Saving Topaz Park rubble ‘ridiculous’: councillor

Rubble has no place in city parks, say Victoria councillors who decided Thursday to have work crews finish demolition of three tennis courts in Topaz Park.

“Our job is to manage the assets of the city in the most reasonable way for most of the citizens,” Coun. Geoff Young said.

“The idea that we want to maintain a pile of rubble in a park is absolutely ridiculous. … We want to make this park look as attractive as it can be and be as usable as it can be.”

With asphalt buckling from tree roots, the courts were closed for safety reasons in 2013.

In the spring, when machinery was moved in to start demolishing the courts and fencing, work was halted when a couple of protesters intervened. City staff met with nearby residents and found some distrustful of the city. They wanted the rubble left as a means of holding the city accountable to replace the courts.

There were also worries that if the tennis courts were removed and grass planted in their place, the area will be used by tenters.

In July 2015, the city floated the idea of using Topaz Park as a designated camping area for homeless people, which prompted hundreds of Hillside-Quadra residents to stage a protest in the park.

Councillors agreed Thursday with staff recommendations to work with the community to develop a Park Improvement Plan for Topaz Park and complete the removal of the old tennis courts and surrounding fence.

“I understand the emotion that goes with this and why people don’t trust the city on this one and it’s more about the council table than staff,” said Coun. Chris Coleman.

“But I think that our job is to make this usable and workable for the community in the future.”

“I see no reasonable reason to leave a pile of rubble in a park,” Coun. Jeremy Loveday said.

Only Coun. Ben Isitt, community liaison to the neighbourhood, voted against completing the removal of the old courts.

“Originally I was saying: Do you really want an eyesore in your park?” Isitt said.

“But the message that came through crystal clear is: ‘We want the rubble and the fencing until the project is complete and until we’ve had our say and until council has decided on what the park upgrade plan looks like.’ ”

Director of parks Thomas Soulliere said there appears to be strong support in the community for replacement courts but that would be confirmed through the improvement plan process.

Because of mature trees in the area, the existing location is not considered a good site for replacement tennis courts.

Isitt said there’s a concern in the community that by clearing the rubble and planting grass the city is opening a back door to a homeless tenting area.

“I don’t need reminding that a tent city in this location was not a good idea. I never supported it and I am pleased that the neighbours made their opinions clear,” said Young, who was the only councillor to vote against that idea.

“As we now know, a tent city would have been disastrous here — as disastrous as it was [on the courthouse lawn]. The only exception being is that the city would have been responsible for all of the costs rather than only some of them.”