STAG update Sandwich Town

by Alice Hewitt.

Sandwich Town is about to get a new community park.

The Canadian Port Authorities recently purchased a piece of land on the corner of Mill Street and Russell Street and has given control of it over to the Sandwich Teen Action Group, more commonly known as STAG. The port authority can’t sell the land as it is still government property, but it will lease it to STAG for a 10 year period in order for a community park to be built on the site.

The STAG centre is located in Sandwich Town and according to their website it is a community-based charitable organization responding to the needs of youth in the Windsor and Essex county area.

John Elliot, who used to work for the Department of Parks and Recreation, is the executive director of STAG. He said as a kid he used to play in the area where the new park will be.

“It’s like a community improvement project. My argument is you go to the other side of the river and you have riverside parks. You come here and it’s run down. There was a bunch of seedy activity,” said Elliot. “What we are giving back to the community is this park.”

Ten STAG members were appointed to be involved in the project and are paid by the government for their involvement. The group, who have yet to name themselves independently from STAG, have until June to bring the park to life.

Rob Tazzman is one of the 10 people appointed to the project. He said the land selected used to be a bad area in Sandwich Town.

“What we’re trying to accomplish is a nice clean area,” said Tazzman. “Somewhere you can take your kids and your family. Bring back Sandwich Town basically.”

STAG plans to equip the park with a number of items to bring families outdoors, including park benches, a boardwalk, eco-friendly solar lights and a fishing platform. Native plants and trees will also be brought into the area.

In order to get supplies for construction, the group will be getting businesses to bid over donations such as bricks.

“You want to do something that’s going to be fulfilling,” said Elliot. “The reward is right there.”