March 21 post: next steps

2001 clubhouse "fate of the park" meeting

Public meetings at Dufferin Grove: There have been many public meetings about Dufferin Grove Park over the years. In 2001, the city cancelled the all-season park recreation programming, and Lily, the well-liked recreation staff person, left. This prompted an April meeting called "Fate of the Park" in the rink house, run by the park neighbours. The city councillor of the time, Mario Silva, came and listened to what people were saying. Things started turning around. In May there was a follow-up outdoor bake-oven neighbourhood picnic, to which the director of recreation was invited. He said he was amazed by what he saw, and the programs were slowly restarted.

A community letter from the summer 2001 newsletter

On March 19, Councillor Bravo said that there would be a meeting about the Dufferin Grove rink-season troubles, sometime in April, involving a third-party mediator. BUT:

I think that before any more planning or hiring of mediation consultants is done, over at city hall, there are three steps that need to be taken first, locally.

1. City management has recently learned more about the problem behaviours of a group of rink staff throughout the winter. There is now enough reason, beyond my say-so, to doubt the two rink guards' claim that I assaulted them on February 12. Therefore, Parks and Rec management should immediately ask the police to remove their trespass order restricting my access to public space.

2. Councillor Bravo -- who has not spoken with me for five weeks -- could then book a time to talk to me directly about the situation at the park. If she invited the (new?) recreation manager for this area to come too, even better. That would also be the first time, since February 12, for any contact between the city staff who are specifically in charge of this park, and me.

3. Councillor Bravo and the recreation manager would then be able to schedule an April public meeting at the rink building, to discuss the city's plans for reviving the former social programs of the park when spring comes. This would include the adventure playground, the summertime snack bar, the community pizza days, campfires, local community events, Clay and Paper programs, and Friday Night suppers. The meeting would have to include discussion of plans for reconnecting parks staff with recreation staff, so that they can work together again to address park behaviour issues, and begin repair and maintenance of the park's program assets.

A separate, well-publicized meeting ought also to be scheduled afterwards, to look at the sports mix at the park. This would be to discuss, with participants, drop-in versus central-permits use (for skateboarders, basketball players, ultimate frisbee, soccer, pickleball, volleyball, bike polo, and ball hockey).