A national urban park in west Windsor is a step closer to reality.
The House of Commons voted 169-147 Wednesday afternoon to create the Ojibway Shores National Urban Park, to protect wetlands and species in the only undeveloped area of the Detroit River shoreline.
This was the bill's second reading. Only two Liberals voted to support Bill C-248, which had the full support of the Conservatives, NDP, Greens, and the Bloc Quebecois.
Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk explained why he voted against the bill in a post on Facebook.
"The bill to establish Ojibway National Park is the culmination of years, if not decades, of work by many residents of this region fighting to protect this unique ecosystem in one of the most heavily developed areas in the country," said Windsor West NDP MP Brian Masse, the bill's sponsor. "It has been a real privilege to be the one in the House of Commons on the bill, but this victory belongs to so many, from Caldwell First Nation to local residents and environmental groups, from scientists and the City of Windsor, and so many more."
The proposed national urban park will include the 33-acre greenspace Ojibway Shores plus Ojibway Park, Spring Garden Natural Area, Black Oak Heritage Park, the Tallgrass Prairie Park, and the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve. Supporters say the total 900-acre area will become one of North America's most important ecological preservation zones and create an area to be enjoyed by nature lovers for decades to come.
Bill C-248 has received the support of the City of Windsor, County of Essex, Conservative MP Chris Lewis of Essex, Caldwell First Nation, and others.
The bill now goes to the House Environment Committee, where its supporters will testify to the merits of the bill. It will then return to the House for a third reading vote, then royal assent.