The Mayor of Monmouth

The Latest Noooz Bits From Around Town.

2023-11-14T17:22:00.000-05:00

Lots of Change Past Present and Future

Old Walkerville and Windsor have seen a lot of change over the years but now it's coming pretty rapid fire. Stay tuned for a rapid run through as we head towards the New Year of 2024. Definitely a town with serious drip.

Walkerville History Uncovered only to be Buried Again

2016-07-31T21:32:00.002-04:00

Century Old Walkerville cobbles discovered after stripping asphalt away. Click to enlarge.

Niagra Street is currently in the process of getting a much needed face lift. Newer curbs were installed over a decade ago and the street has been on the short list for new asphalt for almost as long. The Giorgi construction crew uncovered the well preserved, original road pavers that date back to Hiram Walker's day in his corporate town known as Walkerville. Over twenty years ago when Monmouth Road was resurfaced the same pavers were under a concrete decked road along with rails from an old trolley line that connected Wyandotte and Ottawa streets. Also unearthed were the original wooden mash pipes (lathed from water resistant cypress wood) that transported grain mash from the distillery on Riverside Drive all the way out to Walker Farms on the northern edge of Windsor Airport.

Several Monmouth Roadies asked if they could have some of the pavers for landscaping projects but were told by the contractor that the bricks will once again be covered over with asphalt. Not the best solution for asphalt longevity but no one is complaining because the much needed pavement will quiet down the continuous noise assault from the rattling undercarriages of vehicular traffic.

The same pavers from Monmouth Road used for landscaping projects.

If the city of Windsor wants to contribute a much needed and cost effective neighbourhood improvement they might take this opportunity (while the contractor is there) to cut the pavement out of the south boulevard between Monmouth and Walker to bring it back to it's original grassed and treed glory (see upper left corner of road picture). This would make the gateway to Willistead Park from Walker Road that much more inviting by reestablishing the tree'd and grassed boulevard that were originally there. It would also reduce some serious heat island issues.

Hot asphalt will be laid down starting tomorrow. If you want to witness history come and go again head over to Niagra Street between Walker and Monmouth Roads. Although the old street pavers still appear to be in good form they are not. Their composition is a compressed slurry of what appears to be slag (perhaps from an ancient foundry). They are gritty, full of cracks and crumble easily. They have been paved over at least a couple of times before and the asphalt life cycle under that condition seems to be about 25 years. The pavement develops cracks that establish along the bond pattern of the original bricks. We can expect this to happen yet again. Hopefully the next time they repave Niagra Street they will pull them up as they did on Monmouth and put in a new and proper road bed that will foster a better half life.

Niagra is a very utilitarian street that services not only Old Walkerville but all of the neighbourhoods between Walker and Howard Avenues. It is an east/west thoroughfare which brings locals to work and back every day. It is heavily used. Neighbours who live along the street will tell you that it is noisy with traffic, especially because of the poor condition of the road over the last decade or so. They will also tell you that although the brick bonded streets are charming and interesting to see, the more modern and much quieter paving material is preferred. "Kind of like our historical homes" one neighbour said. "We work very hard at maintaining the historical nature but we are also not afraid to use more modern, safer and efficient materials where they count." Some pragmatic words.

Monmouth Renovation from 1990 Lost and Found

2016-04-06T15:02:00.003-04:00

1990 Monmouth Renovation Noticed

Published in Select Homes and Food October 1990

Please click on image to enlarge

From a dusty cardboard box discovered on cleaning day April 6, 2016. This article is about just one of many renovations from the early Monmouth Road days. The re-gentrification of Monmouth Road started in 1984. At that time, a handful of auspicious characters took a chance on a street that, until that year, had been pretty much left for dead. Many believe that the revitalization of this street was the trigger for a renewed interest in Old Walkerville as a whole including it's retail district along Wyandotte East. Row houses along the 800 block of Monmouth started to get purchased by some pretty risk-taking individuals with long-shot expectations. Neighbourhood improvements were a part of that push and still are as of today. This is just one story about just one of those renovations as written by Diane McDougall. Please click on the image to enlarge.

"Falling"

2014-10-17T21:44:00.002-04:00

Tis that season once again. The fall colours, they are a coming. The trees in Old Walkerville are just starting to turn. Now's the time to put on your most comfortable fall gear and your favorite walking shoes. Don a camera if you can and start snapping this year's colourful scenery. The stuff that makes Old Walkerville so..."must see" this time of year. Here are some pics to start you off on your "falling" journey:

The beginning of "Falling" in Old Walkerville.

See you out there!

"WILLISTEAD GATE" AND MICELLI'S SECRET REPORT

2014-09-20T08:40:00.000-04:00

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

Serpentine Locks of Medusa

The blatant arrogance of Miceli to the simple request of Howard Weeks asking to be advised of the content of a report Miceli says was requested by The Heritage Committee, apparently knows no bounds. Unquestionably, his ego has grown so large that he honestly believes that he is a member of hegemony and who, like Mayor Eddie, can force his agenda on any person who comes along and has the audacity to question him. He states that Weeks is “suggesting that I am denying the public’s right to know”; that Weeks demanded “that I provide you with a copy of a report that has yet to be made public.” He accuses Weeks in words implying ignorance on the part of Weeks, and is “alarmed” that Weeks does “not seem to understand the severity of such a request…” And he concludes with. “I ask you to please summarize what changes you are “alarmed” by at Willistead that were not addressed in the plan available for public review on the City’s website or what was discussed at the Public Meeting of the Heritage Committee held on the January 8th, 2014 whereby you appeared as a delegation?”

In truth, the bully type of ranting Miceli expressed in his reply constitute nothing more than a pitiful reply of a person who has been caught with his hands in the cookie jar, and whose only aim is to spring the plans of himself and Marshall on an unsuspecting public. Well Miceli, you are indeed denying the public’s right to know, and your condescending reply to Weeks speaks volumes against your managerial skills and diplomacy. Your attempts at putting Weeks on the defensive by asking him to enumerate problems not addressed or discussed at a Heritage Committee meeting and not having any knowledge of what is contained in your “secret report” only confirms that you may have something to hide or, at the very least, it is in your best interests for the public not to know prior to the November meeting of the Committee (Will you be there? If so, I want to challenge your standing to address the Committee when you are no longer an employee of, or resident of, the City of Windsor. Perhaps you should send Clement or Marshall.) Why do you find such a simple request for information “alarming,” or of a nature that any member of the public shouldn’t be allowed to ask?

Now I am in a position to discuss the content of your “secret report” with Weeks, with the other Ward 4 candidates, and with the concerned members of the public. Miceli, in an earlier reply stated that the report only dealt with seeking the approval for a pedestrian gate to be installed beside the main gate on Niagara Street. That is simply not a true statement and one that is intended to be misleading and put an end to the simple request. In fact, the “secret report”, while it does request approval for a new pedestrian gate, also includes approval to construct an “accessible route to be connected to the new pedestrian gate” and plazas at each of the other pedestrian gates. It may include, or a request will be withheld for a future presentation, elements such as benches and lighting for all of the serpentine locks of Medusa (instead of roadways, we may in the future have to refer to them as airport runways). Miceli’s henchmen will later have to request from council additional funding over the $400,000.00 already granted because, as he states in a report submitted to the Heritage Committee on January 8^th, the effects on the budget cannot be determined at this time. We can be reasonably satisfied that it has long ago exceeded the $400,000.00 approved due to the accelerated work to get the pathways done before Art-in-the-Park and the Beer Tent Festival; the extra trucks, extra labourers, and, oh yes, all of the rented equipment to get the job done.

Now here is where we get down to the nitty-gritty as to what was discussed or not discussed, and what was obscured from view unless you thoroughly examined the plan to determine what Miceli and Marshall had in mind (and we have absolutely no guarantee that the approval being sought at the November Heritage Committee meeting concludes what is in the Daring Duo’s proposed plans or for what approval will be sought in the months to come. What were not discussed in detail were the proposed pedestrian gateway and the accessible route to the manor. Was it included in the report and plan? – YES. Could those attending the meeting be aware of this if it wasn’t specifically discussed and if the details of the hidden aspects on the plan weren’t specifically discussed? – NO. Don’t forget, all of these features were deferred to a future meeting for discussion and approval. That meeting is in November; it wasn’t to be discussed on January 8^th.

If you go to the following website, and I quite strongly urge you to do so because what I am about to tell will be revealing and even fun, you will see the plan of the proposed changes to Willistead (Don’t forget, Miceli says this was all available to the public for almost a year now. Would you know how to navigate your way around the cryptic website to see this document?):

http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/parksandofrestry/Parks-Development/Documents/Proposed_Pathways.pdf

Here is where the fun comes in to play. The plan consists of many “layers” on top of each other until the desired final drawing is completed. To the left of the colourful plan you will see a legend which sets out the identity of each and every layer. And, to the left of each layer’s description, there exists a check box. You can click on any of the layers, the mark will disappear, and that layer will be “dropped” from the plan. To some of you, like David Hanna, this is old hat. Here is what you do:

Step 1: Identify the legend and various layers of the plan;

Step 2: Click to the left of “tree” and “hatch”. All trees should have disappeared and you will have a clear view of the broken red line;

Step 3: Click on “accessible route” and the broken red line will disappear showing what has been hidden underneath;

Step 4: Click again on “tree”, “hatch”, and “accessible route”. The plan will once again appear as when you first saw it.

When you first open the plan you will see a broken red line which leads from the proposed new gateway all the way to the parking lot, the manor, the circular sidewalk at the south end of the parking lot, then in front of the Coach House to the pathway leading to Chilver Road, and finally out the Chilver Road gate. What you are looking at is nothing more than a broken red line showing how people can walk around the park from the proposed gateway. This is the only view of the drawing available and the one presented to the Committee on January 8^th. Believe me when I say that members of the Committee didn’t have at hand the necessary computers, and certainly persons from the public didn’t have them, to play around with the legends aspects. And Miceli certainly didn’t explain what the dashed red line hid. You, almighty sages and seers, are attributed the ability by Miceli to have x-ray vision to see what’s under the broken red line and to know what lay in the mind of both he and Marshall. Yet he dares to tell you and Weeks that it was all presented over a year ago. Was it?

If you have done what I described above, then you probably have guessed what I am going to tell you the “secret report” contains. For those of you who have not gone to the site, you will now find below three versions of the proposed plan. The first shows the plan as presented on the website with the dashed red line; the second shows the plan with all of the trees and obstructions removed; the third shows the plan with the dashed red line removed.

Plan as it appears on the website and presented to Committee

Same plan without the trees and clutter.

Same plan without the dashed red line.

Voila! Do you see the pad at the proposed site of the new pedestrian gate? Do you see what else is being sought approval for – a new asphalt path of similar width to the others leading from the gateway pad to two of Methuselah’s serpentine locks; and do you see what appears to be an narrower (don’t count on it because we have seen in the immediate past how proposed pathways to be between six feet and ten feet wide became ten feet to twelve feet in width) new walkway to the east side of the driveway leading to the Manor’s Courtyard? Do you remember any of this being explained in detail to you at any of the public meetings or at the January 8^th meeting of the Heritage Committee? Of course you don’t because it wasn’t. It was deferred to a future time (November). And by telling you that all of this was available then, it is a deliberate attempt on the part of Miceli to direct attention away from a simple request for information and to keep secret from the public what is contained in his secret report (By the way, I don’t believe for one minute that the Heritage Committee ever requested Miceli to prepare such a report. He had to prepare the report to get approval.).

Do you see the small flared out sections at the other pedestrian gates? These are the concrete plazas that no doubt approval is being requested for in the “secret report.”

Do you also see the semi-circular bumps in the serpentine locks of Methuselah? No, they are not warts; I am guessing that these are concrete pads upon which future benches will be placed. These may or not be included in the report (If you recall, Miceli has stated that the report only concerns the pedestrian gates.). But don’t be surprised if they are included.

Miceli may have also contained a request for approval to replace the main gates on Niagara Street so there is the ability for them to be securely closed and locked. More public control! And why do I say that you may ask. Here’s why. Have you ever seen or tried to close and secure the main gates? I have closed them and the gates cannot be secured; they don’t even meet in the centre because there is a significant gap between the two sections of approximately 21.2 feet as I measured it. Take a look below:

Main entrance gates closed.

If nothing else, this does give credence to Miceli’s statement that a pedestrian gate did historically exist and that it was removed when the driveway was widened. My guess is that the original gates had a gate similar to, and built into the gates. By the way, see the four pillars. Micelli is on record stating that these will not be removed or altered in any way.

Miceli complains that pedestrians walking on the driveway pose a risk both for them and motorists. This is how he justifies the addition of the new asphalt walkway on the east side of the driveway leading towards the Manor.

