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Mono father pushes council to transform underutilized park

October 12, 2023   ·   1 Comments

By JAMES MATTHEWS, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

At least one resident of Mono’s Purple Hill area has some ideas on how to improve the community park there.

Bradley Mayer-Harman said the primary reason he’d like to see the Purple Hill Park revitalized is that he’s a father, and he hopes to one day be able to bring his grandchildren to the park.

The 3.87 acres of grass at the park is underutilized, he said. Grass has started to grow up through the sandy area, and some residents have indicated concern that the structures may soon injure a child.

“Otherwise, the primary concern by most residents is that the sand is quite messy and they’d like to see some time of improvement,” he said.

The park hasn’t seen significant attention since 2002, Mayer-Harman said.

In a letter to council, Mayer-Harman suggested residents would benefit through the installation of a concrete multi-sports pad that can be utilized in summer and winter.

“This pad would serve as a versatile space for various activities, including basketball, pickleball, ball hockey, lacrosse, cycling, rollerblading, skateboarding, and more,” Mayer-Harman wrote in his letter.

Parents in the park’s vicinity have already taken it upon themselves in the winter to maintain an ice rink on the grassed portion of the park. The concrete pad would serve that effort.

Mayer-Harman said there’s a variety of feedback from many community members, and many residents have inked their signatures in support of revitalizing the park.

Based on discussions with town staff, Mayer-Harman said an estimated budget for the project would be in the scope of $100,000.

“Purple Hill Park presents a fantastic opportunity for the council to invest in the community’s health, well-being, and development,” Mayer-Harman said in his presentation to council.

Deputy Mayor Fred Nix agreed that something should be done at that specific recreational space. But, the community’s needs compared to available resources is lacking.

Council last year had to shave as much as $1 million from the Public Works Department’s capital budget. Nix expects to be in the same situation when discussions for the 2024 municipal budget begin.

“The wheels that are spinning in the back of my mind are, Oh boy where’s the money going to come from?” he said. “We have a tough budget year coming up.”

Councillor Elaine Capes applauded the Purple Hill community’s unified front in presenting their wishes to council.

Kim Heaton, the town’s recreation director, said the uses of a multi-purpose concrete pad at the park would be plentiful.

“Even something as simple as hopscotch,” she said. “So they’re [children] not playing hopscotch on the road.”

Coun. Melinda Davie said improving the Purple Hill Park is on the town’s wish list. But there remains the question of money.

“We’ll get Purple Hill up to speed, just like our other parks,” Davie said.


Readers Comments (1)

  1. Laurence Esterhuizen says:

    The money would be better spent on sidewalks and better lighting in Purple Hill. Elderly residents – and there a lot here – risk safety with the current unpaved sidewalks. Also,Mr. Mayer-Harman has not conducted a proper survey or residents or users of the current facilities. I would like to participate in a properly conducted survey of property owners – not just residents – and I would like to see a survey of current users, because I believe that the vast majority of current visitors to our parks are from Brampton, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Markham and other far-flung places. We should not be building facilities for non-residents, in my view, money is better spend FOR DIRECT BENEFIT OF THE RESIDENTS OF PURPLE HILL.

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