Fall River (D2N) – In the wake of concerns and the subsequent active participation of local residents to preserve Laurie Park’s day-use access for... Full Article
Fall River (D2N) – In the wake of concerns and the subsequent active participation of local residents to preserve Laurie Park’s day-use access for regular park users, District 2 News caught up with Minister Percy Paris, MLA for Waverley – Fall River – Beaver Bank, to discuss the situation. The NDP Minister was reluctant to take any credit for the part he played in the quick turn-about of plans relating to the future use of the provincial park, but he did take a moment to share a few details, including his thoughts about the public information meeting held Jan. 14, and the matter of on-going traditional day-use of Laurie Park by local residents.
Paris has lived with his family in Windsor Jct. for many years, and says he was concerned not only as a politician whose riding boundaries are inclusive of the popular park, but also as a local resident who enjoys the use of the park himself. “Just like many people here in this community, I use Laurie Park too, to go off the rocks and to swim,” he said.
The MLA says he mentioned his concerns about the meeting to the people in charge and was informed the meeting was going to evolve. “People could see the stations set out with displays of the proposed plans for Laurie Park,” said Paris. “The idea was for them to visit the stations, talk with the staff persons manning the stations, and ask questions.” The local MLA says he was not pleased with what he saw and he could see clearly that residents were not pleased either. “I said to Mr. Harold Carroll, (Director of Parks for the Dept. of Natural Resources) who was at the meeting, I said, “This isn’t good enough; people need to know who you are, and what you are here to do. You must respond to the concerns people have.”
Paris, also the Minister of Tourism for Nova Scotia says he could tell emotions were escalating at the meeting and he realized he needed to speak up. “It was clear this was an emotional issue for everybody; I could hear and feel the emotion and I was afraid it was getting out of hand. As MLA, although I wasn’t scheduled to speak, I felt I had an obligation to the people of this community.”
Sheets had been passed out at the meeting, asking for input from residents – Paris says he had filled his sheet out at the beginning of the information session. When someone asked what he had written, he did not hesitate and spoke it out loud. “I had some things to say about the park,” said the Minister. “For the most part, the changes that were proposed were good – flush toilets, showers, water, overflow parking, that was all positive. My concerns included the matter of accessibility – and I mean increased accessibility in a broad sense. Not only is accessibility important for day-users of the park, but it is also imperative to have better access available for people who have walking difficulties, people with disabilities, people who are aged, and for persons in wheelchairs. And what about mothers and children? What about a mom who comes to the park with her child – or with two or three kids and a stroller? Maybe she wants to come for a picnic. How can she get to the rocks with the children, and do it in a safe way? And people with walking aides? Grandparents might want to come and watch their grandchildren swim off the rocks – what about those people? What about the big picture?” said Paris.
The politician says he could understand the concerns people were raising. “These are people who have used the park for years,” he said, “generations of families have used the park, year after year after year. I said, “How can you say to these people “you can’t use here anymore?” I told what my own concerns were, and I told the people at the meeting to let your comments be known.”
Paris acknowledged the proposed plans for the park were positive for the most part. “This is a concept; I realize staff had to start somewhere, but if people didn’t like what they were seeing, they needed to tell them.”
Paris called fellow Cabinet Minister, Mr. John MacDonell, the following Monday, three days after the meeting. Minister MacDonell had been away, but had returned by then. “I shared my concerns and told Minister MacDonell that I wasn’t really happy with the start of the meeting and that the format wasn’t value addressed,” said Paris. “That meeting had led people to be more upset and I told the Minister that.”
During the course of their discussion, both Ministers agreed the plans for Laurie Park needed to be relooked at and somewhat revised, “We agreed as a government, we can not deny access to traditional day-use of the park. Minister MacDonell said to me “Surely we must be able to find some way to get people to the water.” We recognized there had to be some way to redevelop the park to include the traditional park users and to fit the needs of those people into the plans along with the new upgrades,” said Minister Paris. “We talked briefly about a few of the possibilities that could be considered, including the option of people being driven in and dropped off by the waterside; but those ideas are among the things still needing to be worked out.”
News of Minister MacDonell’s decision to keep the day-use access of Laurie Park intact is welcome news to members of the group Friends of Laurie Park. Following the Jan. 14 meeting, the group – comprised of local residents and concerned park users – rallied quickly, organizing a detailed plan to Save Laurie Park. They launched an all-out campaign, peacefully protesting the proposed plan for their beloved park. The group held meetings, circulated petitions, and utilized technology and the media available, to reach people and let them know what was going to happen to the land donated to the community by the Laurie family in 1961. Judging from the results so far, the efforts of the group have not been in vain. Minister Paris stated yesterday in a letter to the group, that Laurie Park will remain available for everyone to enjoy, campers and day-users alike.
Minister Paris issued a statement today, Jan. 21 regarding the Laurie Park situation. In a news release, the NDP MLA said he is pleased the Department of Natural Resources will make changes to the re-development plan for Laurie Provincial Park.
“I want to thank the department and Minister MacDonell for listening to the concerns of citizens,” said Paris. “The people of Fall River and area rely on Laurie Park for their fitness and recreational needs. I’m glad accommodations are being made with the interests of the community in mind.”
The Department of Natural Resources will consult directly with local residents in the creation of a new re-development plan. Once the new plan is established it will be distributed to community groups for feedback.
Minister Paris said he will be meeting with members of the Friends of Laurie Park group today, Jan 21 to further discuss the matter of Laurie Park.