The driveway measures twenty-five feet in width at this point and generally except for where it meets the parking lot which branches out in westerly and southerly directions (it is twenty-eight feet in width there). By comparison, Chilver Road, Devonshire Road, and Niagara Street, also measure approximately twenty-five feet in width. Where allowed, the streets have the capacity for a row of parked cars along a curb and ample room left over for two passing automobiles. Parking and or “standing” is specifically not permitted on the Willistead driveway; it is a designated fire route. Now correct me if my calculations are wrong, but by comparison, the driveway is wide enough for two automobiles to pass leaving a car’s width free. Couldn’t part of that free space be delineated for pedestrians such as the city delineates bicycle paths on roadways instead of constructing a further ugly, black tentacle to the east of the driveway? Here’s how it looks now:

Southerly view from the proposed pad at new gateway.

If you are familiar with the present walkways as I am certain most of you are here is how the existing walk looks:

View looking north from Manor Gates.

This cobbled stone section might have been intended as an area for disembarking from vehicles and its surface is primarily level with the surface of the parking lot. There is nothing to suggest that vehicles cannot park on this surface and there is ample evidence soiling the stones to suggest that it has been done. There is no reason why parking cannot be prohibited along this section. Also, I cannot find evidence that Miceli intends to suggest that this cobble stone area be removed and supplanted with more black gunk. But who knows? See below:

Tour bus parked on cobble stone path.

This cobble stone pathway terminates at a point where the driveway meets the parking lot. See below:

Terminus of cobble stone path.

In the unadorned picture of the plan, you will see that there exists a “break” in the curb line. That may be simply an anomaly in rendering the layer, or it possibly could indicate change that approval is being sought for. In other words, does the accessible route from the tentacle directly across from the Gate House to that “break” represent a further construction of an asphalt walkway to the point where the cobble stone portion ends, or does the “secret report” contain other yet to be identified recommendations. Miceli won’t tell you. He’s keeping that a secret even though he blatantly states that all proposed changes have been obvious for almost a year now. Sure they have!

Important: From all of the changes that Miceli states were so patently obvious for the past year or so, where is it that I can find the requests for, and the approval for all of the electrical facility that has been added to the park such as the four electrical stanchions strategically placed around the park, and the 220-240 volt electric outlet installed in the main east pillar to the main entrance. For what use and purpose do you intend that? And why was it necessary to unbolt the small section of fence located in the space between the two pillars on the east side of the driveway? And why haven’t the bolts been replaced? What does your “secret report” have to say about that?

I have covered the proposed new pedestrian gateway, the accessible route and what you intend to do so that a path extends from the proposed pad at that gateway to the two tentacles of Methuselah, the concrete plazas to be constructed at the other pedestrian gates, the semi-circular concrete pads upon which you eventually (oh, I forgot, you won’t be here will you) intend to place benches, lighting for the airport runways, the missing section between the main gates which doesn’t permit the gates to be closed and secured (Giovanni, I have a feeling that the 220-240 volt electrical circuit and the controlling device already installed may be intended to control automatic gate closures for when the main gates are replaced. Is that in your report?), and I previously discussed the two very large sections of fencing that have not been replaced on Devonshire Road and Chilver Road.

Now what Mr. Miceli was so patently secret about what may be in your report that you couldn’t have conveyed it to Howard Weeks and the candidates for Ward 4. Now everybody knows (or do they?).

Miceli, have I missed anything? Oh yes I have! Where is your recommendation that someone goes on top of the Gate House to remove the tree growing out of the chimney (do they still call them smoke stacks?)?

Tree growing out of chimney flue.

I wish you God speed to your next job, John. I mean, hurry up and go!

THE PLOT THICKENS AND SECRECY ABOUNDS

2014-09-14T22:03:00.001-04:00

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

The purpose of this article is to expand on the previous one entitled MSSRS. MICELI AND MARSHALL ARE AT IT AGAIN, due to additional information I have along with photographic evidence which serves to support what the “Daring Duo” are really up to.

You will recall that Miceli stated that The Windsor Heritage Committee requested that a report be authored “dealing with the details of the gate and the entrances to the park from Devonshire, Richmond, Chilver and the main gate on Niagara.” Miceli doesn’t say to whom the request for this report was sent, nor has he produced a copy of said request. Neither does he state whether the request was in writing, or simply a verbal request. Was the request sent to Miceli at the Dept. of Parks, or to Marshall and the Board of Willistead Manor, or to both? If it was a verbal request by the Committee, who from the Committee communicated the request and to whom did the individual speak to? The Heritage Committee has been involved with the E. Chandler Walker property for approximately forty years. Surely it has sufficient information on file in its own records to know the answer to the request. Frankly, any reasonable person walking around the perimeter of the park could provide the details being requested. Any member of the Committee could do the same. Therefore, if the request was actually made by the Committee, specifically for what purpose and why did it want the information? On the other hand, perhaps The Heritage Committee didn’t make such a request in the first place. Perhaps this is yet another instance whereby Mssrs. Miceli and Marshall have concocted a further plan to control their intended commercialization of the Willistead Park and Manor. But they will produce a copy of the request. Won’t they?

Miceli has stated that the report has been completed and we have now learned that he has said that it will be presented to The Heritage Committee for its approval at the November meeting of the Committee. Miceli also refuses to produce a copy of the report until it is presented to the Committee as it is his practice not to release such things to the public in advance. In fairness, the following is an excerpt from an open communication between Miceli and Howard Weeks who is a hopeful candidate to become the Councillor for Ward 4. In other words, another politician:

Howard Weeks

4:14pm Sep 10

A response from Mr. Miceli : Thank You Howard. The report is scheduled to go to the November Heritage Committee meeting. It is not our practice to release the report to the public before the members of the committee receive it so at the present time I cannot accommodate your request. Perhaps you can make an appointment to come see me and we can discuss the report and I can answer your questions. My Response: Hi John, I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you to discuss the report. Just let me know when and where. Howard

“Come see me and we can discuss the report.”

Miceli states that he can’t release the report to the public but he is willing to discuss it with Weeks. Is not Weeks just a member of the public? Since Miceli is apparently prepared to give special status to a candidate running for Ward 4, is he also prepared to extend such confidence to the other candidates running in the Ward who, like Weeks, are simply members of the public vying for the same position? Do not the other candidates have the same interest in matters affecting Willistead, and are they not entitled to the same deference as Miceli is prepared to extend to Weeks? If Miceli doesn’t want the public to know what is in the report but is willing to discuss it with Weeks, will this budding politician release in detail everything that he learns from the report to the public or will he, too, decide that the secrecy should prevail until the Committee meeting? My bet is that he won’t release a factual thing from the report other than “politician speak” as Miceli has already done: “Our plan is to add a pedestrian gate on Niagara which was part of the original gates to the Manor.” I still want to see the proof he has for that statement because, believe me, I can find no evidence of such a gate, and even if I could, what is the sudden misplaced desire on the part of the Committee or the Daring Duo to restore Willistead to its original appearance and condition? Miceli and Marshall want to add a gate alright, but it isn’t solely because there might have originally been one, and it certainly isn’t because The Heritage Committee wants to restore the original condition of the Manor and its grounds. We have already seen proof of that in what the Committee allowed the Daring Duo to do with the asphalt roadways.

Here is what I believe the Duo wants authorization for, and what they have already set into motion to accomplish it. To refresh your memory, here is a photograph of the existing conditions where they want to install the gate.

Proposed location for new pedestrian gate.

Please note the following about this proposed site:

A gravel bed has already been laid to accommodate an asphalt or concrete pad which would lead pedestrians from the southern Niagara sidewalk into the park and directly back to the existing driveway, a distance of perhaps twenty feet (Why not let them continue to use the driveway as they have for decades?). I have used a probe in numerous places in this gravel bed to determine whether or not there is evidence of any pre-existing bed. There is not;
No evidence is seen of an existing column to the right of this photo which would have been necessary to support what Miceli states existed in the past. All other existing gates in the park have “concrete” columns or a rectangular open frame iron column which matches the fencing.
New electrical conduit has been installed tapping into the existing electrical power used to operate the lamps situated on top of the main column. Also installed is a remote sensor at the top of the conduit which apparently is intended to activate/de-activate the electricity to a GFCI protected receptacle, said receptacle being of the type approved by the Hydro Dept. to accommodate 220-240 volts of electricity. A special plug is required to access this receptacle which has one prong shaped in the form of the letter “T” lying on its side. That does not mean the circuit is actually wired for that much voltage, and it probably is not since I can’t believe that the main lamps on top of the columns operate on 220-240 volts of electricity. It was probably done to prevent the public from attempting to get free electricity. However, I am certain that Miceli or Weeks will advise us as to the nature of the circuit and what it is intended for (or will they?).
The two existing columns on the left are approximately sixteen inches apart or sixty-seven centimeters. Between them is a small section of fencing which is obviously original. All of the bolts have been removed from that section of fencing and the panel is simply held in place by its friction fit to the two columns. You can easily remove that panel and put it back. I know because I did it and I have the photographic evidence.

Small section of fence just hanging there. Top left bolts removed.

I have four such photos re the bolts.

Here is what I surmise that the Daring Duo wants The Heritage Committee to approve:

They want approval to finish the gateway bed with an appropriate material be it concrete or asphalt;
They want approval to move the smaller of the two columns to the right or easterly side of the intended entrance, and/or they seek the approval to move the existing column to the westerly limit of the proposed gateway, and to construct a new, similar column on the easterly side of the proposed new gateway;
They seek approval to have constructed a new gate using the materials from the existing fence that has been removed;
They seek approval for the installation of appropriate security mechanisms to permit the gate to be securely closed and to prevent access by the public except for when Art-in-the-Park or the Beer Tent Festival or other venues exist which require an admission fee to be paid (all part of their commercialization plans).
Whether or not they ultimately seek approval in the future for barbed wire to be installed atop the existing fencing around the entire park and security cameras and warning devices in case of an intruder remains to be seen.

And exactly how will Miceli and Marshall justify this additional gate? They may perceive the public so gullible (as they have in the all too nearby past) to say that the main purpose is to control vandalism in the park. How dare they! They didn’t see that as a viable reason for not installing the asphalt roadways all over the park; the attitude was come who may and the more the merrier. Do not be fooled. The sole purpose is to control access to this public park by the public when their pet money making ventures are being held and when they want to make even more money by charging an admission fee. The gateway will make a far more narrow entrance for people to be admitted to those events and, try as they may, no free-loading Windsorite will be able to sneak into those events without having paid the required admission charge.

Oh, but wait just a darn minute! The Committee meeting to which the report has been tabled will be held in November. Miceli will have abandoned his post on October 17^th, and will no longer be in the employ of the City of Windsor. Will he leave his new cushy job as CAO with the Town of Amherstburg to attend the meeting and make the presentation? I wouldn’t count on his return to face the music about the report and the questions it raises. And if he did, why on earth would he be given standing? He’s not even a Windsor resident. Yes, I know, he is one of the Daring Duo and instrumental in all of the secrecy surrounding the projects implemented in Willistead Park in the last couple of years. Personally, I would love the opportunity to cross-examine him if he makes the presentation; not just about the report but to whom he has been awarding the projects to on a “pay-as-you-go” basis (much more on that in a few weeks).

Now all of the asphalt in the park is complete (or is it?), and all of the large machinery and dump trucks are gone (or are they?). What else might Miceli’s report contain that his secret approach hasn’t alluded to?

There continues to exist two large portions of fencing which have not been replaced, nor has the gravel bases which were used by the heavy dump trucks to enter the park to discharge or pickup their loads. One is located on the mid-east side of the park on Kildare Road; the second is located on the west side of the park on Chilver Road. Here are the photographs of the two sections missing:

Easterly view of missing fence and gravel drive on Chilver.

Westerly view of missing fence and gravel drive on Devonshire.

Sections of fencing were removed from each of these sites to permit the ingress/egress of trucks and large equipment installing the drainage materials and ugly asphalt roadways, or as I prefer to call them, “The serpentine locks of Methuselah.” But one is to assume that all of the work in that regard has been completed because that is all Council approved. That being true, why is it that all of the gravel hasn’t been removed, the grass sod replaced in the park and boulevards, and why hasn’t the fencing been replaced? Could it possibly be that the Daring Duo, cloaked in all of their secrecy, also seeks approval to construct new driveways on both roads to permit more ingress/egress by automobiles into the park?

