A group of neighbours is hoping to save a beloved green space that has been an unofficial park in Chilliwack for nearly 35 years.
The property at 44692 Cumberland Ave. was purchased back in 1991 by the City of Chilliwack, and now it's up for sale.
For 34 years, the treed lot, nestled between two houses on a cul-de-sac has sat vacant.
"To some, it may appear to be just an empty lot. But to the families who live nearby, it’s a place where kids ride bikes, build forts, explore nature, and experience the kind of free, outdoor play that is becoming increasingly rare in today’s screen-filled world," said resident Jilleen Anderson. "It’s more than land – it’s freedom, friendship, and childhood in its purest form."
The city previously had the residential-zoned lot listed as 'Cumberland Park' on its website and it's now called 'Cumberland Avenue Lot'. They refer to it as a 'sub neighbourhood park.'
It was being considered as an access point to a park development that was in the planning stages, but that proposed park was never developed, stated Jamie Leggatt, director of communications with the city, in an email to The Chilliwack Progress.
According to the city, letters were mailed out on April 10 to residents within 30 metres of the lot regarding the sale of the lot. But, the neighbours living on either side of the lot, and also the neighbours living beside those addresses all stated they never received a letter in the mail.
Leggatt added that there are a number of reasons why the city owns parcels of land such as the one on Cumberland. In addition to planning for park access, the lots could be used as community centres, parks, fire halls, pump stations, flood protection structures, future road extensions, utility works and other civic uses.
"When a lot is deemed as no longer serving a need for the community, council may authorize it to be disposed of through sale," Leggatt said.
Mayor Ken Popove pointed to the city's Greenspace Plan, developed in 2020, which outlines a "solid strategy" to ensure Chilliwack provides adequate parkland, green space, and outdoor recreational facilities for current and future residents.
"Staff currently follow the Greenspace Plan to guide park development throughout the city, leading to the sale of 44692 Cumberland Avenue," Popove said in a written response to the neighbours' inquiries.
The city added the lot is "not suitable" for a public park space in accordance with the plan.
Resident Rob Brooks disagrees and said the space does, in fact, align with the Greenspace Plan.
The park is home to 16 mature trees, is a "vital" green space for kids, provides a cool space in hot summer months for people to walk dogs, and the informal dirt track on the property provides a "unique and safe environment for children to learn and practice bike riding," he said.
Two of the Greenspace Plan's core values – environmental protection and historical preservation – "are exemplified by Cumberland Park in its current state," Brooks said.
The plan notes one of the parkland objectives is to provide spaces that are both passive and active.
"One of the most cherished aspects of Cumberland Park is its passive park experience," Brooks said.
"Sustainability is also cited as a core objective in the Greenspace Plan - with an emphasis on minimizing the need for human intervention and future maintenance. Cumberland Park has been serving the community for over 30 years, during which time it has required minimal maintenance while delivering tremendous value," he added.
Popove said council must consider the best interests of all residents within the municipality.
"The sale of this lot can be used to acquire another potential park site in a more central and open location, or to add new features to existing parks to increase recreation and accessibility opportunities to a wider portion of the population," Popove said.
The Greenspace Plan also states that neighbourhood parks should be within 800 meters walking distance for residents.
"Your neighbourhood is uniquely served by several community and sub-community parks located within blocks of the subject property," Popove said.
But the residents dispute this, noting that the nearest parks are Watson Glen Park at 1.3 kilometres away and Webster Park at 1.2 kilometres away.
"Removing this park now, only to potentially re-acquire green space later, seems both inefficient and short-sighted," Brooks said. "Preserving Cumberland Park appears far more aligned with the Greenspace Plan’s stated principles than converting it to residential use."
The neighbours of the Cumberland green space launched a petition in hopes that the mayor and council will change their minds. As of May 13, it had about 230 signatures, both electronically and on paper.
"We respectfully request that Chilliwack City Council halt the sale of the Cumberland Park property (and) consider formally designating this land as a permanent public park," the petition reads, in part.
Since the lot is already up for sale – it was put on the market on May 2 at a price of $679,900 – the residents feel there is little they can do.
All they can hope for now is for council to take it off the market and make it a permanent park.
"The community is not asking the city to build a new park – we’re simply asking to retain one that has already served generations of families and continues to do so," Brooks said.
To sign the petition, go to change.org/p/save-our-neighbourhood-green-space-protect-44692-cumberland-ave-lot-in-chilliwack.
