by Émilie Sartoretto
Efforts to see Centretown’s Dundonald Park live up to its full potential continue as community members work together to create a shared vision for Dundonald Park as part of the Active Places, Healthy People project.
Building on a community forum held last March and ongoing consultations in the community, the Centretown Community Health Centre and 8-80 Cities (a Toronto-based non-profit organization) held a workshop, attended by Councillor Diane Holmes, in early June to prioritize and expand on the many ideas received so far.
“This workshop marks a turning point in the project,” said Christina Marchant, Community Health Promotion and Early Years director at Centretown CHC. “These conversations will gave us a good idea of what communities most want to see in the park so we can move from talking to doing.”
To hone in on specifics, participants worked in small theme-based groups to identify priorities. Explored themes included winter activities, healthy lifestyles, stewardship, children, and seniors. Through a voting process, groups selected top priorities and expanded on them by suggesting a plan of action.
Preferred ideas varied from infrastructure improvements to increased activities in the park throughout the year. Among them were a winter festival that could include a snowman-building contest, Chinese New Year activities and hot chocolate to stay warm. To encourage volunteerism, the group suggested collaborating with the City of Ottawa and other partners to set up a bartering system. In exchange for their time, volunteers would earn points redeemable for goods or services.
Adequate lighting in the park is an ongoing concern, so it’s no surprise participants highlighted the need for better lighting and encouraged setting up solar lights in the trees. To make the park more accessible, especially to seniors and those with mobility issues, the group suggested fixing the stairs and ensuring the park is adequately plowed in the winter. Benches should also be fixed and painted in vibrant colours to help make the park more inviting.
“So far, we’ve received so many great ideas,” said Emily Munroe, director of Partnerships and Programs at 8-80 Cities, who shared preliminary report results at the workshop. “We’ve seen great energy and momentum around this project, with many different groups and people getting involved to share their ideas and host events in the park.”
While in Ottawa, 8-80 Cities continued consultations with key groups and people such as newcomers, children, youth and adults, supportive housing groups, representatives from The Beer Store and outreach nurses working in the community. With the help of volunteers, they assessed who uses the park, at what times of day they use it, and for what activities.
“Projects like this one are great to bring people together and achieve wonderful things,” explained Kathy Morgan, outreach nurse at Centretown CHC. “It gives us the opportunity to bridge the gap with people who are isolated and may not always participate in activities. And research has shown that a walk in the park improves health and may even have psychological benefits for people suffering from depression. All the more reason to create great and vibrant green spaces in our urban environments.”
By the end of the summer, 8-80 Cities will share their report, clearly expressing what they’ve heard from the communities and suggesting a sustainable plan that builds on the current momentum. It will also include recommendations around what resources should be devoted to improve and keep the park safe.
Centretown CHC will also share the report, along with resources and lessons learned, with interested people and groups who may be interested in improving a park in their neighbourhood.
Since the project began in March, there’s already been increased activity in the park. The Centretown Community Health Centre is working with community partners to organize activities in the park. The schedule is available online at bit.ly/parcdpark.