For those residents who have resided in the area for many years and prior to when public approval for expansion of the Manor’s parking lot was sought, you may have also attended the public meeting that was held in the Coachhouse. The City didn’t just seek public approval for expansion of the parking lot; it also sought public approval to install another driveway to permit vehicles to exit onto Chilver Road. The public outcry was deafening, so much so that the request to do so was abandoned and the City promised never to construct or seek permission to construct such a driveway again. That was then, and this is now. The principled persons of the time are no longer involved leaving Councillor Hillary Payne (he was one of the presenters) and Councillor Fulvio Valentinis (he is currently on The Heritage Committee). Therefore, given those facts, it is most highly unlikely that any promises made then will be kept or even admitted to (what happened to the detailed minutes that were made for that public meeting?). Although a lame duck, we probably still have to deal with Mayor Eddie and the other group of ten toadies who didn’t hesitate to approve the project for the “serpentine locks of Methuselah.” Perhaps they will say that the approval given then included everything that Miceli and Marshall have included in their secret report to be produced in November. Prove it!

This article could include so much more, but I have a deadline to meet for a report dealing with whom Miceli, Marshal, and the City of Windsor has been conducting business with, particularly, but not limited to, projects assigned by Miceli involving Jackson Park and Willistead Park.

It’s your Willistead Park, and it’s your Willistead Manor. Please don’t sit idly by and allow Miceli and Marshall to continue on with the commercialization of same. As the colourful lawyer, Jeffery Feiger says, “If you don’t stand for something, you end up standing for nothing.” Please stand up for something and let your view be amply expressed in the upcoming civic election.

Harold.

MSSRS. MICELI AND MARSHALL ARE AT IT AGAIN!

2014-09-13T08:56:00.001-04:00

By: Harold G. LeBoeuf

Proposed pedestrian gateway next to the main entrance to Willistead.

Now the “Daring Duo” intend to install a “pedestrian gate” adjacent to the existing main entrance to Willistead, and they plan on obtaining approval for this change from The Heritage Committee at its next meeting. Miceli states, “Our plan is to add a pedestrian gate on Niagara which was part of the original gates to the Manor.” That Miceli possesses information about the original gates, perhaps he would be so kind as to supply us with a picture of the original pedestrian gate. As you may conclude in the following, approval of this additional project must be considered a fait accomplis in view of the work that has already been done in this regard, as was the proposal for the labyrinth of serpentine asphalt roadways that now exist throughout the park.

Miceli seems to imply that the sole purpose of the proposed gateway is to restore what he says existed in the beginning. Really! He also states, “We have a report as was requested by the heritage committee dealing with the details of the gate and the entrances to the park from Devonshire, Richmond, Chilver and the main gate on Niagara. The report is complete and we are hoping to have it on the agenda on the next heritage committee meeting.” Do Miceli and Marshall really believe that the public is so gullible as to imply that they, and The Heritage Committee, are keenly interested in restoring the Willistead property to what it originally was after the vile desecration they have accomplished to the grounds? Please produce the report that you say is in your possession, Miceli. Both of them have long since lost any credibility that they may have enjoyed, yet once again they are prepared to ramrod another pet project down the public throats with all of the gall and temerity they can muster.

Then what may be the true purpose of installing such a gateway; to provide easy access to those unfortunate persons who have a physical disability; to enable city vehicles to conduct maintenance in the park? Just who on earth do they think they are kidding? The real purpose must be to control access by the public to this public Willistead Park! There can not be any other legitimate purpose for this maneuver. They, not The Heritage Committee, want the ability to control access to the park when such functions as Art-in-the-Park and their pet beer tent festivals are being held. Apparently they believe that the citizens of Windsor are bound and intent on sneaking onto the grounds of the park on those occasions without paying the precious entrance fees. At those times, they will be able to close and lock the gates to the driveway to ensure that no person enters without paying. What’s next, Miceli and Marshall? Do you plan on installing barbed wire on top of the fencing all around the park? Perhaps installing security alarms and cameras to ensure that you caught everyone could follow at some future point.

I urge the readers to take a closer look at what has already been installed by the Daring Duo’s henchmen and, in spite of anything the two may say the purpose is, come to your own conclusions.

New electrical installation from light standard.

New electrical control.

New electrical outlet next to proposed gate.

Miceli made reference in the foregoing statements about a requested report by The Heritage Committee, and he also suggested that such a gate was present in the original configuration of the fencing surrounding Willistead. Tell us Mssrs. Miceli and Marshall, was all of this new electrical installation also a part of the original configuration that The Heritage Committee is so interested in restoring? And why is the electrical outlet configured for 220-240 volts of electricity? Have you simply used that type of outlet to prevent the general public from stealing electricity using a normal two-prong or three-prong plug, or do you have yet another project in mind?

It really would be nice if, just for once, Miceli and Marshall were totally honest with the public as to what their real intentions are with these changes. They certainly weren’t very candid when it came to the proposed changes for the asphalt roadways. But one must conclude that they are not willing to admit that their sole purpose is commercialization of the Manor and the Park.

And by the way, who authorized the cost for the electrical installation, the base for whatever pad is going to be installed (probably more asphalt or even concrete), the construction of the new gate, etc.? It most definitely wasn’t included in the authorization extended by Council for the roadway labyrinth. Has Miceli got a slush fund he can draw from? Thankfully, Miceli will no longer be with us after mid-October when he takes up his new digs with the Town of Amherstburg as its new CAO. Better them than us! And hopefully, Marshall will take the hint and voluntarily leave his post on the Board of Willistead Manor.

To the current members of Windsor’s Heritage Committee, Councillor Fulvio Valentinis, Lynn Baker, Simon Chamely, Robin Easterbrook, Andrew Foot, Jeffrey Mellow, and Noreen Slack, do not be hoodwinked yet again by the nefarious plans of the Daring Duo. Commercialization of the Willistead grounds and manor as envisioned by these two is not consistent with the preservation of this historical, city gem any more than your authorization for the construction of the hideous asphalt roadways for the benefit of Art-in-the-Park and perhaps other venues was. There is absolutely no need for the construction of this pedestrian gateway other than for the nefarious purposes set out in the foregoing. Please, do what you were appointed to do in good conscious. Don’t feel that it is necessary for you to follow the edicts of Miceli and Marshall. They do not have the best interests of this heritage property in mind.

And finally, I would like to show you what other municipalities and countries are doing rather than using precious natural resources to create ugly asphalt roadways.

Paving machine laying down pavers in perfect herringbone pattern.

If new pathways were really a necessity, and they weren't, it certainly

is much more presentable than ugly wide asphalt roadways isn't it?

And the machine can accommodate many widths automatically.

HIT AND RUN!

2014-07-26T18:03:00.000-04:00

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

I never thought that I would see

So much damage to our trees.

With my most sincere apologies to Mr. Joyce Kilmer

It wasn’t bad enough that John Micelli, Director of Windsor Parks and Recreation, came up with a fanciful plan supported by completely false facts and rational to complete ten foot plus wide asphalt roadways in Willistead Park thereby destroying a city gem, now he has deployed personnel to manicure the grass on the city’s boulevards surrounding Willistead (a normal weekly procedure in the grass growing seasons). But this time, the person operating the large machine not suited for the purpose, apparently threw caution and common sense to the wind and decided to play “bumper cars” with all of the trees circling the park. The ensuing result was that many of the trees sustained damage, some severe damage, and all were left with the tell-tale paint scraped off of the equipment in the process. Additionally, grass near several trees was scraped away leaving nothing but bare ground with exposed and damaged lateral absorbing tree roots. Yes, those roots were damaged as well like those in the park itself.

You might think that this was the end of the stupidity, but guess again. Someone else followed with a gasoline operated “weed-whacker” and used it in such a manner as to create additional damage to the base of the trees and their exposed roots.

John Micelli will probably say that this was completely accidental. Nonsense! At the very best, this was the improper use of equipment not designed for that specific purpose due to its size and configuration and/or the employment of persons lacking the proper training, abilities and good common sense for the task at hand. At the very worst one gets the impression when surveying the damage, that the operators of both pieces of equipment were stoned by the use of drugs and/or alcohol. It’s difficult to imagine another cause that doesn’t involve sheer negligence and culpable behaviour.

And where were the supervisors of these individuals? Does anyone inspect the work performed to determine whether or not something is amiss? One need only go to the first tree to determine that something was indeed wrong.

Traditionally during grass growing periods of the year, the grass on the boulevards has been trimmed using gasoline powered push mowers. That is the equipment of choice for that type of operation. Was this another fanciful brain-storm to substitute inappropriate machinery to do the job?

As will be set out in later articles, something is truly awry at the Department of Parks and Recreation, and it is well beyond time for changes to be made.

When one considers what has transpired with Willistead Park, this is the one time and the one time only (and it should be recorded) that John Micelli and Steven Marshall with all of their hype and misinformation about the plans for Willistead Park wagged the tail of Mayor Eddie, and for the very first time it wasn’t the other way around.

I am including several photographs depicting the damage to the trees occasioned on Friday, July 18^th, 2014. Regretfully space does not allow the inclusion of pictures for all of the trees. Perhaps a walk around the exterior of the park could be added to the Annual Tour of Walkerville.

In the meantime, who is going to tend to those trees that suffered significant damage to their cambium cell layer and their sapwood, so necessary for water moving up to their leaves. How about it, John. Are you going to get someone out there with horticultural tar to mend the damage, or are you just going to let nature take its course and hope for the best outcome? I’m guessing the latter.

Harold G. LeBoeuf

AND MANY, MANY MORE (SAD TO SAY)!

Where Is The Voice Of The People?

2014-06-04T19:38:00.001-04:00

Where Is The Voice Of The People?

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

On April 27^th, 1792, Maximilien Robespierre, a French revolutionary, stated in a speech that, “I am no courtesan, nor moderator, nor Tribune, nor defender of the people: I am myself the people.” Perhaps Mayor Eddie adopted this view when he became a municipal politician, since a review of his decisions and those of his minions certainly are made with the best interests of his administration, of his political friends, of his personal interests and people whom he believes are the elite of mankind. It isn't at all necessary that he consider the Will of the People, because he is the people. Accordingly, anything he deems appropriate is appropriate and it should be unhesitatingly acted upon with gusto.

New pavement in Willistead Park. Photo by Windsorite.ca

Mayor Eddie, being a proud Rotarian and supporter of its pet project, Art in the Park, did not hesitate one moment to give credence to a plan for the Willistead grounds that would construct asphalt roadways, sewers and drainage for the benefit of the Windsor Rotarians’ event at an initial cost to the Windsor taxpayers of $400,000.00; or so they said. But in truth, his own minion, John Miceli of Windsor Parks and Recreation notoriety, told Provincial authorities that the cost would be $460,000.00. But even that was misleading for it did not include various and sundry other changes that were also to be included such as electrical stations to provide free electricity to individuals requiring same at the Rotarian event, ground lighting along the various roadways snaking through the park, landscaping, and other things which are yet to unfold. Rotarians have currently showed up in numbers outlining and identifying sections to be rented to vendors. They will tell you that the white spray paint they are using on the grass doesn't hurt the grass at all. Really?

A few years ago, the Rotarians decided, with the blessing of Mayor Eddie and his entourage, to hold a Beer Festival on the Friday evening prior to Art in the Park. As part of that Festival, arrangements were made for bands to be providing loud music until 11:00 o’clock at night with absolutely no consideration for the fact that this was being held in a quiet, exclusive residential area where people and their families might be sleeping. Do you think that they were satisfied with that? Well guess again, for “I am the people” and his colleagues have arranged for three nights of alcoholic beverages, loud music until 11:00 o’clock at night, boisterous and at times inebriated patrons until an hour randomly to be determined, beginning on the weekend of June 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th, 2014. Yes, you read it correctly - Sunday, June 8^th until 11:00 o’clock at night.

If the above surprises you, consider the fact that they are planning another Beer Festival this year.

So NIMBY you say. Yes, because we are the people who are directly affected by this lunacy; not you. But what about your back yard? What has “I am the people” done for you lately? Has he decided to build a fire hall in a totally residential area of the city with two lane streets, schools, churches and playgrounds will now have fire trucks speeding to fires and endangering your children or your peace of night or the quiet enjoyment of your property? Perhaps in your back yard Mayor Eddie and crew have decided to close on or two fire stations which you relied upon for your peace of mind and the safety of your home? Do you honestly believe that these decisions were made because they were in the best interests of the people? If you answered “yes,” you were right because don’t forget, Mayor Eddie is the people and these decisions were made because they were in his, and his faithful group called Councillors, best interests to make these decisions. After all, how else would the City get even with those damned fire personnel who risk their lives every time they speed out on a call to save yours or your children’s lives, because they had the audacity to be successful at arbitration and earn better wage and working conditions for themselves? How dare they indeed!

Ask the people of Olde Sandwich Towne what happened in their back yards when the Potentate was pushing for DRIC and doing everything in his power to thwart the efforts of the Ambassador Bridge owner to exercise his rights as an entrepreneur when those rights were in conflict with the pet project of the political elite.

Think for a moment. What has happened in your back yard? Or, perhaps, what is scheduled to happen in your back yard because there certainly are more projects in the works with this municipal government.

