Friends of Marina Park FOMP

Under the Renew Thunder Bay Reserve Fund, we the taxpayers are being asked to pay more. Contribute to the renewal of our city. Creating a civic phoenix rising from the ashes of recession so to speak. It is hard to argue with the idea of making Thunder Bay a more beautiful, more livable community. A place we all can be proud to call home. The idea may have merit. That has yet to be seen. The priority of the projects the money will be spent on is the larger issue.

To the editor:

When Port Arthur and Fort William were in their formative years, plans were made for the layout of both towns.

These plans included typical city planning with such things as main streets, residential subdivisions, schools, hospitals, areas for commerce, rail layouts, etc.

 

The first step in an environmental assessment on the former Pool 6 site was taken Thursday with a public consultation session.

As the city begins its Terms of Reference, or environmental assessment plan, it must consult the public before submitting its intentions to the Ministry of Environment.

It has been nearly half a century since Jane Jacobs wrote The Death and Life of Great American Cities, and three years since she died. What she wrote and spoke about has never been more relevant than it is now, as cities all over the world grow in population. With that growth comes a broader recognition of the significance of bringing “people and activities together in a jumping, joyous urban jungle” (Douglas Martin, a New York-based journalist, wrote this in the New York Times after Jacobs’ death).

 

I would like to reply to your editorial about the Friends of Marina Park (“With Friends like this,” Oct. 21) in which you imply the waterfront project is going ahead with the approval of the majority of citizens. Not so! Of the thousands of citizens we have talked to very few are in favour of condos at Prince Arthur‘s Landing. They are also against selling off this valuable piece of the property to a private developer. You support tearing up some of the existing infrastructure at taxpayers‘ expense and replacing it with condos and a hotel. We do not! Your editorials are just one opinion and do not represent the majority of the taxpayers.

Question: Why not build condos in other parks such as Boulevard Lake Park?

Answer: Parks are for People. Boulevard Lake Park is for people and for events like the Mayor’s Walk for Volunteerism. Likewise, Marina Park, with its walking paths and trails, should remain available as it is today, the jewel of Thunder Bay’s park system, as a park for all citizen’s of Thunder Bay to use and enjoy. FOMP support trees, parks and trails; keep Marina Park green with mature trees and trails like Boulevard Lake Park. Friends of Marina Park raise funds in support of the 9th Annual RBC Royal Bank Mayor's Walk for Volunteerism held on

About ten demonstrators representing Friends of Marina Park rallied outside City Hall Monday evening to show they are not going away and offered an update on their fundraising effort to finance an OMB hearing into residential development plans for the waterfront.
The donations are still coming in according to group spokeswoman Katie Heikkinen. She could not say how much has been raised so far but they hope to have enough money by summer to move forward with their appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board to stop the waterfront redevelopment plan. Heikkinen said the youth of Thunder Bay are starting to get involved with their cause.