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Mono council torn on future of public park

August 29, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS

To any Mono residents who want to enjoy Lloyd Armstrong Memorial Park: Keep driving down the road to Rosemont.

Mono resident Anthony Hosein suggested to council during its Aug. 20 meeting that playground equipment is needed at the Lloyd Armstrong Memorial Park. That’s a three-acre park located on 30 Sideroad, east of the Seventh Line. It has a baseball diamond, picnic shelter, tables, and a couple of horseshoe pits.

“Many local kids are moving in with no nearby park and can make better use of this park,” he said.

Fred Simpson, the clerk, said that the facility was an issue a number of years ago. At that time, Kim Heaton, the town’s recreation director, said there had been no plans then to update the equipment at that park. She said there was a nearby park in Rosemont that was funded by Adjala-Tosorontio.

“I think my response to Anthony would be that it’s something we could certainly consider during budget time if there’s enough demand for it,” Deputy Mayor Fred Nix said during council’s Aug. 20 meeting.

Councillor Melinda Davie remembered the discussion years ago about the Lloyd Armstrong Memorial Park and that it was considered “a problematic park,” she said.

“But he (Hosein) does kind of have a point with respect to new people coming,” she said. “And I think that we should look at it. Do we have the money for it? We can frankly say right off the bat, no, we don’t.”

But the lack of funds doesn’t negate the validity of Hosein’s request.

“Even though we may have looked into it a couple of years ago, things do change,” Davie said. “In the interest of future growth and planning, I think it’s worthwhile looking at.”

An indication of the cited growth is the roughly 2,200 homes Davie said are “down the road” from the park.

“I’m curious about the 2,200 new homes,” said Coun. Elaine Capes.

“Everett, down the road,” Davie said.

“Down the road,” Capes said. “That’s a long way away.”

Everett is a community in Adjala-Tosorontio.

“All I’m saying is that we are developing and building around here and it may very well be a little space that could be better utilized,” Davie said.

“I have many times offered that we should sell this property,” Capes said of the Lloyd Armstrong Memorial Park. “And, also, if we wanted to do anything with it that we would take down the structure that is there and repurpose that somewhere else.”

She said few people use that park and its baseball diamond anymore.

“The only people that go in there are kids on dirt bikes that I chase away,” Capes said.

She suggested availing of the playground in the Rosemont subdivision about two minutes down the road.

“Anybody who is going to Lloyd Armstrong is going to have to drive because it’s not in walking distance to anybody, except me,” Capes said. “So, taking your kids to a park, you’re going to have to drive.

“So driving just one block up and one block in, there’s a beautiful children’s park there. That’s where the kids go.”

Nix suggested council wait for feedback from Heaton about the park.

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