Letter: Don’t restrict access to Bell Park

For more than 70 years, I remember enjoying Bell Park and Bell Grove. When our Dad would come home from work on those warm summer days, he would get our family and neighbours into the station wagon and take us to Bell Grove for a swim.

The cool, clean, refreshing water would rejuvenate us so that we could then spend an hour or more playing while our Mom set up the picnic supper.

Like many other young people, I left Sudbury only to return with my two sons when they were two and four years old. What better place to raise children than in Sudbury? We went swimming, canoeing, ice fishing, skating, hiking, and shared many special events at Bell Park.

This past weekend I came “home.” Sudbury will always be my home. At 7 a.m. on Saturday morning, before coffee, my sister and I drove to Bell Grove for a swim.

We were shocked to see a chain across the road preventing us from entering the park. How could the city allow this to happen? Who is giving special privileges to a select few?

Many of the old city “watch dogs” have passed on, and that is no reason to take advantage of the situation. It is our duty to keep Bell Park open for all.

Obviously the city fathers either don’t know that they are violating our rights or they don’t care. Bell Park is not for a select few. I had my years of enjoyment and I would like to see future generations continue to enjoy Bell Park as it was intended. Please take down the chain and open up the entrance.

Stephanie Blake
Whitby, Ont.