SOUTH GLENGARRY, Ontario – South Glengarry Mayor Lyle Warden apologized for Council’s decision made on Dec. 20, 2021 to permit the developer of Summerstown Estates subdivision to create lots instead of reserving the space for parkland.
“I’m here to apologize for the mistake that I feel our council made. We do our best, we work for the residents, but I feel that we made a mistake at this time.”, said Mayor Lyle Warden, during their Monday night meeting.
At their meeting in December, the Council chose to let the developers pay cash in lieu of parkland and develop two or three building lots instead of a park which they believed at the time would help the demand for housing.
At the meeting in December, Deputy Mayor Stephanie Jaworski expressed her hesitation at making such a decision.
“I don’t like the idea of disposing of parkland, but again the fact that this is new information, I’m not familiar with the area, and think we’d be making a decision to quickly,” she said.
Since that decision, Mayor Warden and Coucillor Sam McDonell and Martin Lang all received countless phone calls and emails from people in Summerstown Estates, and surrounding the Summerstown area expressing their wish to have a park instead.
The Council decided to reconsider the December motion at their meeting on Monday, Jan. 17 and unanimously voted to reconsider.
Before making a final decision, the Council has asked staff to report back to them with feedback from the community, and new options for the motion.
Mayor Warden is hopeful that there can be a balance of both development and park space.
“I’d like to request staff to come back with an option that would probably benefit both. I think we’re able to still create a lot, but also create a lot, something palatable for both sides,” he said.
The discussion ended with Mayor Warden apologizing again.
“Again, I want to apologize to the residents. We made a mistake, and I take full responsibility for that, and look forward to reaching out to members of that community, and fixing the wrong that we made,” said Mayor Lyle Warden.
