Ready for confrontation

And yes, Family Day is just two weeks away.

But this year a bit of a pall hangs over the community, for the usual easy relationship between some residents and City officials has been strained over an issue that has grown considerably out of proportion since it was first discussed in public last year.

That is, of course, the ongoing debate over whether to install artificial turf on the playing fields in Westmount Park. The respective arguments need not be repeated here, for the issue has been covered so extensively that there are probably many readers out there who are 'all turfed out' and refuse to read any more on the topic. It does not concern them and they have no opinion one way or another.

But for others, especially those living close to Westmount Park or have children in the athletic programmes, the issue is of great interest and worry.

The City ended up cancelling the first week of its increasingly popular soccer programme due to unsatisfactory field conditions, resulting from our late-season "weather event."

But while the most cynical among our readers might easily accuse officials of seizing this as a God-given opportunity to exploit the current situation and illustrate its need for artificial turf, you can be sure it was an unfortunate coincidence. The City would not make a minor political point at the expense of its youth.

It has been repeatedly stated that both sides of the argument have the Park's best interest at heart. Now, as these forces gather to clash at a public meeting next Wednesday evening in Victoria Hall, everyone is hoping to finally see some tangible results one way or another — or at least some viable alternative. As Nicholas Smith, a fixture on the local soccer field as both a player and referee, summed it up so well in a recent letter to the Examiner, "Propose a plan that lets kids play soccer and 'saves the park' and I'll support it."