Council considered leasing this park space in the Carlton Park neighbourhood. (Council Agenda package/City of P.A.)

By Alison Sandstrom

Neighbourhood matters

Council denies request to lease green space to expand backyard

Apr 20, 2021 | 12:51 PM

A request from a Carlton Park family who wanted to lease a small piece of city park space to add to their backyard was decided by a single vote on Monday night. Council denied the ask 5-4, in part over concerns it would lead to deluge of similar requests.

The decision is not final until it’s passed at a regular council meeting.

The family wanted to rent the 2,789 sq. ft. parcel beside their property and fence it off to create a play area for their children. Currently, they felt the area was unsafe because of traffic on the nearby street. A rate proposed by the city’s department of planning would have seen them pay $500 annually for a five-year term. Any construction on the parcel – apart from a fence – would have been prohibited.

“I have nothing against the family… but the bottom line is we’re going to open a can of worms here,” Mayor Greg Dionne told the meeting, adding he knew of other residents who also want to lease or buy similar park space.

Coun. Dennis Ogrodnick echoed Dionne’s comments. He said while he encouraged the family to continue to use the space, he didn’t “think we should allow someone to fence off green space.”

Raiders AGM

Raiders impact on Prince Albert local economy continues to go up: AGM report

10h ago

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

Dec 11, 2024

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

Dec 11, 2024

“It’s public space and the public have a right to use it,” Ogrodnick said.

A map shows the parcel the applicant wanted to lease. (Council agenda package/City of P.A.)

Meanwhile Coun. Tony Head said he visited the site recently and was supportive of the family’s offer to lease it, adding the city had approved requests for land on a case-by-case basis before.

“To me I don’t feel like there’s a whole lot of public back there,” Head said. “They have been accessing it as their [backyard] and the city doesn’t cut the grass, the residents have taken it upon themselves.”

Coun. Blake Edwards agreed with Head, adding the applicant was willing to give the city money for something others were doing for free.

“I think anybody could stretch their property as they want and it’s for free and that’s okay somehow,” Edwards said. “He wants to pay for it.”

Council voted to deny the request 5-4. Those against leasing the land were: Councillors Dennis Ogrodnick, Charlene Miller, Dawn Kilmer, Terra Lennox-Zepp and Mayor Greg Dionne. Those in favour were: Councillors Blake Edwards, Tony Head, Ted Zurakowski and Don Cody.

–

alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom