Parkwood land will become park, Fedeli says

Open space on Parkwood Drive will officially become parkland “one way or another,” Mayor Vic Fedeli says.

Fedeli responded this morning to the concerns of over 40 residents in the Parkwood-Glenwood Road area who attended a meeting Wednesday night of the Planning Advisory committee.

Hundreds of residents
The space in question has been designated surplus by North Bay city staff and could be put up for sale for development.

But since it’s officially zoned open space in the Official Plan, it must be redesignated and rezoned first, the first step of which rests with the PAC.

Five lots on either side of Parkwood would be created if the property becomes rezoned, something homeowners in the neighbourhood say they’re firmly against.

“At the end of the day my greatest fear concerns the so-called democratic process,” said Sandra O’Grady, who lives on Glenwood Road.

“A handful of councilors can make a decision overruling the wishes of literally hundreds of residents.”

Introduce a motion
But Fedeli said he will put an end to the issue either way once the PAC makes its decision, after it receives a staff report.

“If it recommends the property remain a park then not only will things end right then and there, I will introduce a motion to have it officially declared a park and named after someone, with proper signage put at all the entrances,” Fedeli said Thursday morning.

“And one way or another we will make it a park, no matter what happens, and definitively close off all concerns.”

Legal document or moral document
Area resident Paul Trenker brought a 50-year-old document to the meeting signed by the original developer of the Parkwood subdivision and stating the property was to be restricted to uses for municipal purposes other than a road.

Fedeli said the document was what differentiated the Parkwood parcels from the other 369 pieces of land declared surplus by the city.

“We’re not sure whether this is a legal document or a moral document because it’s only signed by the developer but we will be taking a very close look at it,” Fedeli said.

City administrator Dave Linkie said the document will be examined by solicitor Michael Burke “to see what, if any, legal status it has.”

Nature of democracy
In the meantime Fedeli, who stated in his 2020 Vision Plan that no city parkland would be sold off, said he’s viewed the land in question and understands the residents’ concerns.

The matter, he said, “could be ended” if the PAC decides against the rezoning request.

“Or the committee could kick it up to council where the political process could begin,” Fedeli said.
“That’s the nature of democracy.”

Only when you panic
Surplus land is being sold off to raise revenue for city coffers, Fedeli said.

“We were elected to get in there and turn over every stone to move the community forward,” Fedeli said.

“Jettisoning” city assets though, Trenker said, isn’t the way to go.

“It doesn’t solve annual budget problems selling off assets. That’s something you do only when you panic.”