GuelphToday received the following letter from Laura Lambert to City Council regarding Ontario Reformatory Lands:
Dear Mayor and council members,
I am writing as a concerned citizen, a lover of Guelph heritage, and most importantly, the mother of an eight-year-old boy who is desperate to save his beloved Reformatory Lands.
While I greatly appreciate the fact that city council has already moved to protect the buildings of the old reformatory, it is critical that this be expanded to include the 70 acre lands around the facility. For countless friends, neighbours and families, this space has been such a blessing and a lifeline to those struggling through the pandemic.
Every one of us have had challenges over the past year and a half, but I will often try to reflect on the positive things that I have learned through this experience and at the top of that list is a profound gratitude for the beauty of the environment around us here in Guelph.
We have all been forced to slow down, take a walk, catch a fish, watch the birds, ride bikes, and just appreciate the magnificent landscape around us. For many months, the only way to safely connect with our loved ones has been outdoors on exquisite trails and in parks and green space like the Ontario Reformatory Lands. I will never forget this lesson I have learned.
The memories made by my family on these lands have been profound and I can’t imagine a summer Saturday when we have to tell my son, “We can’t go fishing at your spot anymore sweetheart, its gone.” I’m hoping you’ll remember my son, my family, and so many others when you make your decision.
Thank you for your time and consideration
Kindest regards,
Laura Lambert
Guelph
