call was made to the VPD, asking for assistance in getting the group to leave.
"We want to make it very clear this skate spot is designed for the youngest skaters," says Wojnarski. "Also, there's no pathway to the skate spot so these skaters are making their way through construction debris and that can be dangerous."
POOL PESOS
Speaking of Mount Pleasant Park, the citizen group Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Society for the Promotion of Outdoor Pools is attempting to win a grant from the Aviva Community Fund in the "large category," for prizes between $100,000 and $150,000. Aviva Insurance corporation offers grants to worthy community projects across Canada that receive the highest number of votes.
In this case the money would be used to complete a feasibility study and concept design for a new outdoor swimming pool in the park, which is undergoing redevelopment. The popular outdoor pool at Mount Pleasant was built in 1967 and demolished along with the community centre in 2010. According to the group, the feasibility study and concept design will include a new pool with green technology for heating, change rooms, and washrooms, with the latter being available to other users of the park, which once complete will include sports courts, a playground, skate spot and community garden. The group plans to leverage the funds spent on the feasibility study and concept design to raise additional money to build an outdoor pool.
Voting for round two ends Nov. 9. If the group makes it into the semi-finals, voting begins Dec. 5. Information on the voting is at avivacommunityfund.org.
Twitter: @sthomas10
