100% opposed to Duncan Manor land swap and development
Mayor and council:
When I was first elected in 1996, Centennial Park was a mess. Drinking parties, garbage, and dog poop everywhere. It was very seldom used by anyone; a wasteland. The park was originally a wetland and before the war, local Japanese used to plant rice there. That neighbourhood used to be known as Japan Town. In the ’60s council decided to make it a park and between 500 to 1,000 loads of hog fuel was hauled and spread there to cover the wetlands. Because the ground is so hummocky, however, no one ever played sports there because you’d end up breaking an ankle.
I was on council in the 1990s when council gave permission to build the Jubilee Community Gardens. Immediately this started to have a really good effect on the use of the park. Nefarious people and drinking parties went elsewhere, gardeners and their families were there most days, even in winter. Later, with a grant from the Lions Club and other grants and taxes, we did the water park and playground and realigned the tennis courts so you could no longer hide behind the wall and not be seen by people in the adjacent apartments and houses. And then the cob oven and picnic area was built.
I forget the year when the Lawn Bowling Club was started. I was initially opposed, because they had to cut down about 10 maples so the grass would not be shaded. However, once it was there, I thought it was a great addition, adding even more people and more community use. I realize that the lawn bowling club was built partially on the Duncan Housing Society’s land. I assume what you are doing is a land swap.
I am 100 per cent opposed to this. Centennial is a heavily used community park. I am opposed to building a six-storey building, I am opposed to adding more parking, I am opposed to changing the entrance to Second Street. I suggest you simply pay the Housing Society for the land that the lawn bowling facility is on and call it a day.
Sharon Jackson
Duncan