Indian Road

Do you still want to sit back and idly do nothing but condemn people who are standing up for their rights by suggesting it is just them saying “Not in my back yard?”

A municipal election is soon to be held. Fortunately “I am the people” will not be running for re-election. Many of his other indoctrinated group will be running and they are going to be shouting out the platitudes of how great their administration was, and making promises of how much better they will change our great city if re-elected. And there will be some new people tossing their hat in the ring promising the moon and how much better they will be at the job than the current representatives (a misnomer if I ever heard one).

Absolutely nothing is going to change. We won’t bother to take the time to really evaluate the abilities of the people running for office. We won’t bother to take a serious look at prior decisions they made and how they affected our lives and our city. We won’t bother to remember causes which they became involved in and then, when the going got tough, reversed their position or simply dropped the fight. We won’t bother to examine whether or not these individuals are in the race to satisfy their own personal goals and ambitions or if they are the type of individual who honestly desires to serve the citizens and are intent on speaking their minds honestly and not deviating from what is the right thing to do, not what someone else insists that they do. Simply put, we won’t bother to do anything; hell, we probably won’t even vote!

Or you just may want to consider what Alcuin said in the early fifteenth century that, “The voice of the people is the voice of God.”

Or perhaps you will have the courage to make the necessary changes in our municipal government when you remember the saying from Dickinson in the late eighteenth century, “United we stand, divided we fall.”

Windsor is our city. Every decision made by our municipal representatives affects each and every one of us, one way or another. Every decision is in our back yard!

I, for one, am mad as hell and I am not going to take it any more!

“TAR IN THE PARK”

2014-05-27T19:01:00.000-04:00

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

Tarscape in Willistead is going to be an ugly, expensive mess.

The first annual Tar in the Park will be held on Saturday, June 7^th, and Sunday June 8^th. It will be preceded by a Beer Festival extravaganza on Friday, June 6^th, which is certain to bring loud noise, loud music, boisterous and at times inebriated revelers well into the morning of June 7^th. As in the past, it will greatly disturb the normally serene residential neighbourhood and prevent local taxpaying residents having peaceful and quiet enjoyment of their homes and property in a manner that could be classified as a legal nuisance.

This first annual event is being brought to you at tremendous expense to the taxpaying public by Mayor Eddie Francis, Councillors Drew Dilkens, Jo-Anne Gignac, Ron Jones, Bill Marra, Hillary Payne, Ed Sleiman and Fulvio Valentinis, Director of Parks and Recreation John Miceli, Chairman of the Board of Willistead Manor, Stephen Marshall and the Board Members, and the Rotary Club of Windsor (1918). These promoters of the event have spared nothing in order to make this a tremendous success including the hefty price-tag, trees, grass and the serenity of what was once the beautiful, historical estate of Chandler Walker. We should all show our gratitude and appreciation of those still seeking office when it comes time to vote in the upcoming municipal election.

I hasten to point out that there do exist persons who defied the edict of Mayor Eddie by not casting their vote as suggested they should, and who are worthy of our support. They are Councillors Alan Halberstadt, Irek Kusmierczyk and Al Maghnieh. All three deserve kudos.

Top Ten Reasons You Should Not Support “Tar In The Park”

10. You have already contributed enough money for this event through your tax dollars.

09. You shouldn’t have to pay an admission charge to enter a public park.

08. The tar roadways will be hot and burn your feet.

07. You don’t want to show support for the promoters.

06. Only a very small percentage of the revenue goes to restore the Manor and can never make up for the expense of the project and continuing maintenance.

05. You will not sit idly by and allow them to think this will go away.

04. Historic properties mean something to you and they shouldn’t be defiled.

03. You don’t support promoters who force their Will on the public.

02. Elected officials have a sworn duty to listen to the citizens.

01. Show Mayor Eddie that this is a democracy and not a dictatorship.

Together we can make the first annual event of Tar in the Park the worst attended event since 1978.

Together we can make it understood that Tar in the Park is no longer wanted in this neighbourhood and it is time for the Rotarians to act on their prior threat of changing the venue for this event once and for all.

Together we can make it understood that Beer Festivals in a quiet residential neighbourhood and a public park do not belong and must cease to exist.

Together we can demand an end to those persons who are determined to turn these historic grounds into a money-making amusement park for the benefit of the pet projects of the promoters at the taxpayers’ expense.

Harold G. LeBoeuf.

Part 4: GET YOUR FREE ELECTRICITY NOW!

2014-04-29T18:41:00.000-04:00

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

Where? - - At the Willistead Amusement Park.

Of course, you will have to be a registered vendor for the Rotary Club’s Art In The Park and pay it the appropriate fees; or, you could be a performer who requires electricity instead of your own electrical generator; or you might want to operate some type of booze tent with entertainment for the hootenanny; or you might be a promoter of some other money generating event for the Rotary Club or Willistead Manor such as a carnival attraction or circus, in which case a number of clowns will be provided at no extra cost (sorry, no dogs, other pets or elephants allowed).

“How is this possible”, you might ask, “since this is supposed to be an historical, public, Heritage Park?” Well, Messrs. Miceli and Marshall have worked out a scheme to provide free electricity via four electrical stations situated strategically throughout the park. The cost of all of the underground conduit, electrical cables, controls in the Maintenance Building and upkeep have not been disclosed to anyone. No, Miceli didn’t tell City Council about these plans and Marshall was never in attendance at any of the council meetings to explain what was going on.

If you spoke to any of the workers excavating the trenches and installing conduit and cable, and I did, you would be told that the work was all being done by City employees. There was one City owned truck there sporting the City’s logo on the side. There was also another truck there that didn’t have any identification marks on it whatsoever. I took several pictures of the trench, the conduit, the workers, and the City owned vehicle on the scene without any problem whatsoever. However, when I tried to take a picture of the unidentified truck, a person stood in front of the license plate so I couldn’t take a picture. I literally had to race to the back of the truck to get the picture. But this is just a teaser for a future article in this ongoing saga.

New electrical being installed to accommodate
Art in the Park Vendors and Beer Tent

There was already a “stop work order” for construction in the park resulting from the objections to Councillor Alan Halberstadt by the Save Willistead Park Group. The apparent supervisor of the operation (definitely a City employee) told me that John Miceli had given them their instructions and to proceed with the matter. However, that same gentleman when advised of the stop work order, telephoned Miceli. Miceli told him that the stop work order didn’t apply to this project because it wasn’t a part of the other proposed project involving drainage and pathways. Miceli repeated his instructions and told the Supervisor to continue with the work regardless of what anyone says. For once, Miceli may have been correct. How on earth could the stop work order include the installation of the four electrical stations when in fact no one even knew about this project (except for Miceli and Marshall).

Station 1 (my numbering) is located two hundred and six feet, eight inches (Please don’t ask me for metres and centimetres - that’s a foreign language to me, and my measuring instrument isn’t in metric) due east from the east wall of the Maintenance Building (Washrooms). It is easily viewed from the existing pathway.

These have been installed throughout the park.
Is this to ensure accessibility? Can citizens use it too?

Station 2 is located two hundred and fifty-three feet north by north east from station 1 or twenty-one feet diagonally from the southern most pillar on the southeast corner of the Honourable Paul Martin Gardens. It too is clearly visible from the existing pathway and very close to where the beer tent is setup for the Beer Festival held on the Friday evening before the opening of Art In The Park (coincidence?).

Station 3 is located three hundred and one feet, nine inches in a southerly direction from Station 1. It, too, is clearly visible from the existing pathway.

Station 4 is located in a southwesterly direction two hundred and thirty-four feet, nine inches from Station 3, or four hundred and thirty-two feet, one inch from Station 4 to the small drinking fountain situated on the east wall of the Maintenance Building.

So at the very least, the installation of the four electrical stations requires a minimum length of nine hundred and ninety-six feet, two inches of underground conduit and wiring. But wait, how many more electrical stations to they plan on installing. You won’t get an answer to that question. It is strictly on a wait and see basis.

What is the real cost of this project, and how could it possibly get authority to proceed without prior approval from City Council? Call Micelli at 519-253-2300. Ask for John and pose the question. Or, in the alternative, use these facts and come up with your own guesstimate: five city employees wages for one day just for Station 1; one City owned vehicle; one vehicle not owned by the City; one excavator (owner not known - yet); one or two persons who may or may not be City employees but in control of a vehicle not owned by the City; 996 ' 2" of electrical conduit (absolute minimum); the same amount of electrical cable; four 8x8 wooden posts on which to mount the boxes; four steel electrical boxes; the necessary switches and breakers inside each station; necessary electrical boxes, breakers and switches inside the Maintenance Building; plus the unknown employee hours to install the other three boxes and equipment, trucks, digger machine, etc. I very conservatively came up with a cost of $100,000.00. Ask John when you call him. That number again is 519-253-2300. Oh, and don’t forget to go through the same procedure for any additional electrical station that is installed later.

Mr. Mayor, Councillors, Board of Willistead Manor, Messrs. Miceli and Marshall - What are you thinking?

Harold G. LeBoeuf

Part 3 - TO TREE OR NOT TO TREE - WHAT IS THE QUESTION?

2014-04-28T19:14:00.000-04:00

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

Question 1:
Do you think that any of the workers for Belmont Excavation are certified, trained arborists?

Question 2:
Do you think that Belmont Excavation is a registered corporation or business in the Province of Ontario?

The answer to both questions is “No!”, but the second question requires an in depth explanation and doesn’t mean that there isn’t a legal corporation behind the work being completed in the Park. That explanation will take up several Parts which will follow in due course.

On December 4^th, 2013, I caused correspondence to be sent to the Minister at the Provincial Ministry of the Environment requesting that his Ministry get involved with the proposed project at Willistead Park. The request specifically was for the Ministry to conduct an Environmental Assessment. The matter was referred to Mr. Archie Parastatidis, Senior Environmental Officer for the MOE in the Windsor Area Office. This gentleman (and he truly is a good person) contacted John Miceli at the Windsor Department of Parks and Recreation. After lengthy conversations between the two, Mr. Parastatidis sent me an e-mail, the content of which I will set out completely here because it contains specific information given to the Ministy by Miceli which totally contradicts facts that Miceli presented to the public forums and to the Mayor and the members of City Council. He writes the following:

In response, the proponent of the project described in your December 4th, 2013 e-mail is the City of Windsor. Municipal undertakings, if applicable, follow the Municipal Engineers Association Municipal Class EA (Environmental Assessment) planning process. The Municipal Class EA itself includes a series of Schedules that identify municipal projects subject to the Municipal Class EA. The Municipal Class EA process is a self-assessment process. In all situations where the Municipal Class EA process is applicable to a project, it is the responsibility of the proponent, in this case the City of Windsor, to ensure that the planning process as set out in the Class EA document is undertaken. It would appear that the City of Windsor, as proponent of this project, has determined that this project does not fit any of the projects identified in the Municipal Class EA. This Ministry’s Southwest Region EA Coordinator has reviewed the aforementioned Schedules, and the City’s project as described in your e-mail, and has advised that there is no basis to challenge the City’s interpretation that the Municipal Class EA does not apply to this project.

Municipal Projects that are not subject to the Municipal Class EA would be subject to an Individual Assessment if not exempted by section 5 (2)(a) of Regulation 334, made under the Environmental Assessment Act. Section 5 (2)(a) exempts an undertaking by a municipality if the estimated cost of the project does not exceed 3.5 million dollars. The City has advised this ministry that the estimated cost of the 200mm sewer installation is $225,000 and the estimated cost of the asphalt path and sub-drain is $235,000 for a total estimated cost of $460,000.00. (emphasis mine) As such the project is captured by the exemption afforded by section 5 (2)(a).

Based upon the foregoing, the City’s project as described in your December 4^th, 2013 is not subject to the preparation of a Class Environmental Assessment, no an Individual Environmental Assessment.

Yours truly,

Archie Parastatidis

Senior Environmental Officer

MOE Windsor Area Office.

And here I thought that only lawyers were capable of writing such gobbledygook!

In reply to this I wrote back the following:

Forgive me if I seem confused, but your reply definitely seems to indicate that nothing can or will be done, and the City of Windsor is free to carry out its plans for Willistead Park, and freely go about destroying one-of-a-kind trees in this City and several precious varieties with abandon, and destroy the fauna and habitat for small animals and birds. I honestly thought that our Province had taken a position a long time ago with respect to this kind of damage to our environment, and I am greatly disturbed that your office feels that such an undertaking can be completed with impunity.

I will be reviewing your information with my clients, and I believe that we will proceed with the appropriate Court Action to test the City’s ability to proceed with this type of destruction. If those instructions are received, you will be subpoenaed to give evidence.

