Port Authority relinquishes Ojibway Shores land for national urban park
Article content
After years of discussion, formal steps have been taken so that shoreline land originally intended for industrial development will instead be included in an Ojibway National Urban Park.
Windsor Port Authority president and CEO Steve Salmons joined Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk on Monday to announce that the port authority has relinquished title on two key parcels of Ojibway Shores land — consolidating the area under Crown ownership.
“Today marks a seminal moment in the development and creation of an Ojibway National Urban Park,” Salmons said. “This is the beginning of a very exciting future.”
The transfer of lands — with an estimated market value of $4 million — comes after long-standing debate and lobbying by environmental groups, and is the first transfer of its kind on the federal project.
Ojibway Shores has a total area of around 33 acres, including 26 acres of land and seven shoreline acres.
Ten acres of the land have been held by the Windsor Port Authority since 1997, obtained from the City of Windsor. The other 16 acres are held by Transport Canada.
As part of the agreement, Port Windsor will have the right to develop the seven shoreline acres into a natural fish habitat.
Salmons said the Windsor Port Authority’s board voted unanimously in favour of the exchange.
“This is an extraordinary decision,” said Salmons, characterizing it as a “double-win” and a recognition of “the greater good.”
Salmons noted that Port Windsor made a public commitment 10 years ago not to develop Ojibway Shores land for industrial purposes.
He said Monday’s announcement is in keeping with Port Windsor’s stewardship of economic development, the community, and the environment.
Kusmierczyk — who has said an Ojibway National Urban Park could be a reality by 2024 — described Monday’s announcement as “historic.”
“Today is a victory for the community,” he declared. “You’re going to see a lot more announcements like this, with land transfers and additional partnerships.”
To date, there is only one federally recognized national urban park in Canada: Rouge National Urban Park in the Toronto area.
Kusmierczyk said the process that created Rouge National Urban Park took at least nine years.
“We’re on an accelerated time track (with Ojibway National Urban Park). This is not going to take nine years. This is going to take a year, two years to complete,” Kusmierczyk promised.
“I don’t think a (national urban park) has ever been created in such a short period of time. That just reflects how focused all the different partners are — at the local level, the provincial level, the federal level.”
“We’re pushing as fast as we can to get this park open to the public, as a national urban park.”
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.