The residents in Village Green know they have something special. Village Green was built with 15-minute neighbourhoods in mind…long before we started talking about them. Their concerns, though, are about their aging parks and traffic. The parks need some upgrades and I will continue to work with the community and our Parks Planning staff to have some upgrades done. Billy Bishop Park’s spash pad is one of the first ones built in Kanata North. It needs an upgrade! Village Green residents love that they can walk all through their neighbourhood and into Beaverbrook, Kanata Lakes and right over the Queensway into Kanata South via the Marianne Wilkinson Bridge, but they want their pathways kept up. Some were repaired over the past five years, but many more pathways on Campeau and up Knudson and through Beaverbrook where they walk need repairs. They are on the list and I will be advocating for their renewal next!
They can see the future of LRT, but are not looking forward to the construction that will take place right behind them. They want the promise of Campeau Drive being widened (with proper bike lanes) kept. Traffic every morning and after school in front of Earl of March High School is something that they have to plan their lives around. They want something done about this. Village Green residents are happy that the storm water management facilities to the south and east of them are there for all to enjoy, but the maintenance on the two ponds over the past five years came with a few challenges. They are glad that’s done!
The residents have endured considerable construction, early-morning construction and snow removal vehicles waking them up, and will be glad when all of the construction is completed. They are thankful that Bill Teron Park was preserved, but the amount of trees cut down around it was very difficult to watch. They want to be sure that the trees are replaced so that we can reach our tree canopy goal of 40%. Our current 29% is not acceptable to them. And, they want a better path system through Bill Teron Park. With the Cash-in-Lieu of funding the Ward has, and hopefully some Federal funding, staff are currently designing new paths and natural play areas for children throughout Bill Teron Park. I can’t wait to work with the community on this exciting project!
Given the number of wonderful walking paths and sidewalks, Village Green residents want their routes cleared early and to the pavement during the winter. And, as with so many other residents, they want value for their tax dollars!