Yours truly,

Harold G. LeBoeuf

Barrister and Solicitor.

Hopefully that letter is somewhat easier for you to read!

I had several conversations with Mr. Parastatidis after that letter, and I truly found him to be an honest and extremely helpful individual. He agreed to be a witness is required and offered any other assistance he could.

I have told you that information because it is important to the cause. Firstly, note that Miceli told the officer that the cost of the project was estimated at $460,000.00 with $225,000.00 being for the sewer and $235,000.00 for the asphalt paths and sub-drain. If you had occasion to attend any of the public forums at the Manor, and/or attended the City Council meetings where the project was discussed, you know with certainty that these figures and that breakdown was never presented on any of these occasions. The truth is that these figures to this day have never been mentioned by Miceli to anyone other than the MOE officer. WHY? Now you know from whence I approximated the total cost of the project to be a half a million dollars. I approximated the cost of the electrical stations and pathway lighting and, I must confess, I was probably far too low in my guesstimate. The Department of Parks and Recreation and its director, Mr. Miceli, is the topic of a future installment.

Now about the trees. If you go to the website for Willistead Park, a site that has been updated to include the proposed pathways, you will learn that “The property surrounding Willistead Manor, appropriately name Willistead Park, contains over 300 trees, including Windsor’s only persimmon, a tree native to the southern United States. As well, the park boasts a rare Shumard Oak, several Kentucky coffee trees, London Plane, Chestnut, European Elm and a Tree of Heaven. In the secluded shade of Willistead Manor courtyard garden, visitors can experience the elegance of a true English garden in the Paul Martin Gardens. Lustrous shades of green are reflected in a number of different shrubs, including Oregon Grape, laurel, euonymus, and shiny leafed mahonia. Hot pink, white and red impatiens add sparkle to this quiet, peaceful area.”

I challenge you to try to visit the Paul Martin Garden. You simply cannot. I have had visitors in the park ask me why on earth can’t they go into the garden when it is advertised for visitors. Well, that’s a question for the Board of Willistead Manor. But, I did ask that question to a member of the Board at one of the public meetings and she told me, “We have to keep it locked at all times because of vandalism.”

If you don’t already know, the City’s contractor is preparing to cut down trees that are in the way of the proposed pathways. I watched two members associated with the contractor last Friday (perhaps some of you did as well). They were walking the proposed pathways and marking the trees that had to be cut down. Now I don’t believe that either of these gentlemen are certified arborists because I have seen them doing excavation work and work for the electrical stations. How then do they know which is the rare persimmon, which is the rare Shumard Oak, Kentucky coffee trees, London Plane, Chestnut, European Elm or the Tree of Heaven. I’m betting that they don’t know and probably don’t care. If it’s in the way of the pathways, then they go.

In fairness, the European Elms have long since been decimated by the Dutch Elm disease. What about the others? Who is going to protect such rare trees? It appears that no one is. I don’t know one tree from another (well, I know the oak trees and the fir trees) and I am not a trained arborist.

What on earth are they doing to such a once in a lifetime historical Heritage Park? Why are they doing it? Is it sufficient to say that the pathways are required to benefit Art in the Park so that the Rotary Club will donate more money for the care, maintenance, repairs and restoration of the Manor? If you attended the first public meeting, then you will recall that the Director of Art In The Park rose to his feet and took umbrage at my suggestion that the event be moved to the river front (which the Rotary Club threatened to do just a few short years ago) or to the Ford Test Track where there is already an abundance of asphalt roadways that would more than suit its purpose. He said, “We were never consulted about these changes and we absolutely don’t need the changes for Art In The Park”. The media attending still have the video tape of him saying that. That statement is a far cry from what you heard the Rotary Club tell City Council on the fateful day Council made its decision.

So I ask again, Mr. Mayor, Councillors, Members of the Board of Willistead, what on earth are you thinking?

Please post your thoughts below.

Part 2. DONATION FOR WILLISTEAD'S RESTORATION OR "RENTAL PAYMENT".

2014-04-28T08:07:00.003-04:00

By Harold G. LeBoeuf

The Willistead Heritage Park consists of 15 acres of land (6.07028463 hectares) and is a public park owned by the City of Windsor. For two days of each year, this public park is closed to the public to allow the Rotary Club of Windsor to hold its event called Art In The Park. During this two day period the public is denied the use of the park unless they pay a fee to the Rotary Club to gain admission to its event. Depending on the weather, and not the presence or absence of asphalt pathways, the event is usually very well attended. That fact alone results in a substantial income for the Rotary Club, the actual amount of which is only known to a select few. In addition to the admission charge, the Rotary Club also charges the attending vendors a fee (rent) which depends on the amount of space taken up by their tents, displays, etc. Again, the income generated for the Rotary Club is only know to a select few.

For their private use and control of the Park for the two day period, the Rotary Club donates on average over the thirty-four year existence of the event, the sum of $33,347.65 to the City of Windsor coffers. Altruistically, the donation is made for the maintenance, repairs, and restoration of Willistead Manor and other buildings which originally formed part of the Walker Estate (the Coach House. the Gate House, and a third structure referred to as the maintenance shed and public washrooms [I hope you can hold it!]. The amount of this donation varies from year to year. The Financial Report for 2012 shows that the donation was $31,226.00, and presumably the amount directly depends on the income generated for the Rotary Club. One should ask upon what facts do the donations vary. Obviously weather plays an important part and attendance drops significantly. This has happened on more that one occasion. So, does the donation represent a percentage of the monies generated? And upon what facts is that percentage calculated? Does it represent rent for the use of the property?

Since the average donation is $33,347.65 for the two day event, and the Rotary Club has absolute exclusive use of the Park for those two days, the donation broken down represents a payment of $1,111.59 per acre per day or $2,742.41 per hectare per day. When you look at this from the perspective of the Rotary Club having the absolute control and private use of a public park for the purpose of generating income for its club, the “donation” ends up being “cheap rent”.

A sad fact is that the historic, Heritage Park is not the same after the two day event as it was before the event. Each year the park requires the extensive pick up of garbage and debris. This involves several City of Windsor employees and City vehicles. How much is the cost associated with that aspect? A stock answer would be “nothing, those workers would be paid anyway and the vehicles would be used elsewhere”. Try using that rational if the City must act for by-law infractions for which there is a charge. For instance, if you own property and allow it to become overrun with weeds and tall grass, the City will eventually send out personnel and equipment to cut it all down. And you will then receive a bill for the services performed. Just try saying “those city workers were been paid anyway and the equipment could have been used elsewhere”. Good luck with that one!

The following is taken directly from the 2012 Financial Report:

Combined with the 2012 contribution from Willistead Manor Inc. and the Art-in-the-Park donation, along with the projected 2013 expenditures from the Willistead Capital Restoration Reserve Fund, it is estimated that the fund will have a balance of approximately $125,730 at December 31, 2013 to be used towards future restoration at Willistead.

So the Restoration Reserve Fund was guesstimated at $125,730.00 at the end of the 2013 fiscal year. That represents approximately 25% of what the City will be paying for the changes to the park. Again, that doesn’t include any of the other ongoing costs. Please note that the Reserve also includes other sources of income paid by Willistead Manor Inc. Did you know that Willistead Manor was an incorporation? With all of that in mind, the Restoration Reserve Fund will not grow by leaps and bounds with the Rotary Club’s annual donation of approximately $33,347.65.

By comparison consider that a Catering Fundraising Event held at the manor in 2012 and 2011 generated income of $ 19,326.95 and $ 28,781.85 respectively. During these events the public park remained a public park; people didn’t have to pay admission charges to walk around the park; no major expenditures on the part of the City were necessary to hold the events; no destruction of the historic park was done and the Heritage Park remained as pristine on the day after as it was on the day before. If two such events were held in 2012 and 2011, isn’t it possible that they would also generate approximately the same amounts? The two such events would result in the Reserve Fund being increased by approximately $38,653.90 in 2012 and $57,563.70 in 2011. And no costs! No annual maintenance and repair costs; no snow removal costs; no policing costs; and most of all, no lawsuits which may arise from someone being hurt on the asphalt pathways. Compare that to the Rotary Club’s donation coupled with all of the associated and ongoing costs.

Mr. Honourable Mayor, Honourable Councillors, and Board Members of Willistead Manor, what are you thinking?

Harold G. LeBoeuf - Windsor.

Looking forward to your comments below.

WHAT ARE THE TRUE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF ART IN THE PARK?

2014-04-27T13:55:00.000-04:00

Part 1
By Harold G. LeBoeuf

The cost of the changes to the Willistead Historical Park have been estimated by the Department of Parks and Recreation at $400,000.00 (no substantiating documents are available) and this cost does not include the following:

1. Underground electrical cabling to supply four terminals spread throughout the park that are intended to supply vendors of Art In The Park with taxpayer funded electricity so they won’t have to use their own electrical generating equipment;

2. The cost of installing underground electrical wiring and ground level lighting throughout the park to illuminate the pathways, an item to be completed as discussed by the Board of Willistead Manor;

3. The cost of maintaining, repairing and servicing the myriad of asphalt pathways which, because of the intended use by trucks and other vehicles, could be extensive;

4. The labour and equipment costs for snow removal throughout the Winter months, all of which has been promised by the Department of Parks and Recreation;

5. The hourly and equipment costs for policing the pathways due to vandalism and park entry after the posted closing hours. Both are rampant now.

The added cost for items 1 and 2 will approximate $100,000.00 but, again, no substantiating documents are available.

The added costs for items 3 through 5 will be ongoing in perpetuity until such time as the pathways and/or the historical heritage park no longer exist.

Since the inception of Art In The Park in 1978 to the end of fiscal year 2012, the Financial Report for Willistead and the City states that the event has resulted in $1,133,829.88 being given to the City ostensibly for the maintenance, repairs and restoration of Willistead Manor and grounds. In more simple terms, over the thirty-four years that Art In The Park has existed, the Rotary Club has paid to the City approximately $33,347.65 per year.

The City is going to spend approximately $500,000.00 for the changes to the park for the use by the Rotary Club’s two day event each year. Again, in simple terms, it will take fifteen years for Art In The Park to pay for the capital outlay for these changes assuming Art In The Park will be around for fifteen more years. In this scenario, that will be fifteen years whereby no funding is provided for the maintenance and repairs of Willistead Manor and the grounds. The alternative scenario is that Windsor taxpayers are going to pay the costs for the changes and perhaps Art In The Park will provide approximately $33,347.65 over the next fifteen years.

Keep in mind that neither scenario deals with the annual costs of maintenance and repairs of the asphalt, snow removal costs, or policing costs.

This truly is a no win situation and it may have been better had the taxpayers authorized their municipal government to pay $400,000.00 directly for repairs, maintenance and restoration of the historical Manor and the Heritage Park and preserve one of the few remaining historical gems that our City has.

I wonder how much money Art In The Park has generated for the Rotary Club over the thirty-four years. Since the local chapters of Rotary are all part of Rotary International, I wonder how much is paid to the International body arising out of this event. As stated on its web site:

“Our club has been a substantial contributor to the Rotary International Foundation.”

Harold G. LeBoeuf - Windsor

Your comments are welcome. See below.

Open Letter to Council Members and Citizens of Windsor about What is Happening to Willistead Park

2014-04-17T07:55:00.000-04:00

By Harold G. LeBoeuf - Windsor, Ontario

Parks Department installing 1.5 acres of pavement in Willistead Park

To all City Councillors and concerned citizens of Windsor,

RE: The proposed changes to the Public Willistead Heritage Park

It is not too late for the members of City Council to reconsider their decision in this matter and they should once the underlying reasons for the proposed changes are known. There are times when Council is duped into acting on nefarious proposals because the facts are not known. This is one of those times, and it is within the powers of Council to rectify the matter. I believe that Council has moral and legal obligations to the citizens of Windsor, to ensure that the trust and authority of the officers holding positions in the Municipal organization is held to an absolute high standard, and that any use of Windsor tax payer funds must be for the actual benefit of the general population, and not to satisfy schemes of private individuals or organizations.

Unless the seven members of Council. who voted in favour of the proposal, were willfully blind to the true underlying facts behind the project, I can’t find fault with them for how they voted per se, but I am distressed that they have made their decision not enquiring as to the reasons why the plan was designed by the Department of Parks and Recreation, and the purpose of the design by the members of the Board of Willistead Manor (hereinafter referred to as “the Board”). Councillor Alan Halberstadt, who is also a member of the Board, knew of the basic tenets of the plan, and had the courage of his convictions to vote against the proposal, as did two of his fellow Councillors, Al Maghnieh, and Irek Kusmierczyk.

