By Luis González
After years of minor improvements, Piazza Dante Park, at the corner of Booth and Gladstone, finally has a redevelopment plan that will bring the space alive with history and culture.
The park, which is of considerable importance to the Little Italy community, was the subject of a public meeting held earlier this month. A proposal was presented based on an Italian theme and includes plans for the relocation of a Dante statue to the plaza, a large open area for social events, a shade structure, a splash pad and tables for social gathering, among others.
“The project is a form to revitalize the space so it can be used by all members of the community, while remaining sensitive to its historical value” says architect Scott Mason from Corush Sunderland Wright Ltd., the firm who is heading the design.
In an effort to enhance the historical meaning the plaza holds in the community, the project also features the relocation of an existing 100-year-old fountain as a sculptural element. Further, cultural medallions will be inserted into the pavement with images that “denote a certain important time for the Italian community,” says Paul Landry, senior project manager for parks and recreation. “It is a way to bring pride back to the park.”
The new plan took into consideration all of the suggestions made by citizens earlier this year, when they met with members from the City of Ottawa and Corush Sunderland Wright Ltd.
According to Landry, it was not an easy task to incorporate all the ideas, but they managed to come up with what the community has judged as a “beautiful project.”
One of the major concerns citizens have voiced about the park is its poor lighting, which makes it dangerous after dark. Paul Landry addressed the subject as a debatable issue since more lighting could mean an invitation for people to stay later. Instead, Landry suggested illuminating only the pathways.
Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes agrees. “You don’t want kids skateboarding until 3 a.m.”
Once the entire community approves the $500,000 project, the next step will be to move forward with the construction drawings. However, progress will depend on future parks and recreation budgets.
“It is not cheap. Everything but the trees and the walls has to be replaced, but we’ll look the way to bring down the cost and take contributions from the community as a possibility,” says Landry.
Some citizens are worried about the time it might take to see the park’s final transformation, but they are urging the team to move forward as soon as they get community approval. A budget breakdown will be needed before seeking further donations. “It is a beautiful project, but our major concern is the budget. The construction staging could be disappointing because phases could take up to 10 years between them,” one community member said during the public meeting.
Landry says the earliest construction could start in 2009 since the park is not a top priority for the city.
“We will try to do all the construction at once, but if we can’t, the first phase must be significant.”