Westmount Park: The City answers some of your questions

Initiated in the spring of 2019, the Westmount Park revitalization project aims to restore and preserve this haven of greenery in the heart of the City. The park is one of the City’s most cherished places, so the project could not be done without the involvement of the community.

An effort was made to encourage public participation in the project. A citizen survey on the park was held from October 28 to November 15, 2019, and a participatory workshop was held on November 13, 2019 at Victoria Hall. During this workshop, over 100 residents had the opportunity to express their ideas and desires for the future of the park. As a result of these public consultations, proposed design concepts were presented to the public during an online public presentation on November 18, 2020. A survey on these design concepts was conducted from November 18, 2020 to January 18, 2021. In recent weeks, residents have had the opportunity to again express their feedback on some aspects of the project by completing a short survey. Citizens have also been able to express their comments and opinions directly on the project webpage at engage.westmount.org.

The City would like to remind the public that the project is still in the public consultation phase. Design concepts remain recommendations and are still under consideration. This is not final. However, some citizens have expressed concerns, fears, and sometimes opposition to the project in recent weeks. Therefore, the City needs to answer a number of questions to clear up any misunderstandings or correct any misinformation that may have led to a misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the project’s objectives and intentions.

Why not just keep doing maintenance?

The park is at a critical point where much of the infrastructure is broken. Infrastructure, both above and below ground, is approaching the end of its life cycle. Therefore, intervention is required, including the rehabilitation of the water supply system (water mains and drains), pathways, lighting and electrical components. The severity and urgency of these problems indicate that simple maintenance or upkeep would not be sufficient.

Why the suggestion to redo the trails?

The poor condition of the trails was one of the main comments in the first survey on the state of the park. The brick trails are one of the park’s historic features. Over time, the land has buckled, causing the bricks to shift. This situation has increased the risk of tripping and injury, especially for those with limited mobility. This is a safety issue. Simply replacing the bricks would not be a viable long-term solution and would not follow best construction practices since the trails’ foundation must also be repaired. The pathways will use sustainable materials, in keeping with the natural and historical setting of the park, and should allow for better stormwater drainage. The pathways must be accessible to everyone.

Why the suggestion to redevelop and repair the pond?

The pond is leaking too much water. It was artificially created with a cement base that was filled with drinking water. There is a crack in this base which results in a significant loss of water. The legislation on the use and saving of drinking water requires us to intervene to remedy these problems. It is suggested to reconstruct the basin with natural and sustainable materials. The pond will focus on sustainable practices and will be primarily rain-fed.

Why the suggestion to make a side path next to the bike path?

Many pedestrians use the bike path to get from Melville Avenue to Lansdowne Avenue. This situation was mentioned by many respondents in the first survey on the state of the park. It creates some conflicts with cyclists and can pose a safety issue. The speed of cyclists and dangerous intersections between the bike path and trails also pose some safety concerns. To remedy this situation, we could possibly construct a secondary pathway (less wide than the main pathways) along the bike path to allow for safe pedestrian and cyclist movement.

Will the suggestion for a wooden walkway be retained?

No. Stantec’s proposal for a wooden walkway over the playground will not be pursued.

Why the suggestion to move the wading pool from the corner of Sherbrooke and Melville?

The wading pool, located at the corner of Sherbrooke and Melville is slippery and therefore dangerous when wet. Not environmentally friendly and needs to improve its water conservation. It is not accessible to everyone. Finally, it is highly recommended to relocate the wading pool from the corner and bring it closer to the children’s playground area.

Why the suggestion to redevelop the children’s playground?

In 2014, changes to the Canadian Playground Safety Institute (CPSI) standards required more open space around play structures. The playground needs to comply with the norms for the safety of the children. Removing the concrete in this area will reduce hard surfaces, mitigate the heat island effect, and allow for additional trees and sun-sheltered areas in the play area.

If there is construction, will the park be closed?

The park will not be closed during construction. The work will be done in stages to ensure access to the park. Depending on the work, some areas of the park may be temporarily closed to the public, but the park will never be completely inaccessible to users. We know that access to Westmount Park is too important.

 

Westmount Park will still look like Westmount Park. The proposed improvements will have little impact on the park’s appearance. There will be no major changes to the overall appearance of the park. It will be greener and lusher. There will be an increase of green spaces, low shrubs and trees, and ground cover. The park will be made accessible to all residents, including those with mobility issues.

The project’s main objective is to preserve this park so beloved by the community so that it will continue to be a safe and serene place for future generations and a source of pride for our City. Certain aspects of the park go beyond maintenance, and we can no longer ignore the necessity to repair the park’s infrastructure. Westmount Park will always remain Westmount Park: a beautiful place to meet and celebrate nature!

The proposed timeline in the brochure would be that the incoming Council would engage a landscape architecture firm through tender. This firm would prepare the design proposal that would be the result of further consultation.