Parks are a vital piece of any community, especially in urban neighbourhoods like Lowertown. We all love to take advantage of these much-needed green spaces to meet with friends and family, participate in community activities, or get fresh air on a daily walk.
Earlier this year, we announced that our community’s newest park revitalization project would bring much-needed improvements to well-loved Bingham Park. As a first step, residents of Lowertown were surveyed on their use of the park. They shared what elements they use often, would like to see stay, and what they think could be added to improve the community space. Many engagement residents participated in the community consultation on the upcoming revitalization of Bingham Park. We are fortunate to have an active residents’ group in the Friends of Bingham Park supporting the City parks planner, Renée Proteau, through the consultation phase.
The survey results were shared at a successful open house, and thoughts and suggestions were considered in this project. We have started the third and final consultation phase as there is now a preliminary concept design for the park, which has incorporated much of what was shared during earlier consultation phases.
Residents can now view and provide input on the preliminary concept design by visiting engage.ottawa.ca and select the Bingham Park icon. The budget for this park is secured. After this last consultation, we will be eager to advance this project to shovel-ready status to provide our community with a new and improved Bingham Park.
It is important that residents can continue to grow and play right in their own communities; from the addition of tennis and basketball courts at Bordeleau Park, and Cathcart Park amenity improvements to the Revitalization of Jules Morin Park and now Bingham Park, I am proud to have been a part of these park improvements efforts through my 12 years as your representative.