Hello Council

I urge you to reconsider your decision to sell off this parkland for development. Surely there are other areas that could be repurposed or buildings revitalized before we ruin beloved parkland and destroy more nature.

Throughout quarantine, I have knocked off each of the hikes outlined in the book: Looping Through Sydenham 25 Short Walks and Hikes Between Walters Falls and Wiarton. These locations are invaluable natural assets to our area. These hikes are world-class and completely unheralded. Imagine if the City of Owen Sound mounted a social media ad campaign (inexpensive and very effective) championing these crevices, caves, hikes, vistas, bluffs, fossils and trails (like was done for the Grotto a few years back), our local accommodations and restaurants would fill up and our retailers would have increased patronage.

I want the area's nature and natural environments to be preserved and protected for the use of all - not least of which, the wildlife. Please let's not squander what makes this area so special. Leave the parkland intact.

Respectfully,

Micheline N. Mann
Owen Sound