Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A parcel of land directly adjacent to J.J. O’Neill Catholic School will remain in Greater Napanee’s possession and de-listed as surplus.
Council voted 6-1 in favour of keeping the much-debated triangle-shaped green space, opting not to sell it to the Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic District School Board. Dave Pinnell Jr. was the lone councillor who voted against the motion to keep it as town property.
The school board had expressed interest in buying the Marilyn Avenue property, which the town had appraised at a value between $125,000 to $135,000, to use as parking space as part of an expansion to J.J. O’Neill.
“I have a concern of having a public park beside a school,” said Pinnell Jr. “I think that needs to be addressed and taken away. We should sell this land to the school yard and foster the growth (of the school).”
Pinnell added the school playground equipment is open for residents to use after hours.
Councillor Mike Schenk also originally expressed a desire to sell the property to the school, but reconsidered upon hearing mayor Terry Richardson’s comments.
“Green spaces are extremely important to our municipalities,” said Richardson. “As far as I’m concerned, they’re the anti-biotic that cures our neighbourhoods. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.”
At one point the space housed playground equipment. Currently all that remains is a baseball backstop. Prior to the vote council heard two deputations, one from Jeff Chestnut, the other from Christine Dibb, both urging council not to sell.
“The park is used more now than it ever was since the trail was made,” said Dibb, who grew up in the neighbourhood and still lives nearby. “The backstop for the ball diamond is still there. I have seen the kids use the ball diamond in the warmer months. Just recently on Feb. 11, 2024, there was a father and son doing some batting practice.”
In advance of Tuesday’s meeting the town invited the public to weigh in on the matter with five voicing support to sell the land to the school board, five opposed to the idea.
“If we sell it they have 98 parking spots,” said councillor Bob Norrie. “If we don’t sell it they have 68 for 330 kids and a daycare. They still have a lot of parking. My recommendation will be that we take it off the list and not sell it.”
Norrie would make that in form of a motion, which was successful in a recorded 6-1 vote.
ALDCSB has indicated that even without the land, they can still proceed with the expansion of the school.