The true purpose of the project was never presented to Council. The presentations to Council were primarily made by John Miceli, the city’s executive director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, under whose auspices the project was developed. He made certain that the “purpose” was always presented in altruistic terms: “for the enhancement of the park; to conduct maintenance” and, on a much later date, “to enable persons with physical handicaps to have access and enjoy the park as well.” In addition, Mr. Miceli, took the position that the ten foot wide roadways were designed to enable his department to complete maintenance and repairs to the area. What he didn’t tell Council or the public was that the purpose of the roadways was to facilitate the trucks and trailers of vendors for “Art-In-The-Park” to unload their wares, set up and remove their tents. The cost of these changes were to be made at a cost of $400,000.00, for which, when questioned in other forums, he stated that he was not in possession of any estimates because his department doesn't enter into contracts with those hired to do the work; it’s on a “pay-as-you-go” basis. Nor was he in possession of any estimates for the cost of constructing narrower roadways using paver stones. And yet, he confidently stated such a cost would be between $85,000.00 and $125,000.00.

At first blush, his statements are incredulous. Surely the project was put out for tenders; if not, why not? Surely he received written estimates from contractors to perform the work; if not, why not? If his department didn't do any of these things, how does he know the cost will be $400,000.00? Without estimates, how does he know that the cost of paver stones would cost between $85,000.00 and $125,000.00? Without any of these procedures taking place, to whom and how was a contractor decided upon and given the work? Where is the accountability? Where is the paper trail? Where is the disclosure? To date, he has not disclosed to Council, the costs for providing an electrical station in the center of the park, the purpose of which is to eliminate the need for the operators of scheduled events (such as “Art-In-The-Park.”) using their own electrical generators to supply their equipment. That service has already been installed in the park and was completed shortly after construction of the original proposal for drainage and roadways had commenced. Neither has he divulged to Council the cost of installing underground electrical wiring to supply lighting for the myriad of roadways in his undisclosed proposal (a matter which had been thoroughly discussed at Board meetings in developing the plan); nor the annual cost of maintenance and repairs to the roadways and lighting (and we certainly know asphalt requires much maintenance); nor the cost of snow removal for the entire labyrinth which he has gone on record as promising; nor the cost of policing the area (Windsor can’t provide policing for the park now). What other improvements and costs are there? Vandalism and theft from parked cars has been rampant in the park, so much so that the Board of Willistead Manor, had to erect protective metal grating on part of the outside of the Manor itself because of vandalism.

What then were (and are) the motivating factors on the part of the Board for Willistead Manor, and what are the real reasons for Mr. Miceli, to concoct his fanciful plans? As mentioned, the Board consists inter alia of Stephen Marshall (Chairperson), Councillor Alan Halberstadt, and John Miceli, from the Department of Parks and Recreation. Mr. Marshall, in his tenure, has been solely engrossed with the concept of The Manor and Willistead Park, being money makers for the care, restoration, and maintenance of The Manor itself. No mention is made of the other edifices on the property as is most evident by the dilapidated condition of the Gate House. That structure, in itself of notable historical significance, now embraces a posted sign of condemnation.

One absolute fact is that the Board has absolutely no legal authority to determine to what use the public park is to be put. But, in absence of legal authority either stipulated or implied, this Board has proceeded to do whatever it wants without any prior public approval. This was so when authority was given to the Rotary Club, an organization of business and professional leaders, to hold what is now commonly referred to as “Art-In-The-Park.” So too was the decision to hold the Antique Automobile Show (which the Board ultimately lost for undisclosed reasons); and, of particular interest, was the inauguration of the Beer Tent Festival in a residential neighbourhood, accompanied by its loud music, boisterous and sometimes inebriated revelers both during the event and in the parking lot well after the tent has closed. The Board created a legal nuisance disturbing the normal lives of residents in the neighbourhood, keeping children awake, and, yes, even adults who have retired before midnight. The local residents, who have to suffer the indignity of all of this commotion, were never consulted; the Board simply did it. The current episode of the park drainage and ten foot roadways (some of the crushed stone base for the roadway has recently been measured well in excess of ten feet) boldly proceeded without the public being informed or having any say about it. Clearly, the existing attitude of the members of the Board, is that we can do what we want, when we want, and no one has the right to tell us we can’t. What about the legal right to do these things which they don’t have? And armed with the assistance of Mr. Miceli and his Department of Parks and Recreation, they succeed with brazen impunity. One should shudder to think of what scheme the Board will develop next without any input or real say by the tax-paying public.

Once the project became known to the general public, the work was halted, The Board vehemently denied that there was any connection with the proposed changes and the two day operation of “Art-In-The-Park”. At open forums, Messrs. Marshall and Miceli, went on record absolutely in denial of this. Instead, it was pointed out by Mr. Miceli, that these actions were planned for Jackson Park, Willistead Park, and for other parks yet to be mentioned. And, with respect to the ten foot width of the roadways, he had the brazen audacity to refer to provincial legislation that required “walkways” to be of that width. He further went on to state that, in the future, the City’s plans were that all sidewalks must and will be that wide. The legislation doesn't say that even given the most absurd interpretation. Finally, in an article published in a Walkerville news publication (regrettably not in The Windsor Star), Mr. Marshall, stated that “not only are the changes intended for the use by ‘Art-In-The-Park,’ but for other promotions as well (he can’t name one at this time). Simply stated, absolutely anyone who saw the proposed changes and followed the course of the roadways could come to no other logical conclusion but that these changes were being made to benefit “Art-In-The-Park”. It should also be noted that, at no time, did the Board consider access by disabled persons as a justification for the project. It was only at a public meeting that the issue was raised by a concerned citizen. After that it became the Board’s raison d’etre for their pet project. And, once again, Mr. Miceli, has authorized contractors to continue excavations and construction in spite of the fact that Council’s decision has been appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board. Normal practice would dictate that the Council’s Order be suspended until such time that the O.M.B. makes a decision. Typical!

So that we can all comprehend the end result, the burden of the $400,000.00 project, the electrical system at the centre of the park for promoters, annual maintenance and repair costs, the electricity for the entrepreneurs, and policing, are all to be paid for by the Windsor taxpayers. More importantly, I know that the City and its Legal Department, are familiar with the Legal Principle of Allurement, and they should be concerned about this and the potential civil lawsuits should persons be tempted to be on the property at any hour of the day or night and become injured while skate-boarding, roller blading, bicycle riding, etc., during the remaining three hundred and sixty-three or so days of the year when “Art-In-The-Park” isn't being held.

When persons use the public office that they hold, and use the authority of that office to further plans they have devised to satisfy their or others’ goals and ambitions, in so doing abuse their public trust and waste taxpayers money. This also applies to the members of the Board of Willistead Manor. In my respectful opinion, there exists real justification for reasonable apprehension on the part of the taxpayers as to bias, abuse of office, abuse of powers and authority, abuse of taxpayer funds for the benefit of entrepreneurs and others, deceit, deception, and malicious propagation of plans to satisfy personal ambitions on the part of those involved. The same apprehension should exist in the minds of the members of our Municipal Government as well. Several promises have been made with respect to the construction of this project and the future maintenance and repairs of same. The persons responsible for these promises should reasonably expect that the public no longer gives credence to their promises, nor do they have trust in the individuals involved.

The ultimate cost for this project, both disclosed costs and undisclosed costs, will in the end exceed over a half of a million dollars, plus the annual costs of maintenance, repairs, policing, etc. If the public so chose, it would have been significantly better to set aside that half of a million plus dollars for the actual restoration, maintenance, and repairs of Willistead Manor, the Gate House and other buildings on the site. The end result then would be that the City would be saving an irreplaceable historic site, and a substantial sum by not having to pay for the continued maintenance, repairs, electricity and policing costs. Also, consider what might be saved should one civil lawsuit arise out of injuries sustained by individuals in their use of the roadways. Let the promoters of the current events prove to the Windsor citizens how much net revenue they donate specifically for the Willistead Manor, and how long it will take for them to donate a further half of a million dollars plus annual costs.

Do we really need a valuable, historic site covered with asphalt? Sadly, the City of Windsor, has a poor record for the preservation of historical grounds and edifices. Consider that a visitor to Toronto’s Casa Loma can tour the grounds and buildings at any time during the day. Try doing that at the Willistead Manor. For that matter, try visiting the Honourable Paul Martin Gardens located beside the Manor. You cannot. As I was told by a member of the Board at one of the public meetings, “The garden is always locked because of vandalism.”

The City of Windsor had a program in place called, “Adopt-A-Park,” the requirements for which were clearly outlined in the City’s web pages. When a neighbourhood group tried to file an application and consent forms to adopt Willistead Park, Mr. Miceli’s office refused them. Within minutes, any reference to this program was removed from the city’s web-site. By what authority did he do this? More importantly, was it a fear that people will actually have a say in what is happening and upset his and the Board’s plans? Where is the accountability for his actions? The “Adopt-A-Park” program is alive and well in other municipalities in the Province of Ontario. It is working exceptionally well in the Cities of London, Hamilton, and Toronto, to name but a few. But Windsorites are denied participation!

If members of Council do not believe that they have the moral and legal obligations mentioned in my opening paragraph, then it is time for a change of council members. Should Council not choose to rectify this situation, hopefully the O.M.B. will not fall prey to the devices of Messrs. Miceli and Marshall.

In closing, should one of the future events being planned by the Board be a circus or a carnival, the proprietors will not have to look very far for a supply of clowns, and I am not making reference to those members of Council who are at times portrayed by the lovable Mike Graston, in his editorial cartoons as such.

Harold G. LeBoeuf - Windsor

Mr. LeBoeuf is a lifelong citizen of Windsor.

He is a Member in Good Standing with the Law Society of Upper Canada

and a member of the American Trial Lawyer's Association.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/556580677768729/

PARKS BOSS, WILLISTEAD BOARD REACHING TO JUSTIFY $400,000.00 PAVEMENT PROJECT

2014-03-01T12:18:00.001-05:00

Giovanni (John) Miceli, Executive Director of Parks and Facilities and Stephen Marshall, Chair of the Willistead Board of Directors have been trying very hard to qualify their push to add more than a kilometer of twelve foot wide paved roads (ten feet of pavement plus two feet of gravel shoulder) throughout Willistead Park. From the beginning their justifications have raised the brows of frequent park goers and area residents. At first they argued that they wanted to make the park more accessible but at 54" wide the current paths already meet the accessibility standard. Next they claimed that they are planning for "future" accessibility standards but those max out at 72 inches wide; not twelve feet wide. Their rationale also did not explain why they were adding several extra paths because the current paths already cover the park in its entirety. When they presented their master plan for the new park paths the true purpose was revealed. The new path circuits overlay the exact route of Art in the Park vendor exhibits to a "T". Click on this link to view:

http://www.citywindsor.ca/residents/parksandforestry/City-Parks/Documents/Proposed%20Pathways.pdf

Neither the Parks Department nor the Willistead Board have refuted this. This did not deter them from re-jigging their accessibility argument. Their next explanation was about having accessibility to the new garbage receptacles that are embedded several feet below ground. These are an overly complicated and expensive way to keep teenagers from tipping them. Now they need to use a dedicated truck with a custom hydraulic attachment to pull them out of the ground for emptying. The new park roads, they say, are designed to gain access to these garbage cans. Once again, their explanation was refuted because all of these receptacles are already located on the current,existing paths and only at four entrance points to the park. They are already in the most accessible places and the new proposed roads terminate at these same locations. During this debacle of false arguments it was revealed at a Heritage Committee meeting ( the issue was deferred by City Council to the Heritage Committee) that the real intent of the Willistead Board is to "monetize" the park. That is, to maximize it's revenue earning potential by seemingly facilitating Art in the Park with paved roads for a better Art in the Park experience and as a solicitation for more such venues. Mr. Miceli and Mr. Marshall get angered when residents ask them how adding permanent paved roads would enhance an event like Art in the Park, the success of which, is predicated by grass and trees in a park setting. Miceli blurted during the Heritage meeting: "You are getting the paths whether you like it or not". On Monday evening of March 3 the Parks Department, the Willistead Board and the Heritage Committee will present their plan and case to City Council for approval. Park goers and area residents will likely be there as well.

They are not Done

It appears to be that the Willistead Board and the Parks Department are not all that convinced that they have a water tight case. Stephen Marshall sent a communication out to various parks contacts in Toronto, Amherstburg and Detroit to bolster his appeal. Read it here. Click to enlarge:

With his request he got what he asked for but the result does not speak to his favour. All of these parks, with the exception of Casa Loma and Colbourne Lodge are mega parks that require bikes or cars to traverse them. Casa Loma and Colbourne are on the escarpment and only have paved lots with some small flower gardens. High Park is so large (400 acres) that it sports a couple of micro-climates. The rest of the parks are either large nature reserves or interconnected bike paths that run the gamut of the Don Valley. The Ford Property not only has roads running through it as one might expect from an auto baron's property; it also features man made canals so that boats can get in too. Any of these parks are comparable to taking a ride through Point Pelee. No comparison at all to a small historic property like Willistead Park. Fort Malden is small and the path is not all that long. The Amherstburg Trail runs through the downtown streets. It really doesn't qualify as a park at all.

