UTRCA to prepare Thames River park master plan

Erastus Burgess trained horses

His land is important to Woodstock's history and future 

By Mark Schadenberg

I’m not sure what Erastus Burgess would have thought, but the former thoroughbred horse trainer from Woodstock will see the lands that still bear his name as Burgess Park locally be under debate one more time.

Burgess, who was inducted in the Woodstock Sports Wall Of Fame in 2008, was honoured then based on training and owning race horses in the 1880s era. In 1885, Burgess was the trainer and owner of Willie W -- winner of the Queen's Plate in a time of 2:58.0 when the race was contested over 1.5-mile oval. The jockey's name was William Jamieson. Burgess was also trainer of 1880 Queen's Plate champion Bonnie Bird, and 1881 winner Vice Chancellor. 

Erastus Burgess died in 1916, but locally he is remembered.

A few recent years ago, the Burgess / Standard Tube parks were part of local controversy when the Sally Creek subdivision was attempting to negotiate control of a significant portion of the acreage to complete the design and build of an 18-hole golf course. The course today is still nine holes.

The Burgess property is recognized by its entry to trails along the Thames River on Tecumseh Street just below the Highway 59 / Vansittart Ave train/river bridge.

UTRCA To Write Report

The City of Woodstock at a council meeting last Thursday (March 7) announced it would be writing a cheque for $60,000 to the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) to conduct a master plan study of the entire 227 acres. With the trails behind ArcelorMittal (Standard Tube historically) and bordering both sides of the Thames River decimated by the emerald ash borer, now is the time to determine the area’s exact future.

First and foremost – in my opinion – a roadway must be built that connects the Sally Creek subdivision (likely at Fairway Road) westward to The 11^th Line which is also the west boundary of the city, as a small subdivision is currently in the final drawing stage there. Without this suggested artery, the access to both Dundas Street and Downtown travelling south, the Alder Grange neighbourhood to the east of Highway 59 and the Sally Creek residential area itself would be cumbersome. In other words, the 11^th Line is in Woodstock, so it must also be connected to the city.

The request for UTRCA to pen a master plan report for City Council was made by Brian Connors, director of Woodstock parks and recreation, stating: “The master plan is a long-range guideline document for the management and protection of the area. The purpose of undertaking a master plan . . . is to formalize the management strategies that have been implemented over the years and to provide new direction for the restoration and preservation of this significant area, balanced with recreational demands of local residents.”

If you have wandered through these (former) trails by bike or on foot you will realize what a treasure exists here, but how much work has to be done to re-forest and maybe to some degree re-focus sections of the lands which are currently fallow farmland.

The Connors report indicates the project will need four phases, but will begin this month.

Making Contact

Want to learn more about Woodstock as a destination to call home, contact:

Mark Schadenberg

Sales Representative

Royal LePage Triland Realty

(519) 537-1553

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Full-time Realtor with more than 14 years experience.