Published in The BANAR May 1972
This version of the truth is an interpretation by J.G. Rollins of some notes prepared by Mrs. Lois Kemp and q speech by Mr. H. Schmitz, Consultant to the Township’s Recreation and Community Centres Board (RCCB).
The first purchasers of houses built by Costa in in Blackburn Hamlet moved in during the spring of 1967. The network of safe walkways was undoubtedly an attractive feature of the subdivision to the first residents, but it was quickly realized that the entire 5% of the land that Costain was obliged to provide as parkland plus a generous supplement had been used for these walkways, which were suitable only for passive recreation. The only land available for active recreation was the school property, which most residents considered to be inadequate.
Early in 1969 Blackburn Community Association discovered that the National Capital Commission was in the process of selling an additional 22 acres of Green Belt land to the Township of Gloucester for resale to Costain. Blackburn Community Association made a strong case for the use of some of this land for active recreation. After considerable negotiations, Costain gave the Township the 5 acre Bearbrook Park as the 5% requirement for the whole of its remaining land holdings in Blackburn Hamlet. Costain also sold 5 acres on the south side of Innes Road to the Township for a park at $2,500 an acre. Thus, by October 1969, the land for two future parks had been secured.
Blackburn Community Association immediately conducted a survey of the wishes of the residents and prepared drawings and a model of a proposed layout of Bearbrook Park. These were presented to a meeting of the Township’s RCCB early in 1970.
Matters rested at this stage for some time. The Township had realized that it was becoming predominantly urban, that parks are important in urban living, and that the Township should prepare a policy on parka. Consultants were hired by the Township and an interim plan for Blackburn Hamlet was delivered to the RCCB and reported to Blackburn Community Association in February, 1971. In April, 1971 the RCCB decided to bring Bearbrook Park up to basic standards, which meant the installation of subsurface drainage, grading, and the provision of water and sewer services to the boundary of the park. The last item is the only one that has been completed or started to date. The other items were delayed by the announcement of the construction of Blackburn Middle School on a site adjacent to the park. In June, 1971 the RCCB decided that a professional planner should plan Bearbrook Park and that the work should be done in conjunction with the plans for the school.
The consultant prepared some concept drawings very quickly, but the requirement of the RCCB for integration with the school plans held things up until the turn of the year. Early in 1972 the consultant presented several alternative plans to the RCCB, Blackburn Community Association, the Township’s Technical Advisory Committee, and the Carleton School Board. Ail these parties agreed on the adoption of the same plan. On March 28, 1972 the Property Committee of the Carleton Separate School Board gave approval but pointed out that the plans of Blackburn Hamlet Catholic School make provision for an extension of the building. The extension will take up 80 feet
of land on the north side of the existing building, which would have placed left field of the softball field of the agreed plan of Bearbrook Park. This possibility rendered that plan useless.
The impatience of waiting for more than 2 1/2 years led to the preparation by some members of Blackburn Community Association of a revision of its original drawing. This plan was presented to the RCCB on May 2, 1972. It has also been shown to some trustees of both school boards. This concept drawing received the approval of the Executive Committee of Blackburn Community Association on May 9 and it is expected that the RCCB will by now have given instructions to its consultant to prepare working drawings. Within a few weeks the RCCB should be in a position to let tenders for the installation of the subsurface drainage and for the grading of Bearbrook Park. The installation of recreational facilities will then depend only on the resources and resourcefulness of the residents of Blackburn Hamlet.