For details, see pdf: http://www.sinkingship.ca/pdf/SSE_CallForSubmissions_Giver.pdf
Sinking Ships and the Ontario Parks Association have an online call for submission.
It states the following:
If you know of a playground in need,
a place where kids are advocating to play,
or a space where kids should be playing but aren’t – we want to know about it.
Mooney’s Bay is not any of those things. Images below are kids from Ottawa Lions in the exact spot where the play structure will go.
From the Bulldog, May 25, 2016
http://bulldogottawa.com/who-supported-rethinking-mooneys-bay-playground/#more-715978
YEAS (7): Councillors D. Chernushenko, K. Egli, R. Brockington, D. Deans, C. McKenney, T. Nussbaum, and J. Leiper.
NAYS (15):
Councillors T. Tierney, J. Mitic, S. Blais, S. Qadri, M. Fleury,
M. Wilkinson, J. Harder, B. Monette, J. Cloutier, S. Moffatt,
R. Chiarelli, M. Qaqish, A. Hubley, G. Darouze, and
Mayor J. Watson
It seems that rules are only broken when it suits the Mayor. Today fifteen City Counsellors voted to uphold procedural rules that prevented Riley Brockington from making his motion.
It’s clear from this CBC News analysis that the City violated both its own “Ottawa Options Policy” and “Community Partnership Major Capital Grant Program” when striking the deal with TVO, Giver and Sinking Ship, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/mooneys-bay-playground-city-rules-procurement-1.3597426
Where do we go when City Hall breaks its own rules? Maybe our MPP David McGuinty can be in touch with the provincial Minister of Municipal Affairs Ted McMeekin. Maybe we should be contacting him too? His e-mail address is tmcmeekin.mpp@liberal.ola.org
In response to a constituent’s concern for lack of consultation, assessment of needs and outrage at the dishonesty by the governors of our beloved City, Rick Chiarelli proved again that he is up to the task.
As well as citing the park’s monopolization by adults (quit using public parks so much you adults!), he also mentions that Mooney’s Bay has been designated for active play, not passive (his words) as if this play structure will fulfill this gaping problem. Please see pictures in our Facebook posts to see how passive the play in the park has been over the years.
Rick Chiarelli’s email:
Thank you for writing.
While I share some of your concerns, just a quick correction on your understanding of the facts.
1) Mooney’s Bay has been designated an “active” – not passive – play area for decades. The Mooney’s Bay play element has been monopolized by adults for many years but, following extensive public consultation, the site has been slated to expand its active play FOR CHILDREN for over 15 years.
2) There is no option to simply move the subject playground to another site as the money that is coming from the private sector to make it possible is being offered ONLY if it is at Mooney’s Bay.
Rick Chiarelli
City Councillor,
College Ward
What the recipient wrote back:
We have almost no time. Before Wednesday we need to send a message to Jim Watson to STOP the play structure at Mooney’s Bay!
In full:
The City of Ottawa has shocked users of Mooney’s Bay Park with the announcement that what’s there now is going to be torn up and replaced with — wait for it — the biggest playground in Canada.
That may be a good idea. Everyone likes playgrounds. And it’s for Canada’s 150th birthday. Good enough, though it’s going to require the city to pitch in $1 million.
The 4,600-square-metre playground will be shaped like Canada.
What, you say? Yeah, we say, that’s the plan — and it might make sense since Mooney’s Bay Park is National Capital Commission land. And that it’s a birthday project.
Not that kids are going to be hovering above the park to actually see it. So there’s that. And then there’s the fact that the construction is going to be made into a feel-good show for TVO. (And it’s supposed to have Guinness world record-length monkey bars; do all the helicopter parents out there even allow monkey bars these days?)
In fairness, city pols generally have a weakness for a bit of pizzazz when it comes to planning.
But in their enthusiasm, they’ve forgotten one thing.
Consultation with the public. Or with anyone, really.
Surprise, folks! That exercise park you’ve been using? It’ll be ripped up for a confederation-shaped mega-playground. HOPE Volleyball, which has used the park as staging for its annual tournament, is trying to figure out a backup plan.
Assuming the playground is a good idea — it might be, it might not be — the lack of consultation is inexcusable. It’s just a park, you might say; why not turn it into something more useful to more people?
Fair enough. But that’s not the point, is it? Residents deserve input on planning decisions. Simple as that. This is a question of democracy, not of what development is best. Because people will disagree on what’s best.
Reasonable people.
But we won’t know what they think without consultation.
We can’t have local government and bureaucracy that believes it can just make decisions without the public’s input. The reasoning is that there were negotiations happening behind the scenes — and that the proponents would walk if it didn’t clip along rapidly. But that sounds like the sort of thing you wouldn’t generally seal up until you knew what the public thought.
Maybe Mooney’s Bay is the right place. Maybe all the whiz-bang properties of this proposal are good. Apparently the city thinks so.
But what about Ottawans, whose voices haven’t been heard? That’s one million of our dollars that’ll be spent.
Our input deserves to be treated with more respect.
In response to a letter to ask how real this show will be, will it show how trees were cut down, our access to a gem of a park that we already love cut off, TVO replied in part that 500 volunteers had already signed up.
Really? The community knew on Friday, May 13. Who are these volunteers and where are they coming from? How are their travel expenses going to be paid? Why did they get to know and we didn’t?
See What we’ve written, letter to TVO.
Did you know Ottawa has an environment committee? Were they consulted?
Ottawa’s environment committee
Here’s something from their Specific Responsibilities:
The Environment Committee shall:
Environment
Our City is out of step with the times as well as out of touch with their constituents. Other cities are actually doing research and planning for children’s play areas.
Here’s an example from Calgary:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/lawson-foundation-calgary-unstructured-play-1.3403723
And here’s a US study:
Girls And Older Adults Are Missing Out On Parks For Recreation
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/05/18/478402956/girls-and-older-adults-are-missing-out-on-parks-for-recreation
Save Mooney's Bay 