If you drive down Corydon you might notice something different. The fence posts outside Assiniboine Park are gone. There had been a time when they were painted every year and rotten posts removed and chain replaced. Not anymore. The posts have all been removed all the way down to the west park entrance, it is open into the park.
Fence posts have been deteriorating all over the city and some have collapsed and nothing has been done. Assiniboine Park now has an open look to it that is quite amazing to see. Where possible it would be nice to see more fence posts removed but it is contingent on people not seeing it as an invitation to snowmobile or quad or other vehicles in the park.
Many parks are suffering from deteriorating conditions and the first thing people see are fences. As a marquee park and with Assiniboine Conservancy as guardian, there has been moves to improve things in the park. However, the neglect elsewhere is hard to ignore. Broken fences, closed washrooms and overrun with gopher holes. Not every park can or has a protector.
And trees keep coming down every year in the park and streets of Winnipeg and fewer of them are going up.
Not sure if the removal of the fence posts signifies a change for the city but Assiniboine Park, you look good.
This has been a editorial by John Dobbin.
To read more from John, visit his blog Observations, Reservations, Conversations
