Community members concerned about the sale of the Dominican University College park on Empress Avenue have started a petition to convince the city to purchase the land.
At the end of September, area resident Sean Darcy organized a meeting at the Dalhousie Community Centre to discuss what could be done to keep the green space green. He started a petition to give Somerset Ward Coun. Diane Holmes evidence of the community’s support to City Council.
“People need to realize it’s important to get involved,” he says.
Residents are concerned that if the city doesn’t purchase the land, the park will be sold and turned into condos or apartments. Darcy emphasizes that this is a chance the area can’t afford to pass on.
“This ward only has eight hectares of green space,” he says, “and the next lowest in Ottawa has over 30, I think.”
Along with other concerned community members, Darcy has decided to form a committee to rally public support. Darcy says they plan to meet very soon to discuss the future of the campaign, which includes the possibility of benefit event.
With about 140 signatures so far, Darcy says the petition will need a lot more to accomplish anything.
He created a Facebook group called Somerset West Community Development that posts recent updates on the park’s status. It also invites people to get involved, something he says has been somewhat difficult.
“A lot of people talk about interest in it, but it’s actually getting people to commit to doing something that is a problem.”
Darcy lives on Lorne Avenue, a street parallel to the park.
“Our street is a dead-end street, so if kids want to play they end up playing in traffic,” he says.
According to him, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the city to save some of its downtown green space. Darcy says he and other community members don’t underestimate the importance of development, but think ruining this park is unnecessary.
Darcy says the location of the park is reason enough to keep it.
The park is next to Dalhousie Community Centre which doesn’t have any of its own green space, and in a neighbourhood of shops, apartment buildings and restaurants.