DEVONWOOD DREAM
Candidate wants unique library
Ward 9 candidate Kieran McKenzie says he put two ideas together and came up with building a nature centre/library connected to “this beautiful little forest, literally in the heart of the ward.”
It’s a concept that he says is garnering positive reactions as he goes door-to-door in growing Ward 9, the only one of 10 wards without both a library and community centre. He said he regularly hears about the lack of a library branch and community centre. “It comes up on doorsteps,” he said. Meanwhile, one of the focal points of Ward 9 is Devonwood Conservation Area, a 94-acre urban forest off Division Road that — according to its owner the Essex Region Conservation Authority — probably has a greater diversity of oak trees than any woodlot in Canada. It’s a wonderful natural area that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves, McKenzie said.
“I just put those ideas together,” said McKenzie, who came within 177 votes of unseating incumbent Coun. Hilary Payne in the last election four years ago. “We don’t have a library or community centre, but we have this beautiful heritage feature in the ward. Over and over again, I haven’t come across a person who didn’t get excited about the idea.”
He quickly added he doesn’t mean the city should plunk down a building in the middle of the forest. Rather, he’s talking about using some property adjacent to the woodlot — either owned by the city or purchased from a private owner — and working with ERCA to link Devonwood to this new nature centre/library.
“What I know is the people I’m hoping to represent are supportive of this type of community investment.”
Payne, who’s seeking re-election, said he’s been working since he was first elected in 2010 to bring a library and community centre to the ward. “There’s a heck of a lot of new subdivisions with kids, so there’s a real need,” said Payne. At one point he was trying to get a library branch at Devonshire Mall and then at the Roundhouse Centre.
“No matter how hard I pushed I could just not get them to move on it.Themosttheywoulddoissend a bookmobile around.” Recently, Payne has met with the consultants creating a recreational master plan for the city. Council approved $200,000 for the master plan after Ward 8 Coun. Bill Marra tried but failed at budget time to get $566,000 approved to start the ball rolling for a $6-million community centre in his ward, to be attached to the existing Fontainebleau library.
Council decided it needed to study the city ’s recreational needs and come up with a solid plan before it started approving new community centres. The master plan is supposed to be done next year.
Windsor Public Library is in the midst of a construction spree. It recently built a new branch in South Walkerville ($2.5 million), is converting a century-old firehall into a branch in Sandwich ($5.5 million), and is doubling the size of its Budimir branch in South Windsor. It is also selling its downtown main branch to the Downtown Mission with plans to move to a temporary location in the new city hall until it can move into a permanent home. Ward 9 is the city’s largest ward, because it includes thousands of acres taken up by Windsor Airport and the former Sandwich South lands south of the airport. That land is slated for eventual development, including new homes for 13,500 residents. Its boundaries are E.C. Row to the north, the Town of Tecumseh to the east, Highway 401 to the south and Dougall Avenue to the west.
We don’t have a library or community centre, but we have this beautiful heritage feature in the ward.
“Ward 9 is doing quite well except for this glaring lack of a library and community centre,” Payne said.
ERCA general manager Richard Wyma said he hadn’t heard about McKenzie’s proposal, but added that anything that would encourage more visitors and increased awareness of Devonwood would be great, as long as the plan doesn’t involve development within the park.
“We think Devonwood is a great conservation area, I think it’s one of those little gems people don’t know about right in the heart of the city,” he said.
“It’s a pretty neat spot and it would be great if more people wouldgetachancetogooutand be there.”
McKenzie said his idea is in the very early stages. At this point, he’s just hoping to get people talking about it.
“I think we’re at the beginning stage of something that could be really, really amazing.”