Federal government poised to unveil next step for proposed Ojibway National Urban Park

Anticipation is building ahead of a federal announcement Monday on the proposed Ojibway National Urban Park, with supporters hoping it represents another major step toward protecting one of Canada’s rarest ecosystems.

Anticipation is building ahead of a federal announcement Monday on the proposed Ojibway National Urban Park, with supporters hoping it represents another major step toward protecting one of Canada’s rarest ecosystems. Environment and Climate Change Minister Julie Dabrusin is scheduled to make what Parks Canada has described as an announcement on the project’s progress. While officials have not disclosed what will be announced, those who have spent years advocating for the park say they’re encouraged.

“I’m encouraged and I’m hopeful because you don’t have an announcement to announce bad news,” said Windsor Ward 1 Coun. Fred Francis. “I expect to hear good news with respect to land sales and acquisitions and everything.

I don’t know exactly what the details are, but I’m hopeful.” Francis said the proposed park has been decades in the making, crediting residents, environmental advocates and elected officials from all levels of government for helping move the project forward. “When you look at the biodiversity of Ojibway, it’s the most biodiverse area of the whole city,” Francis said.

“If we’re able to protect that, if we’re able to add to that and secure more land and provide more environmental protection, it really does create our version of Central Park in the City of Windsor — not just for today, tomorrow, or five years from now, but for the next 50 years.” Former Windsor West MP Brian Masse, who has long championed the project, said he believes Monday’s announcement could represent another significant milestone, particularly if additional lands are added to the proposed park. “Any action to actually bring more land into this project is certainly significant and important because you don’t get that back later on,” Masse said.

“It really could also increase jobs, and of course the environment is significant here.” Masse noted the project has been more than a decade in the making, pointing to years of advocacy to protect Ojibway Shores and efforts to establish a national urban park in Windsor. “It’s another piece of the puzzle falling into place,” he said.

The proposed Ojibway National Urban Park would become Canada’s second national urban park and protect one of the country’s most significant remaining tallgrass prairie ecosystems while linking several environmentally sensitive natural areas in west Windsor. The area is already drawing visitors from outside the region. Toronto resident Adrian Phillips said he travelled by train specifically to visit Ojibway.

“It’s incredible,” Phillips said. “This is one of the rarest ecosystems ... I think it’ll be really cool to give it this significance because people don’t seem to locally really know what they have here.”

He said he hopes national urban park status could bring greater recognition and additional support for conservation efforts. “We need people to maintain these rare places now, especially because it’s within an urban environment,” Phillips said. The federal announcement is scheduled for Monday morning.