The Ontario Conservation Accelerator has acquired 19 hectares of the former Windsor Raceway lands to expand the footprint of the proposed Ojibway National Urban Park.
With the acquisition of the property, the park will be 443.6 hectares, including lands from Parks Canada, the City of Windsor, the Province of Ontario, and the Essex Region Conservation Authority.
"It's literally right next door, and it's right across from those provincial lands which are so significant. So we're really thrilled, and we hope that this is the continued growth of the footprint of the park," said Charlotte LeFrank of Friends of Ojibway.
Parks Canada contributed $11.2 million toward the acquisition of the property. Other funds came from Friends of Ojibway and private donors of the Ontario Conservation Accelerator.
"We've achieved this amazing first step of protecting this land, permanently, so it can become a part of this park," said Kristyn Ferguson, Managing Director of the Ontario Conservation Accelerator. "We're thrilled now to be a part of this amazing partner committee. We were welcomed so warmly into the fold and we're discussing with all partners what the future of the park could look like."
The first step was to clean up the property which has sat vacant for several years.
"The site hasn't had a lot of active management over the last several years so when our partners who are taking us take care of the park, Parks Canada, Friends of Ojibway Prairie and local volunteers went in they found 1,800 kilograms of garbage," said Ferguson. "They worked together to pull that out of the site which is really the first step towards that restoration where we can now start to think about what else does the site need to bring it back to that thriving ecological condition."
Minister of the Environment, Climate Change and Nature Julie Dabrusin visited Windsor for the land acquisition announcement. She stated Parks Canada is in the "final stages" of the designation process for the new National Urban Park.
Next steps include an interim operational plan, public and First Nation community engagement, and establishing the designation agreement between partners.
“Today’s announcement represents a significant leap forward in our collaborative effort with partners to designate a national urban park in the Windsor area. The acquisition of 19 hectares of the former Windsor Raceway, together with the lands being considered for inclusion by municipal, provincial, and federal partners, brings this vision closer to reality as we enter the final stages of designation," said Dabrusin. "I am proud to work alongside our many community partners and First Nations to protect nature, advance reconciliation, and ensure that more Canadians—especially those living in urban areas—can experience the benefits of being outdoors and feeling connected to nature.”
