Preserving park a positive step

Last week Charlottetown City Council voted to purchase the Round House Park at the corner of Water and Prince streets. The piece of land was up for sale and the possibility that it would be sold and used as a building site had quite a few of us living in the neighbourhood worried.

Studies show that the thinking today on urban planning around the world is for the promotion and preservation of green spaces in cities. In the case of Charlottetown what was once a rail yard and industrial area has been turned into a green space used as a gateway to the city for all the cruise ships coming to visit us.

It is difficult to understand why some councillors did not see the opportunity or made some disingenuous negative comments against the idea.

Luckily a majority of city councillors and the mayor understood and saw the potential, voting to preserve this park which is used in summer as a place to relax and in the winter as a skating rink. It would have been a terrible mistake and a step backwards in the beautification of our capital if it had not been saved.

Charlottetown is known for its waterfront and this park will only enhance the quality of life for us all. Kudos to Coun. Mitch Tweel who lobbied for this park to be preserved and thank you to the other councillors for their support. Laurent Beaulieu,

Resident of Ward 1, Charlottetown