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LOP FINAL DESIGN: A LONG-AWAITED PLAN TO SPRUCE UP LAKE ONTARIO PARK HAS NOW BEEN UNVEILED.

June 25, 2009

A LONG-AWAITED PLAN TO SPRUCE UP LAKE ONTARIO PARK HAS NOW BEEN UNVEILED.

HERE'S NEWSWATCH KRISTIN DEMENY.

IT'S A PLACE FOR DOGS TO RUN AND SOCIALIZE WITH OTHER ANIMALS.

BUT IF CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THE NEW 'MASTER' PLAN FOR LAKE ONTARIO PARK -- THESE DOGS WILL HAVE TO FIND A NEW PLACE TO PLAY.

TONY CARROLL:

"WHY WOULD THEY HAVE TO CLOSE THE DOG PARK IN ORDER TO DO THIS -- COULDN'T THEY BUILD AN ECO-FRIENDLY PARK WITH THE DOG PARK HERE -- JUST SEEMS TO MAKE SENSE."

DOG OWNER:

"WELL I THINK THE PARK NEEDS SOME CHANGES DONE TO IT THERE IS NO QUESTION. ITS VERY UNDER UTILIZED.

THE DOG PARK I GUESS IS THE ONLY THING THAT GETS USED AROUND HERE -- OTHER THEN PEOPLE WALKING. "

CITY OFFICIALS FEEL THAT GETTING RID OF THE LEASH FREE ZONE WILL ALLOW MORE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO ENJOY THE LAKEFRONT PARK.

MARK GERRETSEN:

"LAKE ONTARIO PARK SHOULD TRY TO SERVICE THE 120 THOUSAND PEOPLE OF KINGSTON. AND IN PARTICULAR -- OUR POLICIES REGARDING OFF LEASH DOG PARKS DISCOURAGES PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 16 IN THEM."

THE 'ENVIRO-PARK' DESIGN FEATURES A RE-CREATED WETLAND, A POND AND WINTER SKATING AREA IN THE PARK'S CENTRE... AND AN EXPANDED AND RE-DESIGNED PICNIC AREA.

BUT FOR SOME PEOPLE THE PENDING CLOSURE OF THE OFF LEASH PARK IS ONLY ONE OF THE CONCERNS SURROUNDING THE PARK'S NEW VISION.

DAVID MORGAN:

"WELL FIRST OF ALL THEY'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE PARK COMPLETELY TO ALL PUBLIC ACCESS FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS APPROXIMATELY.

THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND 4.3 MILLION DOLLARS TO RECREATE A GREEN SPACE THAT IS NOT AN AWFUL LOT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE SEE THERE NOW."

THE REVAMPED PARK PROJECT MIGHT TAKE SOME TIME TO RECONSTRUCT -- BUT THE DISTRICT COUNCILLOR SAYS RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR IMPROVEMENTS FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

MARK GERRETSEN:

"DURING THE LAST ELECTION ONE OF THE THING WE HEARD WAS WE ARE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY DOWNTOWN WHY ARE WE NOT SPENDING MONEY IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY -- AND I THINK THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH LAKE ONTARIO PARK. "

THE SCENIC PARK HAS SEEN BUSIER DAYS -- WHEN IT USED TO BE HOME TO CAMP GROUNDS, AMUSEMENT RIDES AND SEASONAL FIREWORKS.

THE NEW VISION DOES NOT INCLUDE A RETURN TO THOSE ACTIVITIES -- BUT CITY OFFICIALS SAY IT WILL BE MORE WELCOMING TO FAMILIES AND DOGS, ON A LEASH.

KRISTIN DEMENY CKWS NEWSWATCH -- KINGSTON.

THE LAKE ONTARIO PARK MASTER PLAN WILL BE PRESENTED TO COUNCIL ON JULY 14TH.

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