While it is not signed, sealed and delivered – it’s close.
Plympton-Wyoming and the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority have reached an agreement to turn McEwen Park over to the municipality.
The idea was raised in 2019 when councillors were looking at the fees they paid the conservation authority.
Each member municipality pays a per capita fee and then on top of that, they agree to pay for the maintenance of parks in their communities.
Many councillors, including the late Ron Schenk, suggested Plympton-Wyoming could do just as good a job maintaining the property for less money.
So, they wrote to the conservation authority asking for the park to be returned to Plympton-Wyoming. And the board approved.
It has taken some time, but the municipality and the authority board have now both approved the agreement, however the province has to sign off as well.
With the current health crisis, officials in Plympton-Wyoming expect that could take some time.
So they’ve worked out an operating agreement with the conservation authority which allows Plympton-Wyoming to maintain the property.
Chief Administrative Officer, Carolyn Tripp says the are not any big plans to make changes to the site now although some residents have been asking if a gazebo which was once on the property could be rebuilt.
Tripp says residents in the area will get a letter informing them of the new management of the park, but shouldn’t notice any other changes for sometime in the future.