Ed Blake Park has been described by some as an unkept pasture and by others as a blank canvas. Depending on how you look or looked at the Park, the focus for the residents and the City of London changed during the April 3rd, 2008 meeting. For the first time, in recent memory, the City came to the meeting with no agenda and was asking the users and residents within the adjacent community for their input regarding the development/redevelopment of the Park.
The Stormwater Management Division Of the City of London, without explaining why the unannounced delay , stated that the rehabilitation of the McNay Drain, which runs through the Park would be started and completed within the 2008-2009 time frame. This allowed the Parks Planning and Design Department, represented by Manager Andrew Macpherson and Community Services/Neighbourhood and Children Services, represented by Paul D’Hollander, to start the consultation and planning process for how the Park will eventual look like.
From the April meeting a list 15 residents was created that expressed interest in establishing a group to consider ideas for the Park. A series of meetings took place (See Meetings/Minutes) and the ED Blake Park Community Association was formed.
The City held a second meeting for interested community members and stakeholders during the last week of June.
The City will hold the next general meeting after the results of the Kipps Lane Initiative have been published. It is expected the extensive survey used in the Initiative, will provide additional information that might be relevant to the development of recreational facilities within the North East corridor and in particular for Ed Blake Park.
