I am firmly opposed to the purchase of the 6th Avenue golf course.
After reports that this is a possibility to replace the Meatbird Lake beach, many residents of Walden are in an uproar over the steam-rolling happening in relation to the purchase of the golf course. Ward 2 Coun. Michael Vagnini claims 97 per cent of the residents want this — I would estimate 97 per cent of the residents first heard about this proposal on the news.
When I heard this was in the works for over a year, I was appalled. The formal sale of Meatbird was only in May, so there obviously has been a lot of backroom discussions taking place for this to already be given the green light to proceed with discussions with the property owner.
I went on the Ward 2 Community Board site and suggested we first hold public input meetings to really see what people want. I suggested we could most likely turn the $4 million into $12 million with provincial and federal grants, but that was immediately rejected as “a plan is already in place.”
I suggested a community complex that may accommodate a year-round swimming pool (great for all the seniors and children in our area), gymnasium, workshop/crafting area, a BMX bike park or possibly an outdoor splash pad for all the young children.
Again, it wasn’t even accepted as a possibility as the Ward 2 Community Board is, in my opinion, biased towards the golf course plan.
I then began the search for the listing for the golf course and could not find a broker who had this listing, so are we just estimating the value of the land on what the seller wants to get? Please feel free to correct me if it is actually publicly listed anywhere. I then read an article where Mary Crowder was quoted as saying “the closest swimming location is 14 km away down a very busy highway.” Please feel free to correct me, but I was under the belief the money received for Meatbird was for Walden and not Lively only.
In my opinion, the very last thing Walden needs is nature trails and a swamp to use as a summer swimming hole. If people want to spend money on a swamp, I would highly suggest cleaning up Simon Lake Park.
In our immediate vicinity, we have the beautiful Fielding Park trails, and the Walden ski trails for winter, which double as walking and biking trails in the summer. We have the ski hill for more winter outdoor activities. We have access to the Trans Canada Trail, and direct access to snowmobile trails in the winter. We are situated approximately 15 minutes from Kivi Park, another amazing nature area.
What we don't have is a decent year-round community centre for our youth and specifically for our extensive number of seniors: a year-round pool, gym, activity area, a splash pad or BMX bike park to keep our youth off the streets.
I am very aware of the tactic of “better buy it now as others want it and you will lose out”. In my opinion, this is a pressure tactic being used by those who support the 6th Avenue golf course purchase.
Getting likes on the Walden Facebook page does not constitute a full and fair public input session. If after an honest, well-publicized group of public meetings is held, the end result is the golf course option, should it still be available, I will accept the decision. As long as there are enough fair meetings, time and proposals are submitted and reviewed.
To all the media, I would suggest you investigate this issue instead of printing and producing video snippets that claim that 97 per cent of Walden residents want this proposal to proceed.
To the city councillors, I would suggest reviewing all options and not being railroaded into spending $2 million on swamp land without a formal plan and without formal community input.
Suzanne M. Alemany
Naughton