The federal government has announced several moves to support the creation of the Ojibway National Urban Park in Windsor-Essex.
Windsor-Tecumseh Liberal MP Irek Kusmierczyk announced Monday the completion of the Ojibway Shores land transfer from Transport Canada to Parks Canada.
Ojibway Shores is 33-acres, 26-acres is land while the other seven-acres is water, and it includes the only remaining undeveloped shoreline of the Detroit River in the Windsor-Detroit area.
The land transfer allows the government to begin the process of remediation through cleanup operations that will benefit the local environment and the many species of plants and animals that depend on it for survival.
Kusmierczyk also announced the completion of the pre-feasibility phase for the proposed park. This confirms that the candidate site aligns with the National Urban Parks Program objectives. The pre-feasibility report will inform future planning for a national urban park in Windsor.
Parks Canada has provided the City of Windsor with $1.3-million to purchase a residential property on Titcombe Road to add the land to the Ojibway National Urban Park. April 17, 2023 (Photo by Rob Hindi)
The government also announced the purchase of a strategic piece of land to complement the proposed national urban park. Parks Canada provided $1.3-million to the City of Windsor to purchase a residential property on Titcombe Road, the only developed property on the road, which is surrounded by the proposed national urban park study area.
Kusmierczyk says this is one of the most important days in terms of environmental conservation for the community.
"This is something the community has been fighting for, for over a decade. We are now closing the chapter on that and again Ojibway Shores is being protected forever," he says.
Ontario's Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks David Piccini says the province will also transfer its land for the national urban park.
"I know that the Premier and I are very excited and announced out intent to transfer 64 hectors, one of the largest parcels of land to the national Ojibway Urban Park and we look forward to being active partners at the table in this for weeks and months ahead as we get this done hopefully on expedited timelines," says Piccini. "I know everybody shares that commitment."
A piece of the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve on Matchett Road in Windsor. April 17, 2023. (Photo by Rob Hindi)
Kusmierczyk says it's nice to see the partnership and collaboration from all parties.
"Terrific announcement today by the province committing to transfer their lands, provincial lands to an Ojibway National Urban Park," says Kusmierczyk. "You saw a couple weeks ago LaSalle stepping up, mayor Meloche saying LaSalle is going to commit its property, obviously the city has been committed since day one. You're just seeing this momentum growing in the community."
The proposed Ojibway National Urban Park would include Ojibway Shores, Ojibway Park, Spring Garden Natural Area, Black Oak Heritage Park, the Tallgrass Prairie Park and the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve.
Once all of the land is connected, the park would cover 900 acres.
A private member's bill introduced by Windsor West New Democrat MP Brian Masse is scheduled for one more reading in the House of Commons around April 20.
A final vote on Bill C-248 to establish the Ojibway National Urban Park could take place at the end of the month.
With files from Rob Hindi