One of the oldest parks in Ottawa is set to get a facelift as the Centretown area eyes a revitalization project for Dundonald Park. Residents like Regena Ash say that the revitalization project is exciting. “I’ve been bringing my daughter for six years, and now my youngest,” she said. “It’s great. This is a great community park.” But Ash says improvements could be made, including to a newly installed splash pad. A walkway sits in between the water features and the playground, but with kids moving between both, she would like to see them properly connected. “The main gate gets left open and that’s when things come in and out,” she said. “There’s the traffic of having to go through the path, kids aren’t looking, (there can be) scooters and all that. Yes, it’s our job as parents, but it would have been nice to have it connected.” The city is looking to begin the revitalization project in the summer of 2027. Somserset Ward Coun. Ariel Troster has launched a survey, hoping residents will share what they think can be added and improved. “It’s kind of like carte blanche,” she said. “I want to hear your priorities. Obviously, we want to get the basics right, but I’m excited to try some new fun things here.” Troster says that about $500,000 has been set aside using ward cash-in-lieu funds for the renewal project. Some residents say they’ve found issues with used needles and drugs in the area. Troster says addressing park amenities can help everyone who uses it. “When you have flexible use, lots of programing, lots of opportunities. It actually makes spaces safer,” she said. “We have a lot of public safety initiatives, policing, outreach workers, community organizations. But the very fact that you bring people into the park and you give them something to do, it just it changes the vibe and it makes everybody feel a lot better about the space.” Justin Byrne lives in the area and often walks his dog through the park. He says it’s a space he enjoys and would like to see more opportunities for people to be drawn to the area through an event space. “Anything that does draw the community out into the park, like, movie nights,” he said. “Events, acts, artists, musicians, anything like that.” Troster says the survey is available through her website until the beginning of July.
