Harrison Park Bird Sanctuary (Photo by Matt Hermiz)
If you miss the bird sanctuary at Harrison Park in Owen Sound, now’s your chance to let the city know.
A Harrison Park Master Plan update is being completed by city staff and a survey is open to allow the community to share what it wants to see with the prized riverfront property.
One question asks: would you like to see the bird sanctuary repopulated?
Nearly all of the birds and waterfowl in that area of Harrison Park were euthanized by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency last year, after avian flu was detected. Some swans were saved.
Part of the bird sanctuary hasn’t reopened since then. And the two ponds only have a handful of ducks floating around them regularly now.
“We know there are people who really love seeing the birds at the park. It’s among their family traditions, visiting them and bringing their kids to view them,” says Owen Sound’s manager of parks and open space Adam Parsons. “And I think that’s happened for a long time … I have heard from community members that they do want to see birds returned. But not everyone reaches out and speaks to us about their desires, and we’re hoping we get lots of feedback on the survey.”
Parsons says the city will be engaging an avian expert to help understand what steps would need to be taken if the city does move ahead with repopulating the bird sanctuary.
“I encourage everyone to take the survey,” Parsons says. “And then we will start to make determinations based on what we hear from the public and what we hear from the avian expert.”
Beyond the bird sanctuary, the Harrison Park Master Plan survey asks questions about other amenities, park maintenance and if the boards donated by Scotiabank during Hockey Day in Canada earlier this year should be used, or if a more open concept is preferred at the Good Cheer Rink.
The online survey is open until Sept. 11. The city is also holding three public engagement sessions as part of the Harrison Park Master Plan update. The first is on Thursday at the Community Centre at Harrison Park, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. There are also sessions scheduled Sept. 7 (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and Sept. 11 (1 p.m. to 3 p.m.).
The Harrison Park Master Plan hasn’t been updated for more than two decades. Parsons says a draft updated plan will be brought to committee this fall, after the community engagement process is completed.