Upcoming Community Meetings Regarding Annex Parks

In mid-June, expect two community meetings in our Annex neighbourhood.

As many are aware, there has been much change at Jean Sibelius Square. With the removal of the off-leash designation, the park is in full bloom, the field is greening and filled with people playing, reading, picnicking, sunbathing, etc.,. While it may seem like this change is happening quickly, the revitalization of JSS has been more than a three year process helped along by community volunteers including the Sibelius Square Working Group. Expect more change to happen over the next two years since the City, with input from Councillor Adam Vaughan's office and the SSWG, has chosen the design firms of PMA Landscape Architects and Natale&Scott to work on the redesign of Jean Sibelius Square. The upcoming community meeting will offer more information about design possibilities and will look to the Annex community for feedback on ideas presented.

The ARA Off-Leash Working Group has been working at a feverish pace to bring an off-leash area into the Annex for those dog owners displaced by the changes brought about by the City's new Off-Leash Policy which restricts small parks like JSS to on-leash use only. Expect to see a community meeting from this group before July. They are looking at options for an off-leash area at Huron Park (at the corner of Huron and Lowther; just south of the Huron School) and at St. Alban's Parkette (the park to the south of Royal St. George's College). If you are interested in more information on the work of this group, they can be reached via e-mail: offleashworkinggroup@gmail.com.

If you have concerns regarding our neighbourhood parks and parks across the city, Annex resident, Premika Ratnam created the advocacy group, Play at the Park, which works on policy issues regarding parks and their implications for all user groups. She welcomes volunteers to help with the work of PATP and will address questions and concerns about our City's greenspace.