Revitalized park marks new growth era in West End

West End

In the heart of a growing West End lays Sargent Avenue, connecting the airport to downtown, and acting as a corridor of community infrastructure and small businesses.

On June 27, a grand re-opening of the newly redeveloped Sri Sathya Sai Park, on the corner of Sargent Avenue and Banning Street, hosted families and local entrepreneurs to show off the updated recreational space.

“(The park) wasn’t well taken care of (before), I’m happy someone had the initiative to do it,” said Laura Gurbhoo, co-owner and head baker at Gâto bakeshop at 819 Sargent Ave., one block over from the park.

The park is on private land owned by the Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre. Prior to the upgrades, the park had benches, a table, and single teeter totter.

According to Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre), the church didn’t have the money to repair the park, but through a partnership between the centre, West End BIZ, and Gilroy, the amenities were upgraded.

Now, there’s a small slide, a new teeter totter, upgraded seating, and new playground turf.

“Upgrades to the street help everyone,” Gurbhoo said. She opened Gâto in 2021. The bakery specializes in sourdough and vegan baked goods while being committed to sustainability.

She said she’s noticed growth on the street over the past five years.

“You hear people say Ellice is dying,” Gurbhoo said.

“Come one street over,” she laughed. “Overall, the street is so lively… and people come from all walks of life.”

“It’s almost like a little Sesame Street around this park,” laughed Joe Kornelsen, executive director of West End Business Improvement Zone.

He said before the BIZ was approached for this project, he didn’t realize how much community infrastructure was around the park.

There are groceries, restaurants, bakeries, barbershops, a fire department, a school, all in the area, Kornelsen explained.

“If you walk down Sargent, you can smell the flavours of the world,” Gilroy said, citing the strong diverse population of the area. “It goes back to community conversations. It really is a multi-generational space.”

Both Gilroy and Kornelsen explained various upcoming projects and events coming to the area in the spirit of revitalization, including more trees at Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex (999 Sargent Ave.) and Saturdays on Sargent, which features free live music and mural painting on the street between Lipton and Young streets, from July 11 through 25.

“Any improvement is always great,” Gurbhoo, a West End resident, said. But she added there’s still more she’s hoping for, like more trees along the street to help mitigate the hot temperatures in the summer.

“Increase the amenities and keep improving the ones we have,” Gilroy said about her goals for the area. “To keep momentum going.”

“Come see Sargent,” Gurbhoo said. “It’s very welcoming, a nice street, always clean.”

“I invite folks to explore the neighbourhood and see what Sargent has to offer,” Kornelsen said. “The street is special, and I think that’s a reason to invest in it.”