Hidden between the busy streets of Ottawa, Dundonald Park provides a green break amid the pavement of Somerset Street.
The park sits at the corner of Lyon and Somerset streets. Pathways line the edges of the rectangular grassy area, and benches can be found along the sides of the paths. Throughout the day, students use these pathways through the park as a shortcut en route.
There are also benches in the open centre of the park and they are occupied by a wide variety of people; two elderly men sit chatting in the early afternoon, and parents sit to watch their children play nearby.
An enclosed playground is available for younger kids and the purple and yellow of the bars are vibrant against the grass. Outside the playground fencing, a child and her father throw fallen leaves into the air over their heads while others walk their dogs through the grass.
In the middle of the park there is a cemented clearing. There are three chess tables with stools to sit on, sheltered under the shade of a cluster of trees, and surrounded by gardens.
The park is easily accessible – a midpoint along Somerset Street – between Bank and Bronson. It comes as a welcome surprise along the city streets of the neighbourhood.