Petition to the City of Oshawa to improve access to Knights of Columbus Park (137 Farewell Street), in alignment with accessibility (AODA) standards.

We, the undersigned, request that the City of Oshawa prioritize implementation of accessible facilities (i.e. trails, ramps, parking, etc.) for Knights of Columbus Park to provide all park users, but certainly Baseball Oshawa House League players and their supporters with a safe and inclusive manner in which to access the park.  

Knights of Columbus Park is a key park for the Oshawa Legion Minor Baseball Association (Baseball Oshawa). For four days out of nearly every week from June until mid-August, hundreds of players and their families access the park’s three baseball diamonds. The park is a convenient destination for the organization’s House League volunteers, with three diamonds at one location, and the diamonds are dimensioned to serve our younger age divisions (ages 4-9).

Baseball Oshawa and participating families have approached the City in past years to request capital improvements to improve access. The City is aware of these challenges:

1.    Access from the main parking lot fronting onto Farewell Street is challenging, due to the steep hill grading. A desire line has been carved into the hill from hundreds of users navigating down the hill, but it presents a risk to many accessing the park from this direction.

2.    We have families carrying chairs and equipment bags up and down the hill. This year, we have heard access concerns from people with limited mobility, pregnant mothers, and coaches who must carry heavy equipment to and from games. We are certain that access challenges prevent others (e.g., grandparents) from attending House League games. In past years, we have heard similar concerns, with some families explicitly requesting not to have their player’s games scheduled at this park.

3.    Access from the south side of the park from Linden Court, nearest Diamond 3, is limited to able-bodied individuals able to navigate the staircase.

4.    A lack of internal trail system within the park makes it difficult for those with limited mobility to access diamonds as well.

5.    Baseball Oshawa is appreciative of the portable bathroom provided by the City, but its location at the top of the hill further exacerbates the issue for those needing to use it.