Grattan Park makeover complete

Grattan Park makeover complete. Children play on the equipment at Grattan Park Monday evening during the grand opening of the park. (July 26, 2010) Staff photo/NICK PERRY

A re-opening ceremony of Grattan Park was held Monday, July 26 near Weston Road and Church Street, complete with new benches, a swing, slide and climbing apparatus.

"Over the last 15 years the playground has started to deteriorate," said York South-Weston Councillor Frances Nunziata. "It had become an eyesore."

The redevelopment called for the removal of the 100-year-old concrete footings of a water tower that had served the community of Old Weston.

"The land was dedicated to the Town of Weston," Nunziata said. "After amalgamation, the park was on the list to be refurbished. A couple of years ago we had a meeting and I was finally able to get money in the budget for approval. There was playground equipment there before but it was falling apart and really not used. There was nothing there for people to sit on. We worked with the community the past two years to come up with a design."

The re-design, which cost between $110,000 and $120,000, comes with a heritage plaque outlining the history of the water tower.

But not everyone was happy with plans to give the parkette a face lift.

In 2008 Donalda Taynen, a local resident who has been planting flowers on the site, suggested any expenditures be put off.

"My concern is that this is an inordinate amount of money to spend on such a tiny park with an undetermined user population," she said. "It's the size of a house lot situated in a low density residential area with quite large lots. The other consideration is there are two well-equipped playgrounds within two blocks of the park."

Taynen said she had contacted many of the neighbours, who were overwhelmingly opposed to the plan.

However, Nunziata countered that she has received a petition with 200 names requesting the upgrade go ahead.

- with files from David Nickle