Residents want to save Kiwanis Park ball diamond
Will the council work with local residents to save the ball diamond?
A generous donor has offered the city a donation of up to $250,000
for youth recreation. Especially in these times, this is a wonderful opportunity because we know that recreation for youth is more important than ever. (See yesterday’s
article in Elliot Lake Today: ‘We are in fact in a mental health crisis’:
Algoma Family Services)
The timeline
On March 6, 2023, staff sent a report to the Recreation and
Culture Committee. It contained three options for the donation. The options are summarized below and the full report is on the city website here.
Option 1 - An “all wheels” skate park and pump track where the ball diamond is located now. The proposed new facilities would be professionally designed. Some examples of this type of recreation facilities are in a brochure on the city website here.
The problem with Option 1 is the ball diamond would be lost.
Option 2 - A new skate park would be built where the movable skate park fixtures are presently located on the former tennis courts. A small pump track could be located nearby or elsewhere in the park. Additional courts for tennis/pickleball would be built elsewhere. Staff noted that the washrooms already present at Kiwanis Park are a cost-saving feature.
With Option 2 the ball diamond would be unaffected but costs for courts elsewhere, with nearby washrooms, would be much higher.
Option 3 - Use the donation toward the pool renovations.
On March 6, the committee chose option 1 and sent their recommendation to council. A week later, council unanimously approved the committee's recommendation.
With no other intervention, it looks like the Kiwanis Park ball diamond is going to be lost.
Local softball community learns of the decision
MacLeod organized an online petition that attracted hundreds of signatures. The problem is, the city does not formally recognize online petitions. The city's petition procedure requires actual signatures and the use of the city's petition form.
Rec and Culture Townhall
On April 18, city staff hosted a well-attended Rec and Culture Townhall. At least three residents spoke at length about the importance of saving the ball diamond. MacLeod was one of those, describing the online petition results and the importance of maintaining this youth recreation facility. Another resident told about the origins of the field and the care her father had put into its design including for drainage. That care still shows in the cover picture the author took during our rainy Saturday, the infield drained to the outfield.
Also in attendance as a listening observer was Councillor Rick Bull. Yesterday, Bull responded to my subsequent email on this topic, "The town hall had a very good turnout. I listened to all the concerns and I am glad that people have spoken up." He further commented, "As far as I know, we haven’t been presented with a formal petition."
Counsellor Rick Bull retired from the Parks Department of the City of Elliot Lake. He continues to be passionate about Elliot Lake's recreation future and serves as Chair of the Recreation and Culture Committee.
Where are we now?
Cllr Bull is following the city's process about petitions and that's the right thing to do.
About a formal petition, MacLeod said, "That is one
thing we do need to start. We want to do an official petition."
For the sake of our youth, I hope we can all come together to put this topic back onto a council agenda for some further consideration.
If the April 18th Rec and Culture Townhall is any indication, there is no good reason we can't arrive at a good outcome in a reasonable and calm manner.
And that will be a home run for all of us.
Stephen Calverley, April 30, 2023