I would like to make my views on the proposed changes to St. Georges Park known. I hope that when this comes to a vote at City Council you will vote it down. While I do not want to appear insensitive to the Lambdens, I do oppose their proposal. There is already a bench and a plaque in memory of their son Nicholas. My heart goes out to them for their loss, but to assume that 10-year-old Nicholas would have preferred a gazebo to a baseball diamond is a little far-fetched. I think a gazebo would be target for vandals and would cause more trouble than it would be an improvement to the park. If they wish to fund a park in Nicholas’ honour, perhaps they should buy a piece of property, develop and maintain it themselves. I feel very strongly that one family’s loss should draw so much attention after so long is going a bit too far. Perhaps the family needs some grief counseling. Do you feel we should we erect a memorial for every child that has ever died from an unfortunate accident? Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. AV
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I am a life-long Guelph resident and had heard rumour long before it was public about proposed changes to St. Georges Park. The rumour was erecting a large memorial plaque.
My feelings on that were strongly against. Not for being unsympathetic to a family mourning the loss of their son, but that so many more families have lost loved ones in our community and any decision to allow this type of memoriam would seem precedent setting and restricted to the amount of money one can privately throw at it.
When you visit the University Arboretum, some local golf courses, River Side Park, there are trees and benches with plaques remembering loved ones lost. Tasteful, a precedent clearly has been set.
Now I’m under the understanding that a large structure and changing the physical appearance of the park is planned to mark the spot where the young man was fatally injured.
Please count my voice of opposition to this plan. I sympathize with the difficulty in turning this sensitive item down, but open up the opportunity to let the Lambden family as developers create a children’s park somewhere else in Guelph, why not in one of the Terra View communities, to me more fitting. A fresh start, a named park, and let the community of St. Georges Park remember the loss, but celebrate the sense of community and family zone for future generations as it has been for so many years.
I know this is a tough decision, but it shouldn’t be. Clear heads and hearts must prevail. Please leave the park intact. Grow a new park for Guelph’s “growing” community. LC
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If any issue lent itself to appointing an ‘independent’ mediator (Carl Hamilton-type person)between the St. George’s family and the neighborhood, it is this issue – let’s try to avoid the adversarial speeches for the sake of the family and the neighborhood.
If both parties can’t come to an agreement… no action should be taken. Capital money that is donated to the city- should not even be in the issue.
In hindsight, it would have been best for staff to receive the information from the family… then they should have immediately formed a neighbourhood group to help update the existing plan for the park… or develop a new one… if the family saw something in it to support, then they could decide to support it financially.
The issue is simple…. how does the neighbourhood want the park to develop… and does the family want to commemorate their son by supporting this development. PY