Town to look at bylaw to protect parkland

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

Tillsonburg council is looking at ways to stop parkland from being developed.

Mayor Deb Gilvesy left the chair at the Sept. 26 meeting to present a motion to protect parkland in the wake of a suggestion to turn the Annandale ball diamonds into residential – albeit with more green space than normal – to fund the development of new proposed ball diamonds on Mall Road. The suggestion of a bylaw to protect parkland came from resident Michael Bossy, one of the partners of Annandale Heights that donated the land where the Annandale diamonds sit.

Following a preamble about the importance of parkland and the dedication process through the plan of subdivision process, Gilvesy’s motion directed staff to prepare “a report outlining options for a parkland protection by law that would safeguard subdivision parkland dedication from future development or disposition,” and the report includes best practices, policies of bylaws used in comparable Ontario municipalities.

Speaking to the bylaw after it was read, Gilvesy said, “The bylaw aims to protect all green space because once it’s gone, it won’t come back. It will make future council pause if they ever consider developing parkland.”

Coun. Kelly Spencer agreed it was important for council to protect parkland.

The motion passed unanimously.