The green dream

While Gordon Bell’s goal of attaining urban green space seems unlikely, other nearby organizations are having success

Canada Post has put an August deadline on Gordon Bell High School students’ goal of finding another plot of land suitable for the construction of the new Canada Post building. Clayton Winter

While the reality of attaining a nearby lot for urban green space continues to slip away for Gordon Bell High School, other downtown agencies are having more luck in attaining land. Some fear this is sending mixed messages to downtown residents about the importance of healthy living.

Attached to the fence of the old Midway Chrysler lot on Portage Avenue near Broadway is a sign pleading for the land to be used as urban green space. The land is a stone’s throw from Gordon Bell High School, which is surrounded on all four sides by streets and concrete. The school’s current field is made of artificial turf.

Gordon Bell students and their parents have been rallying to have the old Midway Chrysler lot turned into green space since the end of the last school year.

However, the land is owned Canada Post, and since another suitable plot can’t be found, it’s evident that the clock is ticking.

“We remain open-minded to other sites, should the province bring another to our attention,” began Kathi Neal, communications manager at Canada Post. “However, we do need to move forward. We’re scheduled to begin construction in August, this summer.”

“That lot is the gateway between the Spence neighborhood, Wolseley neighborhood, and Broadway neighborhood. It needs to be cleaned up, and it’s make or break,” said Flo Popoff, a University of Winnipeg Collegiate student who has been organizing the Gordon Bell green space initiative.

“Since Phys Ed has become mandatory for Grades 11 and 12, the gyms are running out of room,” said Linda McLaren, co-chair of the Gordon Bell Parent Advisory board.

Although Phys Ed classes are routinely held outside, games such as soccer and ultimate Frisbee are played on the artificial turf, which is much like a concrete slab. This frequently leads to injuries.

“Unfortunately, these are weekly occurrences,” McLaren said, referring to the injuries. A recent sports injury resulted in 11 stitches, McLaren added.

But not all green space initiatives are coming up empty handed.

One initiative that has seen success is the development of urban green space by the Spence Neighborhood Association (SNA).

“We were able to work with the city to expand green space by the MERC (Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre) this year,” said Kate Sjoberg, executive director of the SNA.

As well as being put to use for sports, this green space is also being used as a learning tool for children of all ages.

“The kids’ garden is a place where there’s active learning,” Sjoberg said. “They get to choose what is planted, and they take an active part, and get to learn about the soil, and the benefit of worms.”

“The way space is used has such an impact on people’s quality of life,” she added.

The lack of a suitable field affects Gordon Bell students’ quality of life.

“You can’t play the same sports,” said Popoff. “The closest field is Vimy Ridge, which is about a 10 minute walk, and it’s got a lot of trees, so you can play games, but not organized sports.”

Groups such as the Spence Neighborhood Association are crucial to a city that is not well known for its urban green space, and as the search for alternative locations for the Canada Post building continues, so do the efforts of organizers like Popoff.

“I truly believe Gordon Bell will get green space,” Popoff said.

But with Canada Post’s August deadline looming in the near future, the likelihood of the school attaining the old Midway Chrysler lot seems low.

Published in Volume 63, Number 27 of The Uniter (May 20, 2009)

Related Reads