As a daily visitor to Mount Douglas Park for almost 12 years, I am dismayed and perplexed at the essential closure of the Glendenning entrance due to the reduction of available parking to five spaces. There are several reasons this is a particularly important entrance into the park.
First, the Glendenning entrance is well positioned as it is the closest to the most populated areas surrounding the park and provides convenient access to the most people.
Secondly, probably because of its proximity to the largest communities, this entrance has proven popular for years. Regularly there were 10 to 15 and often 25 to 30 cars carefully parked along the edge of the road. In 12 years I have never seen parking inhibit access to the street by large vehicles such as delivery vans, recycling or refuse trucks.
Thirdly, this entrance to the park is uniquely accessible due to its wide, smooth and fairly flat topography. I have seen strollers, families with young children, people with canes and walking sticks, even the occasional wheelchair as well as the usual array of walkers, seniors, dog-walkers and runners.
Parking along the edge of a narrow street is not ideal. If this is a safety issue with the fire department, as I have heard, another parking arrangement must be found.
The solution, perhaps, is a proper parking lot to accommodate at least 30 vehicles. I think this should be a priority so that this once vibrant walking venue does not remain, as it is now, largely empty of people. I implore you to reconsider the draconian curtailment of access to the Glendenning entrance of Mount Douglas Park, a community resource which we all support with our taxes.
Marcia Perkins
Saanich