GuelphToday received the following letter from Galal Hassan regarding the proposal to make the former reformatory lands in Guelph an urban park.
Dear editor:
I am writing in response to your recent article “Urban Park proposal and potential new hospital collide at reformatory” which detailed the controversy surrounding the future of the Ontario Reformatory lands in Guelph. We shouldn’t waste this special piece of land on infrastructure alone. It presents an opportunity. I implore city officials and residents to give the establishment of a national urban park top priority rather than a hospital or other development.
By preserving green space within the city’s structure, the reformatory lands as a park would be consistent with sustainable urban planning principles. This park might serve as a barrier against environmental deterioration and urban sprawl guaranteeing that Guelph continues to be a vibrant ecological and recreational centre in addition to a place to live. This is also extremely important when considering the aging population and population demographic of Guelph. This park also provides a significant chance for Indigenous reconciliation through joint land management efforts which is a priority that Parks Canada has emphasized. In addition to conserving the sites history these initiatives may improve ties with Indigenous communities.
This is not to downplay the significance of a new hospital rather it is to imply that there are probably better sites for this kind of infrastructure with equally convenient access to main highways. If a hospital is built here, the urban landscape will lose a unique green asset that will be much harder to replace later. By creating this park Guelph can take the lead in urban environmentalism and serve as a model for sustainable development.
Galal Hassan,
Guelph
