Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Vince Fedoroff

FAILURE TO RESEED QUESTIONED – The Escarpment Parks Society says it was never consulted about escarpment area work that has left the play field at the end of Cook Street little more than dust and dandelions.

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Photo by Vince Fedoroff

FIELD DETERIORATION OUTLINED – Sally Wright, the secretary/treasurer of the Escarpment Parks Society, ex- plains her concerns to city council last Tuesday evening.

Field now ‘a sad dandelion dust bowl’

The Escarpment Parks Society continues working toward developing space at the end of Strickland Street for a park.

By Stephanie Waddell on July 9, 2018

The Escarpment Parks Society continues working toward developing space at the end of Strickland Street for a park.

Meanwhile, it’s also wondering about a play field at the Cook Street Park that was opened a number of years ago.

Sally Wright, the society’s secretary/treasurer, updated council last Tuesday evening on the efforts for a park at Strickland Street at the clay cliffs.

She noted funding applications that have been made for signs that will showcase some of the colourful characters who once lived in the five homes that were part of the area.

The group has been collaborating with the city’s parks and recreation department, residents and the public on the project.

As Wright explained, the mandate of the group is to develop park space next to the clay cliffs downtown.

Along with working toward the development of parks in the area, it organizes community cleanups and events.

It was the development of the park at the end of Cook Street that was the organization’s first project in 2003.

The group, she noted, would now love some help in reseeding the play-field of the park after the area was torn up last year as part of improvements made to the area.

Wright said the society was never consulted on the work, which would see the changes to the park – including having the sprinkler system removed.

The area was never reseeded, and it’s unclear why contractors weren’t required to do so, she said.

The field, Wright commented while displaying photographs of the site, has become “a sad dandelion dust bowl.”

The society wants the field reseeded so it can be used by community members, she said.

Coun. Dan Boyd asked that administration follow up with the group about the space on Cook Street.

Comments (8)

Up 3 Down 0

Man about town on Jul 12, 2018 at 3:23 pm

Hey, I used to live there. Right about where that tree shadow is. It was 814 Wheeler.

Up 14 Down 3

shhh on Jul 11, 2018 at 9:10 am

shhhh. Quit complaining and don't tell anyone that there is open space downtown that looks ugly--the government will tear it up and build social housing.

Up 8 Down 0

Maybe not entirely the contractors on Jul 10, 2018 at 7:01 pm

Perhaps it's also the request for proposal (rfp) requirements (scope of work) were flawed from the get-go. I'm seeing rfp's that don't seem to be able to describe what work is needed to complete the project so contractors can bid appropriately.
Didn't see these rfp, but likely no requirement to 'finish' the disturbed grounds or the bids were too high and they cut it - no one will notice anyway ....
I walked that Black Street trail for years and years and years, yup before airport expansion or lighting or stairs or a parking area, so ya know I guess it is nicer now.

Up 16 Down 0

jean on Jul 10, 2018 at 3:11 pm

Why hasn't the CoW spread a few truckloads of their much-touted compost on this area and turn it into a nice park? This photo shows a lack of care for the community which is unacceptable. These 'sustainability' mavens are just a bunch of green washed hypocrites who don't practice what they preach.
They should spend far less time obsessing over people's garbage and instead make Whitehorse greener.

Up 13 Down 0

My Opinion on Jul 9, 2018 at 10:20 pm

Whoever did the irrigation at the SS Klondike took the money and ran back down south with it and the irrigation doesn't work. Using all above ground hoses again after spending tons.

Up 16 Down 2

north_of_60 on Jul 9, 2018 at 8:02 pm

"that company should be exempt from bidding jobs in the future."
...but it's never going to happen.
The company responsible for the design mistakes that caused Wasteland Bend to be clear-cut and covered with loose fill still gets contracts from the Yukon government.

Up 14 Down 0

local property owner on Jul 9, 2018 at 4:55 pm

I have a house close to this park and would really like to see it fixed.

It would be nice to know which company did this wildly inadequate 'work'. That said, I am going to call Sally to ask about helping out with a wheel barrow and a seed spreader. And maybe we can get a few loads of good compost or dirt too. No need to be paying big bucks to a contractor who doesn't do a good job anyway. Re-seeding is pretty easy I would guess. I'm willing to give it a shot!

Up 20 Down 1

Brutal on Jul 9, 2018 at 3:10 pm

This must be the same inept lands keeping company that did all that horrible work up in Whistle Bend. Dead trees and grass everywhere and COW not signing off/inspecting the work or enforcing the 1 year warranty.

Some rocket scientist thought it was okay to install under ground sprinklers AFTER the landscaping was done. They also dug up along Whistle Bend Way to put in deep utilities (water main connection to Porter Creek) after it was seeded and never bothered to reseed it.

It's an embarrassing waste of tax dollars and that company should be exempt from bidding jobs in the future.

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