Paul Richard, with the group Earth Helpers, spearheaded the regeneration of Paul Martel Park as a botanical garden that features native plants and wildflowers, as well as a private area for indigenous ceremonies. He's still active in the park's upkeep. (Mike Smee/CBC)
"The problem is right next door there's a pub and just down the street there are frats, and year after year the sensitive native medicinal plants have been tromped on and urinated on by the drunks and the frat boys," local councillor, Dianne Saxe told CBC Toronto. "Grass can put up with it to a certain extent, but fragile native plants cannot."
Saxe introduced a motion at council on Thursday demanding that, in the case of Martel Park, staff set aside its policy of leaving all parks un-gated and open to the public 24/7.
Saxe's motion passed Thursday, meaning staff must now ensure that park is secured between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. No timeline is given that lays out when the change will be in place.
The park's problems began shortly after the death of its namesake, Paul Martel, in 2020. Martel had helped regenerate the small patch of green space, and after he died, upkeep passed to Paul Richard's Earth Helpers group, as well as volunteers from the Annex Residents' Association.
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Under Richard's guidance, the park was planted with flora native to the area: prairie grasses, wetland vegetation, meadow flowers and shaded woodland plants. Paths have been built that intersect the soil beds boxed in wooden boat hulls. Colourfully painted benches and Muskoka chairs were added, and a special area at the rear of the park has been set aside for Indigenous ceremonies.But after all the work, money and time, local residents say destruction in the park is commonplace.
"It's really heartbreaking, and quite frankly it's really not fair," said Rita Bilerman, chair of the residents' association. "There's broken glass, there are needles ... That's not OK."