Hawrelak Park work unnecessary

I am a frequent recreational visitor to Hawrelak Park, since 1968, and am distressed about the plan to close the park for three years for costly, unnatural and largely unnecessary “rehabilitation.”

I am afraid the natural beauty of the park will be ruined by the proposed renovations, including the addition of asphalt paths throughout the park, especially around the lake where the abundant migratory waterfowl with their newborns climb in and out of the water to rest and feed on the grass.

The gravel and wood-chip paths around the park are kept in fine condition and are the best surface for walking and running. The present ring road, which is also in good condition, works well as a multi-use surface, and in my 54 years' experience of strolling, running, race-walking, biking and rollerblading around Hawrelak Park, I have never had an issue with safety on the road.

The picnic sites are minimal and rustic, as they should be. I also attend the park for festivals and concerts, picnicking, cross-country skiing and skating, and cannot imagine the void in my life by the closure of the park for three long years.

Hawrelak Park is easily accessible, within walking or biking distance for many.

The only common complaint is that the washrooms need upgrading and, with the pavilions housing the washrooms being considered for inclusion in the city's inventory of historic resources, only the interior of the structures would need attention.

Our park should be an urban oasis, dedicated to preserving nature as much as possible: grass, trees, lake, bird sanctuary, a space for individuals, families and communities to recreate and gather; the addition of more asphalt and signage will only depreciate its natural beauty. Nancy Constable, Edmonton