Council adds lands to urban park
Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Uxbridge council passed a resolution Monday declaring almost eight acres of municipal land surplus and conveying the property to the new Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park.
The land transfer will connect the Timbers tract to provincial lands between Wagg Road and Goodwood Road, near Woodnewton.
Mayor Dave Barton said the move is about providing "connectivity" between the township's trail system and the urban park.
The resolution was passed after Chief Administrative Officer Kristi Honey provided council with a report on the township's response to the province regarding the preliminary management plan. In the report, Honey said the township has asked, among other things, that any built infrastructure on the park be placed as close to the urban centre as possible, that Ontario Parks work with Uxbridge on a tourism support program, that a fully accessible trail loop be established and that consideration be given to providing future access locations and parking areas.
Earlier in the meeting, councillor Willie Popp reminded attendees that an urban park open house will be held at the township offices tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 p.m.
Another park on council’s radar at the moment is the King Street parkette. During Monday’s meeting, council received two pieces of correspondence urging that the King Street parkette be saved, which the township has declared surplus and for sale.
One of the letters was accompanied by a petition signed by almost 70 people who want to see the parkette preserved. Both letters were "received" with no comment.
In a deputation to council, local residents Hanno Rein, a professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough campus, and Carly Davenport, head of Bird Friendly Uxbridge, promoted the idea of establishing a special "dark sky" pad in the township to provide a night sky viewing area free of light pollution.
The pair said such a viewing area could attract visitors from the Toronto area, noting that many drove to the Uxbridge area to see the recent displays of the Northern Lights. They suggested the site could be located in the new urban park or at the Glen Major trail head.
They said installing an area would be low cost, since it could consist of as little as a small concrete or gravel pad or could be enhanced with barriers to screen out car headlights and supply a power source for telescopes.
Rein and Davenport pointed out that they were just presenting the idea for now and looking for council support, Popp moved that the information provided be relayed to staff for consideration.