A crowd gathered outside city hall as councillors inside were set to discuss the idea of installing a wrought iron fence around Galt Gardens.
Many people in the crowd carried signs calling for housing, not fencing and saying public parks do not need fences.
The motion on the table, from Councillor John Middleton-Hope and Mayor Blaine Hyggen would have investigated the cost and implementation of putting up a fence, before coming back to a committee meeting. Councillors Middleton-Hope, Rajko Dodic and Nick Paladino voted in favour, along with Hyggen.
Councillors against the motion said they would not support building a fence, regardless of the cost and councillor Ryan Parker pointed out voting the motion through would send the message council is willing to entertain the idea of a fence.
“I am not going to look at what the cost is because I am not going to decide what I am going to do around that park based upon the price of it,” Parker said. “I think what is going to happen when you put up a fence, no matter how beautiful it is, you are going to get displacement and displaced people are going to be pushed into alleys [and] peoples’ back yards.”
Parker referenced the displacement that happened last year when an area where people experiencing homelessness camped was fenced off and said he simply does not like the idea of fencing the downtown park.
BACKGROUND: Residents express concern after encampment disbursed and fences put up
“A community park should be accessed from all angles, it should be transparent, when I say that I mean that literally — people should be able to walk through anywhere they want and I believe that if we have the appropriate security in place, that can address the issue,” he said.
In his closing debate, Hyggen stressed the vote was not to build a fence, but to investigate the idea.
“What we are debating is putting this through to community engagement so we can get more information back,” Hyggen said. “It would give our community the opportunity to come up to the mic and speak about their concerns with it, pro or against. This is what community engagement is about, this is what democracy is all about.”
One person attended to counter-protest outside, which resulted in arguments and commotion. He said he believes the fence would prevent crime in the park, while many of the protesters argued and told him he was not wanted there.
With the motion voted down, city staff will not investigate the logistics of a fence
BACKGROUND: City council to mull new fencing around Galt Gardens