Guilty By Omission

Mr. Marshall and Mr. Miceli put more than a little effort in to produce this list of parks but they left out one very important park that is right next door to Malden Park and at the foot of the Amherstburg Trail. That historical park is the Kings Navy Yard. Did they really miss one of the most important parks in this area? The Navy Yard fly's in the face of every argument that Miceli and Willistead's Board have put out there. Is that why they omitted it from their list? What makes this park effective and attractive is it's grass, trees and flower beds and all of its paths are all covered in smooth pavers. The Kings Navy Yard is totally accessible and it even sports a seniors home on the edge of its south flank. Well coiffed and maintained, clean and respectful of its historic intent and plenty of garbage receptacles of the normal kind. A picture of it here:

Kings Navy Yard in Amherstburg. 72" wide paths with smooth pavers.

It becomes very evident that facilitating Art in the Park is what this is all about. Adding all of these paved roads to the park will do nothing to improve Art in the Park or to expand it. Just as many patrons will come if it is left as grass. They always have. Paving the vendor route will do more to wrist-lock and limit the number of vendors and their locations than just leaving it alone. It will invite graffiti and vandalism. With just grass there is flexibility to add extra vendors whenever needed. Paving this park will make it look like an empty, purposed flea market for 362 days of the year. It will detract from the parks aesthetics and historical intent. It will make the wrong cultural statement about Windsor, Ontario. This is certainly not what Willistead Park and Manor are all about.

After this harsh winter that $400,000.00 would be better spent if it was used to resurface city streets. In fact, the amount of proposed asphalt for this project is almost enough to re-pave all of the streets that surround the park. This would certainly do more for Art in the Park than destroying the very park that made the event as successful as it is. Citizens of Windsor who use this park on a regular basis know their park well. The Parks boss and the Board Chair should too. It should be apparent that spending tax payer money on a needless project will do more harm than good. To this park, to Old Walkerville. To the City of Windsor.

Here are some more images. Click on them to enlarge:

The city's accessibility guidelines. Why is ten feet required?

Aerial view of proposed paths. Same as Art in the Park vendor route.

High Park. Pretty massive park. Over 400 acres.

Casa Loma. All Parking lot.

Edsel and Elanor Ford Estate.

For more information about this issue

a group of concerned citizens has formed a Facebook page called

"Save Willistead Park"

You can view it or participate in it here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/588452161219766/

For contributed pictures of Willistead Park
or if you would like to contribute some of your own,
Sara Venney has a photo page here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/556580677768729/

Please do not forget.
This issue will be before Council this Monday evening at starting at 5:30 P.M.
If you are concerned about this issue
your presence can make a difference.

Rotary Club, City Looking to Monetize Willistead Park

2014-02-04T19:32:00.001-05:00

Walkerville residents are concerned and worried about the City's plan to lay asphalt over more than an acre and a half of Willistead Park without any neighbourhood involvement or discussion. The plan to do so centers around adding more events to the park and facilitating loading and unloading for Art in the Park vendors. Twelve foot wide paved paths will mimic the exact vendor booth route as detailed in the Rotary Clubs vendor application form. The plan is being spearheaded by Stephen Marshall, Chair of the Willistead Board of Directors, John Micelli, head of the Parks Department and member of the Willistead Board of Directors, and Phil Cohen, Chairman of Art in the Park and member of the Rotary Club. None of these plans were known to the general public until late October of 2013 when surprised park goers with the help of Ward 4 Councillor Alan Halberstadt managed to temporarily halt an army of heavy tractors and dump trucks from further ripping up Willistead Park. Since then, Windsor City Council has deferred the issue to the Heritage Committee who in January of this year more or less rubber stamped Willistead's original plans under the steerage of Windsor's Heritage Planner John Calhoun (he had previously rubber stamped the plan anyway), John Micelli and Councillor Fulvio Valentinis who is also a member of the Heritage Committee and who is rumoured to be planning a run for Ward 4's Council seat in this year's coming municipal election. The Heritage Committee will be presenting City Council with their recommendation later this month. Last week the Rotary Club's annual check in the amount of $25,000.00 was presented to Mayor Francis at a special event held at Willistead Manor. It is important to note that the Rotary Club is a client of the Willistead Board. The Rotary Club is on contract with the City of Windsor to organize and run Art in the Park in exchange for a percentage of generated revenue from the event.

Area residents and park goers alike are certain that this plan is a mistake and that it will ruin the park for all of Windsor's citizens and tourists alike. They insist that Willistead Park which measures only one kilometer around its periphery is too small for the city's planned eight extra paved road runs. "Pavement will bury the beauty, serenity and history of the park and it really is in violation of the parks historical intent. Every perfect view of green grass, magnificent trees and colourful flowers will be cut up by repeating bands of pavement" say's Sara Venney who resides on Monmouth Road. Others are concerned about heat that will be generated by the asphalt and about graffiti which is already a growing nuisance in Old Walkerville.

Local residents do love Art in the Park. They literally clean their streets and alleys a week or so in advance to show off their neighbourhood. Walkerville residents went as far as swarming the park with lawnmowers and leaf bags to save Art in the park from being cancelled during the year of the City Strike. People don't even mind losing their parking spaces to the thousands of annual Art in the Park patrons or putting up with hundreds of city buses winding through their streets during this annual two day affair. Windsorites know that Old Walkerville is a special place and that it's anchor is Willistead Park. '"Why mess with such a great formula and brand" is the local sentiment. Indeed. Making it like any other park does not speak to any logic. Some say that Walkerville's hosting of Art in the Park is like having a neighbourhood celebration every year where everybody is welcome. It's something unique and special to Old Walkerville. There is also weighty caution that outfitting the park for additional events for the sake of generating more revenue is not good for Art in the Park, Old Walkerville or Windsor. People are concerned that it will cheapen the events and turn the park into the likes of a permanent swap meet. The park, Walkerville, Windsor and the region at large will lose a significant cultural edge. Many Windsorites believe that Art in the Park is the event that it is because of the natural green back drop that Willistead Park provides. "Pave it and they will come" is unfounded and wrong headed. It will not attract more patrons or vendors and it is doubtful that it will ever be the icing that attracts new events. Adding extra pavement is certainly not worth it's price tag of $400,000.00 ($100,000.00 shy of the City's entire allocated pot-hole repair budget). That money could be better spent elsewhere like the continued renovation and upkeep of the manor house and all of it's outbuildings. It could be used to add even more drainage tiles and catch basins and for extra top soil to fill in the central depression in the park (many have commented that this is all that was ever needed to re mediate the parks occasional flooding. Some of that money could be allocated for things like better security. For more trees.

Area residents are quite content with the current layout of the park and its paths yet they are not afraid to offer suggestions for meaningful and practical improvement. Currently the park is serviced by four main paths that cover the park from north to south, from east to west, from the Niagra Street main entrance to the side entrance on Devonshire Road and to the Children's play set. Another acre of the park is already paved for vehicular entrance into the park and for parking around Willistead Manor and its coach house. Every area of the park can be seen and serviced from these centrally located paths. All existing garbage receptacles reside along these current paths and their maintenance will be made easier as well. Adding eight twelve foot wide paths will only add to regular maintenance costs. All current paths are 54 inches wide or wider in order to satisfy today's accessibility standards. Although there have been no accessibility issues to date, area residents suggest that the existing paths be widened to 72". This will also allow for club cars and small vehicles to marshal vendor goods and equipment along the entire length and width of the park. As it is, the majority of these vendors are transporting everything with wagons and hand carts so this suggestion will give them another option. Simple grass also allows for more flexibility in vendor placement and will even accommodate more vendors because the route will never be locked in place by the proposed, permanent vendor roads. The nub of this plan is to make the park even better than it is. Keeping the existing paths but almost doubling their width makes the park enjoyable for all Windsor residents and guests. It maintains the natural green state of the park while at the same time making the park easier to service. Its a win, win plan.

So far, the Willistead Board has refused to look at this plan or to allow any stakeholder input. Park goers and area residents are naturally anxious for Windsor City Council to see the merit, the dollar savings and the long term advantage of leaving this one of a kind historic property in tact.

Here are some pictures of Willistead Park as it exist now. Pictures are borrowed from the "Save Willistead Park" and "Willistead Photo Pages on facebook:

Queen Victoria fountain on a sunny day.

Art in the Park in the grass 2009.

This area will be paved over.

Fun at the park. Check out hide and seek behind tree.

Family enjoying the grass.

Heavenly place.

Music in the grass

Just grass and trees. So cool.

Walking the dog. Chasing squirrels.

Morning haze.

This view already has a 12 foot wide path cut through it.

Couple on Willistead Path.

Classics on grass.

Area residents cutting grass during city strike.

For more photos please go here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/556580677768729/

Proposed 12 foot paths. Over 1.5 acres of added pavement.

Heritage Committee Recommends Asphalt Roads in Willistead. Why?

2014-01-14T19:37:00.002-05:00

Determined Parks Boss Routes Park Lovers,

Heritage Committee.

Area in background will be broken up by 12 foot wide asphalt roads.

John Micelli, Windsor’s newly minted Parks Department leader since Don Sadler retired last year, will have nothing to do with the heritage or green aspects of Willistead Park. In a January 8 meeting with the Heritage Committee, deferred to by City Council, Micelli made his position loud and clear: “Your getting paved paths whether you like it or not”.

Micelli’s entire argument focused on standardizing Windsor’s Parks with 10 to 15 foot wide paved paths for the accommodation of trucks and equipment. Problematic, he says, are the recently installed garbage receptacles in Willistead that are embedded ten feet underground to deter bored teenagers from tipping them over. The Parks Department brings in a large truck with a specialized attachment to pull, empty and re-seat the containers. It was pointed out to the Committee that all of the receptacles in Willistead are next to existing paths and park entry points with the exception of one that is ten feet away from the childrens play set and 35 feet from an existing path. His other reason is to accommodate Art in the Park which, as one Heritage Committee member pointed out, is The “elephant in the room”. The proposed circuitous asphalt track and its tributaries will replace as much as 11 percent of Willistead’s grassy, treed surface. That is a lot considering that Willistead measures only 1 kilometer around its perimeter. The path plan mimics the Art in the Park Vendor map. Micelli also introduced a revised path plan for Willistead that eliminated one secondary and redundant tributary and modifies the proposed paths in the North West corner of the park. Area residents were expecting a compromise in width to 72 inches but that was clearly not what was offered. It became apparent that Micelli does not want to compromise on his 12 foot wide paths. Area residents and park users do not want the paths at all. Asked if the plan revision was posted on the city’s web site Micelli answered “No”. This admission left the Walkerville delegation to speculate that Micelli is going to try and get his wide paths approved when this issue is brought before City Council later this month. Lastly, Micelli brought up the Accessibility card which others pointed out was a non starter because the current paths and entry points are already in compliance.

This is how the east side of the park looked up until this fall.

Same area with gravel bed for new path.

Delegations at this Heritage meeting were as follows: Howard Weeks, founder of the group “Save Willistead Park” and son of past Mayor Bert Weeks, Gayle Jones, a lawyer and Windsor’s Diversity and Accessibility Officer and John Micelli , Windsor’s Parks Boss, although he seemed to play more of a Steering Committee role than anything else.

Mr. Weeks presented passionately around a couple of points: Mainly that stakeholders were never made aware of changes to the park until heavy equipment came to tear it up. Willistead’s Board of Directors claim otherwise but as of this writing there are no area residents who have stepped up to verify involvement. Weeks repeatedly called for stakeholder participation in the process but was rebuffed in each attempt. He asked if there was any assessment to determine what is actually needed to improve accessibility. Micelli pointed out that Gayle Jones was present to address accessibility issues.

Proposed 12 foot asphalt roads represented in yellow. Close to scale

Yellow represents total area to be covered with asphalt. 1.5 acres approx.

Ms. Jones introduced herself as Windsor’s “Diversity and Accessibility Officer”. She clarified that she was unaware of the Willistead path issue and played no part in it until a few hours before the current Heritage Committee meeting. That clearly answered Howard Weeks’ question about an “Accessibility Assessment”. She spoke in certain terms about what is acceptable and what is not. Jones reminded that 54 inch wide surfaces are quite OK for accessibility in outdoor public areas (Willistead complies) but that 72 inches would be her preference. She also stated that she preferred smooth surfaces such as cement or asphalt over pavers even though pavers do meet the requirement. She said that pavers make an acceptable compromise if they are installed on the edges of a paved surface because they can be used as warning or cuing surfaces for white cane technique.

