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Mossgrove Park - Safety and Tree Issues |
Following a recent CBC radio
report about Mossgrove Park, my office received calls
registering concern with the cutting of several trees on
the berm bordering the park. The CBC report contained
incomplete and inaccurate information – in particular a
quotation from a police representative denying a
previous formal safety recommendation made by another
police officer. This will clarify and correct the
record.
In 2006, several residents of
homes bordering on Mossgrove Park complained about drug
dealing and other undesirable activity in the Park. They
further expressed concern for the safety of their
families. Following notice to residents on area streets,
a public meeting at York Mills CI determined that the
expressed concerns were generally shared by the 25 to 30
people who attended. Consequently, Police and Parks
representatives at the meeting jointly recommended a
safety audit of the Park.
Following further public notice,
the safety audit was conducted in May, 2007 by a 33
Division Community Relations Officer accompanied by
Parks personnel and about 25 to 30 area residents.
During the safety audit, it was determined that the berm,
a long mound of earth on the south side of the Park,
obscured it and created an environment favoured by drug
dealers and persons carrying on undesirable activity.
The primary recommendation of the safety audit was to
create better sightlines into the park by the removal of
the some or all of the berm and, by necessity, about 20
trees on the berm. The City’s Parks department concurred
with the safety audit.
In addition to implementing the
safety audit recommendations, the Parks department is
planting 30 new trees in the Park and has offered
adjoining property owners the option to select a tree
from a list of native species to be planted near their
back garden. They further plan to utilize all of the
removed materials productively in other Parks projects.
As of May 16, 2008, the project is partially complete.
Additional Information:
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