​The wheels are coming off

To the Editor:

If you want lessons on how to tick people off, look no farther than the actions of Kincardine council.

The latest example occurred last week when council advertised that a meeting was being held Thursday evening (June 6) for the re-imagining of Victoria Park in downtown Kincardine. At the meeting, a consulting company provided three plans, all of which seemed to call for more sidewalks and other concrete features, such as a paved plaza with water features.

The plans have a storage shed near the washrooms, which apparently also need to be improved. Flower gardens have been added. The gazebo, water fountain and the two cannons seem to be missing from the re-imagined park if I read the plans properly.

There are a few concerns with this new plan. The municipality seems to have a problem with upkeep. For example, the cannons, with wheels in place, have stood in Victoria Park since the latter part of the 19th Century. I had a look at them last week – one has three wheels missing and one has one wheel missing. After more than a century in the park, the wheels have gone missing.

The gazebo appears structurally sound but needs some tender loving care, as does the park as a whole. The water fountain, erected to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, is missing - but maybe it will be put in place in before summer arrives.

Looking at the cannons, gazebo, water fountain and overall condition of the park, why would taxpayers want to build a new park when the existing ones are not kept in good condition?

Another question – who will look after the gardens? And why is a storage shed and improved washrooms needed?

More questions keep coming to mind. Why so little notice to the public about the meeting? Why wasn’t the public consulted before council hired a company to design plans for the park?

Is council trying to wipe all signs of Kincardine’s past from public view? From whence came the dream of a new re-imagined Victoria Park?

Eric Howald
Kincardine