After all delegations completed their presentations it was time for the Heritage Committee to chime in and vote on the subject. There were some who questioned the added paths but they were coaxed by Micelli to keep moving forward. The group voted in favour of the new paths per Rev. 2 by a narrow margin. They voted that the paths should be no more than 72 inch wide and that they should be paved with asphalt. This recommendation will be presented to City Council later this month.

Area residents take control and save Art in the Park during City Strike.
This exact area already has a twelve foot path running through it.

Classic tree lined straight entrance will be torn out.
Serpentine paved road to weave through trees

This view from Devonshire Road no longer exists.

The Parks Department has budgeted $400,000.00 for these proposed changes. Also in attendance at the meeting were Councillors Allan Halberstadt who is also a member of the Willistead Board of Directors and Fulvio Valentinis who is a member of the Heritage Committee.

Art in the Park on real grass.

Old brick path being replaced with 12 foot wide road bed.

***All photos courtesy of Willistead Facebook Photo Page.

See links below for some great shots of Willistead Park.

Most taken by area residents.
Click on images to enlarge.

For more information about paved pathways for “Art in the Park” follow these links:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/556580677768729/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/588452161219766/

Roving Roadie Finds Work in Furthermost Place

2014-01-04T11:35:00.000-05:00

Les Lovell, a.k.a. Brush Love, a.k.a Naung Anarvik? now resides in Alert, Nunavut.

Many of us have never heard of Alert but it is indeed Canada's; in fact the world's most northern and permanently inhabited place. It is exactly 817 km from the North Pole. A place people seek out if they are looking for a dryer type of cold. In Les' case he was looking for extreme nightlife. Alert has that with 1080 hour nights. Brush Love has many jobs but most importantly he makes sure that Alert's International Airport lights are always topped up with whale oil and he is in charge of shooing the bears (mostly furry males) out of the main drags. It is obvious why he left Windsor for this better life. Click on images to take a look:

Closer to Moscow than Ottawa

A warm and inviting place.

Growing Metropolis with International Airport upper right.

Sprawling suburbs.

Relaxing summer beaches. That's Naung Anarvik? circled.

International flight taking off from Alert International Airport.

No Windsorite has relocated farther north than Monmouth Road's Roving Roadie, Brush Love. You can't question his excellent choice. Happy New Year to all Windsorites from Alert, Nunavut!

Please Help us to Save Willistead Park! By Sara Venney

2013-11-14T18:52:00.000-05:00

Very suddenly, and without proper notification, the city began to build service roads in Willistead Park which city representatives are now claiming, after intense questioning by residents, are for 'wheelchair' accessibility. Many residents of the area are now protesting against the city's plan because we suspect that the roadways (more like super-paths) are being created for a different kind of 'accessibility'. Accessibility for Art in the Park vendors and guests.

We must not let the city take 'paradise' and turn it into what will essentially be an asphalt maze comprised of 10' to 16' wide loop de loop super-paths reaching, and in some cases even circling around, practically every nook and cranny of the park. We can’t allow the city to ruin the manor's lovely grounds by making the complicated Art in the Park vendor route a permanent feature! It would not be right to forever alter, so drastically, the peacefulness of the Walker family grounds - for a two-day-per-year event! It was never, ever intended to be the equivalent of a fair ground.

There are already accessible sidewalks in the park, as well as surrounding the park on all four sides, plus there is a driveway to the manor and coach house. When I walk in the park, which I do several times per week, I follow the existing sidewalk which runs through the middle of the park (north to south), or the other which runs east to west. (The two paths dissect in the middle of the park. All areas are visible from the current paths.) Were I to become confined to a wheelchair I would be just as content to view the park as I always have. From these central paths the beauty and tranquillity seems to be everywhere. As a matter of fact, I would resent having to follow the proposed new route because it is not direct enough, especially for one with mobility issues.

While I applaud the drainage work being done, I feel that we absolutely MUST convince the city to abandon their plan to waste thousands and thousands of tax payer’s dollars ($400,000.00) to construct these roads which will forever deface Willistead Park. We could recommend instead that a portion of the budgeted funds be spent on performing required maintenance on the existing paths to make the surface smooth enough for those with mobility issues to be able to travel throughout the park with ease. We could also suggest that perhaps the city could widen the paths to 6' making it possible for one wheelchair to be able to pass another when necessary. Since Glengarda (just east of Pillette), which was also a magnificent tree’d property (spanning all the way from Riverside Drive to Wyandotte), and which was also entered through wrought iron gateways, was sold to developers by the nuns who owned it, Willistead is the only such property left in Windsor. All the more reason why we owe it to our grandchildren and great grandchildren to preserve Willistead Park - the way it is. The proposed super-paths will destroy the old world charm and ambiance. They will destroy the historical fabric and intent of the grounds bequeathed to us by Mr. Walker. It is important to keep the park as green as possible, with cooling lawns, gardens and trees, and to preserve the integrity and beauty of the manor's grounds for future generations - for ALL Windsorites and whether or not they have mobility issues. It works absolutely fine the way it is. It does not need to be turned into a permanent fair ground. After all…half of the fun of Art in the Park is taking it in walking through the grass.

If you haven’t already written to the city councillors and the mayor to let them know that you will not accept asphalt super-paths in Willistead Park, I urge you to please do so. I would also ask you to please join the Save Willistead Park Facebook group if you are not already a member. Up until now, Willistead Park has withstood the test of time. We must not be the generation which allows the understated charm and elegance of the Willistead grounds to become just a distant memory, something that can only be seen in pictures and paintings.

Sara Venney

Park's Officials Pitch Pavement. Park Lovers Bury them with Wisdom

2013-11-07T16:31:00.002-05:00

Park supporters voice their concerns

Real wisdom prevailed during last evening’s public meeting about a city plan to carve up the natural complexion of Willistead Park with a twelve foot wide paved ring road. Park regulars and area residents were angry on several counts: That the project appeared out of nowhere without a single resident knowing about it was a big one. So was the intent to hard pave over ten percent of the parks natural footprint. Willistead Manor was packed Wednesday night with angry opponents of this plan who were upset that the city did not take into account any stakeholder input about the delicacy of this smaller, historical property; especially in lieu of the city’s current push for a new Master Parks Plan.

The entire house expressed support for the Parks Department’s drainage improvement plans. Nearly none supported the plan to build a 12-foot-wide paved vehicular track girdling the inside of Willistead Park. When neighbours discovered a huge compliment of heavy equipment invading and digging up the park a couple of weeks earlier, Walkerville residents Howard Weeks and Gerry Pouget quickly organised and put a halt to the paving process. Mr. Weeks started a Facebook page (Save Willistead Park!) which is now nearly 500 participants strong and growing. This prompted Ward 4 Councillor Alan Halberstadt to plan and chair last nights emergency meeting. "...neighbours “passionately love this park as it is.” said Halberstadt.

Park’s officials including John Miceli the city’s executive director of parks and facilities and Mike Clement, Windsor’s Manager of Parks Development, said the current paths are “not where they need to be” in order to support the needed new drainage system and that the park is not fully accessible to disabled peoples. The house quickly reminded them that the current paths in the park are already accessible to people with disabilities. The park already has four large entrance points with wide paths reaching through the park in all four directions, to all critical points of the park. The park is also fully embraced by sidewalks around it’s perimeter with one entry point that accommodates vehicle entrance to a fully paved parking lot. As for drainage, the crowd found out that the park already had 100 year old drainage but that it had failed years ago. The newer plastic and filtered system with catch basins is much superior and should last at least that long. Pavement has nothing to do with the drainage.

Miceli put together a power point presentation that seemed more about diversion from the issue than about resolution. He talked about tree species and cherished historical aspects of the property but attendees politely waited him out as they were already well versed about Willistead. At one point Miceli pitched a study that indicated that ageing Baby Boomers demand wider paths in their parks. He was addressing a full room of people most of whom were boomers, and retirees who clearly indicated that they did not want anything to do with the ring road. Ida O’connor, an octogenarian who resides on Monmouth Road expressed that she uses the park every day to walk her dog “Sunny” along the existing paths and grassy areas without problems and that the park does not need extra paving. Others mentioned the heat that all of the paving would generate and many were leary about the city’s long term plan to maintain and repair the road.

Miceli clicked onto an architectural rendering of the park plan. It is thick with truck paths and tributaries and seriously out of scale making it look more palatable to the less attentive. From that drawing it is obviously apparent that the accessibility that the Park’s Department people were pitching was for Art in the Park vendors. It clearly follows the exhibit path around the circumference of the park. Its about getting their tents, displays and merchandise in and out of the park. It even cuts into the north west corner of the park where there is barely enough room to accommodate a paved track that wide. Miceli asked the audience whether the issue was “solely the width of the pathway.” With that he got a loud ear banging: “No paths at all!”

Miceli repeatedly tried to compare Willistead Park to Jackson Park where he already installed these wide paved pathways. He was told by members in the audience that there was no comparison to be made. Jackson Park is 65 acres compared to Willistead’s 15 (approximately 1.5 city blocks). It was also made clear that technically Willistead was not a park at all but rather one man’s (Edward Chandler Walker’s) back yard and that it was gifted to Old Walkerville with the rule that it was to be enjoyed by citizens in the same state that it was enjoyed by his family. Certainly a good reason to make exception.

Some time into the meeting a number of things were revealed: This plan was largely driven by the Willistead Board of Directors in conjunction with the Rotary Club; their regular business partner. It was then (oddly enough) rubber stamped by John Calhoun who is Windsor’s Heritage Planner and then rubber stamped again by City Council. It should be noted that Councillor Alan Halberstadt is also on the Board of Directors for Willistead. He made this abundantly clear during the meeting. Halberstadt pointed out that there were a few of the board members dispersed among the crowd but that the Chair was not in attendance. During the question and answer period one citizen chimed tongue and cheek that perhaps Art in the Park has outgrown Willistead and that the Rotary Club might want to seek out another venue like Ford Test Track Park that already has a very accessible ring road. Art in the Park organizer, Phil Cohen, chairman of the Art in the Park and member of the Rotary Club abruptly emerged from the crowd and said he took those comments as “an affront.” “It isn’t like we’re here to pillage and take away from Willistead … whether we have pathways is immaterial,” he said, reminding that Art in the Park has raised more than $1.1 million for Willistead restoration work since 1970. He added that both of his parents slipped and fell in the park on one occasion. Another area resident and lawyer pointed out with a pretty convincing argument that this addition to Willistead Park might violate the property's heritage designation.

Halberstadt, being caught between the board that he resides on and the constituents he represents indicated that area residents should voice their concerns directly with Willistead’s Board during their next meeting to be held on November 14 at 4:30 P.M. The issue will also be addressed in City Council on November 18. Area residents are already organizing to attend both of those events.

CTV Video Link Here:

http://windsor.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1039111

More Willistead Path Pics

2013-11-03T13:41:00.001-05:00

This old girl is starting to lean.
Some extra dirt dumped over her roots would be good.

Perhaps a trencher is all that was needed.

A lot of tree roots getting disturbed.

Wide swath of screedings. 12 feet wide.

Willistead Test Track to Host Art in The Park

2013-10-15T21:12:00.000-04:00

Residents of Old Walkerville and users of Willistead Park are furious with the City of Windsor's decision to build a ten foot wide paved track around the perimeter of Willistead Park. There was no advance warning to residents of the area and no public consultation; something that the current administration is advocating for the city's Master Parks Plan. The question becomes: How did this go so far without any primary stakeholder consultation? This is a $400 thousand dollar project in a key historical park that seems to have just sprung up in the park over night. Residents also noted that the project seems to be attached to the street remediation project taking place on Willistead Crescent. The budgets may be associated. People do not want any paths added and are most concerned about the amount of asphalt that the Parks Department is planning to use. The track is proposed to be ten feet wide so that vehicles can use it as opposed to driving over the grass; something that they have been doing for as long as the park has been in existence. Measurements taken today indicate that the track will be 12 feet wide with shoulders taken into account. The obvious intent of this track is to accommodate Art in the Park vendors. They can drive around the loop, set up shop on either side of the "road" and drive out. City officials say it is about wheel chair accessibility. At ten feet wide wheel chairs can do the loop four abreast. Park lovers and advocates would like the park to remain "as is" with grass only and no paths other than those already in the park. Parks officials say that they are willing to speak to residents about the situation. People are concerned about the original, intended aesthetics of this noble grassy park. Let's not forget that it was someones estate and yard at one time. No one seems impressed about a circuitous track at all; especially if it is just to accommodate Art in the Park which is an annual two day event.

Park work associated with this project.

Track to circle park at 12 feet wide, shoulder to shoulder

Crew works feverishly towards completion of track.

Park track associated with this work on Willistead Crescent

Councillor Drew Dilkens - Ward 1