‘Unhealthy mess’

Dear Editor:

When you first enter Gibbons Drive Park you see a play structure for the children and the evergreen forest. There is a nicely maintained small grass area and then look to the left and there is the pond of horrors! 

The pond’s purpose is for overflow for water in case of huge storms and winter runoffs, thus keeping our basements from flooding.

Over four years ago, when I moved to the Gibbons Park area you could see vegetation growing in the pond and sometimes a couple of geese – lovely. Now, it is a stagnant, polluted and abandoned scummy, unsightly hole with rows of golden rod around its perimeter. One of my friends tells me there are dead frogs. What is this telling us? It’s unhealthy for sure.

My other complaint is there is a little pathway around the coniferous forest that was once great for a nature walk. Now, the weeds are so high and bending onto the path. These weeds are laden with wasps, hornets and mosquitoes. Just an extra run around the path with a lawn mower or whipper snipper could remedy thus situation and return it to a pleasant walk for children and adults alike.

I’ve been trying to get some action but never even get a call back. At least Ward 5 council candidate Matt LeBeau came by while putting up his signs and took the time to walk with me to see this neglected pond and discuss this unhealthy mess. Thanks for your interest and time, Matt.

With all new housing in the north end of Fergus, are we not allowed a nice park for children to play in and walk around a developed evergreen forest without this health hazard?

“A natural park,” as the Gibbons family referred to, does not mean forgotten and neglected for over one half of the park.

Joan Gordon,
Fergus