Land sale near Ojibway Park sparks renewed push for protection

Part of the Ojibway lands were sold. CTV’s Chris Campbell looks at what this means for the city.

The recent sale of one parcel of land near Windsor’s Ojibway Prairie Complex is being described by environmental advocates and city officials as a wake-up call and a reminder that a narrow window remains to protect one of the region’s most environmentally significant areas.

The land is part of several parcels adjacent to Ojibway Park and the former Windsor Raceway property that have recently been for sale, sparking renewed efforts to secure the land for inclusion in the proposed Ojibway National Urban Park. While one smaller parcel has now been sold, other parcels remain available, but that does not include the former raceway.

“It certainly is a wake up for the community. And we know for all the partners involved for all the making this project happen because we know how important it is to acquire those lands,” said Friends of Ojibway President, Mike Fisher.

In an interview with CTV News, Fisher said the Ojibway complex currently occupies a relatively small footprint, making surrounding land critical to any long-term protection plan.

“Ojibway is a very, very small piece of land. We’re pushing for it to become what would be Canada’s smallest national urban national park. So, every piece of land is essential,” he said.

Fisher suggested the sale highlights the urgency for government partners to work together.

“It really speaks to the urgency for government partners, Parks Canada, everyone to work together, to acquire as much of this land as we can and integrate it into permanently protecting the Ojibway National Urban Park,” he said.

Friends of Ojibway say there were several parcels, totalling a little more than 40 acres, available for sale near the park — land they argue is necessary to ensure a large enough protected footprint.

“There were four parcels, I believe, for around a little over 40 acres. And we need to acquire that as much as we can just to make it part of the park. Protected forever. Make it something we can really be proud of,” Fisher explained.

Windsor city councillor Fred Francis said the city has long recognized that it may not be able to purchase all of the available land but believes some parcels would be particularly beneficial to the park.

“We understood that if the city was unable to buy all the parcels, that there are a few parcels that might be more beneficial adjacent to Ojibway Parkway, Ojibway Nature Reserve that we could hopefully purchase and add to the Ojibway National Urban Park,” Francis said.

Francis said federal support would be key, pointing to funding controlled by Parks Canada, noting the city was not responsible for the recently erected sold sign.

“There’s $36 million sitting in an account that Parks Canada essentially controls,” he said.

“What we’re asking for, what we’re pleading with our federal partners and friends and the good folks at Parks Canada is to allow us to access that $36 million to buy some parcels of land that will add to the Ojibway Nature Urban Park, Ojibway Nature Prairie Reserve.”

Francis said meetings with Parks Canada have been ongoing and are expected to continue this week.

“Meetings have been ongoing even before the holidays. And, this week, so we’ll meet with them as long as, we need to as many times as they need to,” he said.

“So again, this is me pleading publicly in the nicest possible way to our federal friends, our federal politicians, the Prime Minister, the minister, everyone, the good folks of Parks Canada. Allow us to do this.”

He added that the lands are selling and time could be a factor in the process.

“We have an opportunity of a lifetime. Let’s not waste it. Let’s not squander it. Let’s seize it. The money’s there. We just need the okay”, Francis said.

Both Francis and Fischer said timing will be critical as privately owned land continues to sell.

“My concern is really the bureaucratic process if we’re dealing with private competitors that can move a lot faster than governments can because they don’t have to deal with bureaucratic process,” Francis said.

“That’s something I hope they take into consideration.”

Fischer said Friends of Ojibway remains hopeful the remaining land can still be protected.

“We’re continuing to be engaged with contacts with the City of Windsor, with Parks Canada, and that’s really the hope on our end that there’s still an opportunity here that we can take these lands and really make them a part of an Ojibway National Urban Park that we could be proud of for generations,” he said.

CTV News reached out to CBRE for comment and details on the parcel marked as sold but did not receive a response by news time.