Farewell 'Friend'

ANDERSON PARK - AUGUST 4, 2006

ANDERSON PARK - MAY 26, 2008

ANDERSON PARK - JULY 19, 2009

From The Winnipeg Free Press archives - AUG. 1972

'Park Name Honors Long-Time Resident'

"A lovely expanse of parkland in East Kildonan was named Anderson Park at an unveiling ceremony Thursday afternoon honoring a man who has lived in East Kildonan for more than half a century.

Mr. Edwin Anderson, who has lived in the same house he built back in 1921 at 227 Monroe Ave., was so honored at an interesting service witnessed by a good number of Mr. Anderson's relatives and friends...

...The six acre site houses two soccer pitches and a playground for small children...."

The article goes on to explain that Mr. Anderson was very involved in the local horticultural societies and actually planted the trees that still exist along Monroe Avenue.

The reason for this history lesson is that recently it was decided by the powers that be in the City of Winnipeg that the parking lot at Anderson Park in East Kildonan needs to be expanded and this expansion will mean that the playground equipment must be taken down.

This is playground equipment that not only did myself and my two sisters grow up to enjoy but my own two daughters and my niece and at least one nephew (who will remember at least) have also enjoyed.

Now for those of you familiar with Anderson Park, I know that yes, the swings used to be located closer to the parking lot and I know that yes, there used to be that big tree laying down in the sand as well as that big climbing thing, but the playground itself (even though the equipment has changed) has remained basically the same size during the past 34 years.

I can vividly remember digging holes under that tree so that my toy cars could drive underneath. I can remember bouncing (if that's what you call it) on either the duck, the turtle or either of the other two animals with my sisters. I can even remember my oldest sister throwing that rock at me from the other side of the swings (at their original location) because she thought (for some reason) that I was going to drive my bike (magically) through the swings and run her over! I also can remember going to that playground with each and every one of my Grandparents!!

Part of my childhood belongs at that park!

I also remember being a bit older and driving my bike on Raleigh Street and almost getting smacked by a car door as the side of the street was usually the ONLY place a parent could park their car when going to watch a soccer game. So, I guess it makes the street safer by expanding the parking lot; it is really too bad that it comes at the expense of the playground.

The latest (2011) construction site plan for Anderson Park calls for the new parking lot to be fully paved and expanded, almost taking the entire area of the old playground with it.

On the site plan drawing, to the west of the new parking lot, is a rectangular shape (roughly half the size of the old playground) that is noted "Proposed Play Structure- By Others".

In construction terms this usually means that a play structure will be built sometime in the future when money is available, but no plans have been made at this time. The site plan drawing also calls for the removal of the existing benches and of the trees around the existing playground.

A new play structure hasn't yet been decided on, but in the meantime there will be plenty of parking available; even on both sides of Raleigh Street.

I am sure that Mr. Edwin Anderson wouldn't be thrilled that a playground and the surrounding trees are to be taken down in favour of more asphalt! Hopefully they don't decide to widen Monroe Avenue in the future and have to remove the trees he planted himself sixty years ago!

Mom, you are absolutely correct "They paved paradise and built a parking lot!"