It’s not about the park … really!

2026.10.20

Nellie Lunn Park is not the most important issue in Wollaston Township. 

That honour goes to the financial challenge presented by our aging infrastructure and the many millions of dollars that will be required to meet our legally mandated obligations.

We’re going to need the kind of sound financial management we’ve seen for the past 4 years, meeting critical needs while keeping tax increases reasonable, not raiding reserves and keeping borrowing to a minimum. 

We’re also facing challenges in our important discretionary spending.  According to the engineer’s report over $1m is required in the next couple of years just for the bridges on the Rail Trail.  If we’re going to be able to address this, we need the creative, community-based approach that we saw on Nellie Lunn Park where the cost of reopening came in at 10% of the original estimate.

So why all this noise about Nellie Lunn Park?  Because it’s a defining issue. 

Either you believe Council is elected to represent the best interests of the whole community or just certain individuals.

Should we honour the bequest of a wilderness space for the benefit of all the people of the Township or betray that trust and sell the property for the benefit of a select few.

There has been enough discussion, press, social media coverage, documents and commentary on this issue for every candidate to have a position. 

It should be clear by now how I feel.  You should expect no less from the other candidates.

If you would like a response to a particular question, please send it to me at jd@jd4Wollaston.ca.  I’ll be posting in several Facebook groups along with my webpage www.jd4Wollaston.ca so unless you send it to me directly, it may get missed.