Please, restore our access to Stadacona Park

As I cycled along Pandora Avenue, adjacent to Stadacona Park, I was surprised to see fencing, apparently installed to deter “campers” from interfering with the installation of a new (unbelievably expensive) play area.

Our family have lived in the neighbourhood for 45 years. Formerly, especially with our young children, we made enjoyable use of the park and appreciated the continuing maintenance by city workers.

The city-wide park maintenance continues and is much appreciated, but current parents of young children stay away from Stadacona due to an endemic of “campers” in the park.

Needles, human excrement and aggressive/erratic behaviour have cast a pall over Stadacona and other city parks, despite “rules” designed to contain said activity.

Personally, I make a point of transiting the park at every opportunity: “use it or lose it”, is my city park motto. But I am a type Alpha male.

A new footpath with lighting and recent new signage in Stadacona is much appreciated, but does nothing to address the current situation.

As a homeowning taxpayer (just got a bill for almost $5,000) I support the cost to properly, appropriately and inclusively, maintain the city parks, etc.

Paradoxically, in future, we will be able to enjoy Stadacona Park and the new (inordinately expensive) play area with our grandchildren and other grand/ other kids, if only the “campers” were not there.

No amount of window dressing will resurrect a former community resource. Something needs to be done, to coin a phrase. The current arrangement does not work for those who pay the bills.

The federal, provincial and municipal (to a lesser extent), authorities have abdicated responsibility for all aspects of mental health, no matter the cause.

We would like to have our park back for the enjoyment of all community members: homeowners, renters, transients, maybe even with people experiencing bouts of mental health and the like.

Mark Bateman Victoria