‘Ottawa’ Park’s Olympian Namesake Fears For Fate of Green Space
Olympian Sue Holloway says she’s not worried about the fate of the park that bears her name but the future of a “spectacular” green space.
Holloway lives a stone’s throw from the Rideau Canoe Club, which is just across the water from the planned site of the mega-playground where she trains cross-country skiers. She paddles past it daily
“Save our park,” yelled the dragon boat paddlers she coaches as they dropped Holloway off at Wednesday evening’s demonstration.
The 60-year-old was the first Canadian and first woman to compete at the winter and summer Olympic Games, first in cross-country skiing in 1976, then winning two medals in kayaking in 1984.
“I’m not concerned about my park because my park will go through a process to review the design and the location — which is the appropriate process when you’re doing something like this,” Holloway said, adding that she’s been assured that a new Sue Holloway Fitness Park will be built.
“The issue for me is as a neighbour, a daily user of this site, year-round,” she said. “I ski here, I paddle here, I walk here. They took down the trees we use for our training. My concern is this area is a spectacular green space right beside a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A huge playground is a great idea — just not on this location.
“Try to imagine what a blight on the riverside it will be. This (site) is worth way more than $1 million.”