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Written: October 10, 2026
At the corner of Beaufort Avenue and Silecroft Road sits a small piece of Cumberland that I believe is worth protecting. Not developing, not redesigning, and not turning into another capital project. Just protecting.
At the corner of Beaufort Avenue and Silecroft Road sits a small piece of Cumberland that I believe is worth protecting. Not developing, not redesigning, and not turning into another capital project. Just protecting.
Across from Cumberland Village Health Care and Pharmasave is a wooded property, approximately 0.79 acres in size, owned by the Village of Cumberland.
There are no fancy playground structures or maintained walking paths. Just mature trees, blackberries, a hill, rope swings and trails made by generations of children.
I have great memories playing here growing up in Cumberland. Today, when I walk downtown with my own children, it's often our halfway stop so they can play on the rope swing.
It's one of those little places that makes Cumberland feel like Cumberland.
What Residents Told Me
What Residents Told Me
When I asked residents on Cumberland Matters what they thought should happen to this property, the post received nearly 9,000 views and dozens of comments.
People shared memories of building forts, riding bikes, sledding in winter, picking blackberries and playing on rope swings. One resident remembered walking through the property to reach the old Industrial Arts building.
Others talked about the birds, wildlife and the importance of having a little piece of nature within the developed village.
There were suggestions for housing, a picnic area and other recreational uses, but many commenters preferred leaving the property largely untouched.
The discussion wasn't a formal community survey, but it demonstrated how much this little piece of land matters to some residents.
We Don't Need to Improve Everything
We Don't Need to Improve Everything
When I originally raised this issue, I suggested the possibility of a small neighbourhood park, perhaps with a log circle for nearby schools or daycares.
After reading the comments, my preference is even simpler.
Leave the property largely as it is and protect it from future development.
That doesn't mean neglecting it. Potentially dangerous branches or trees should be assessed and addressed where necessary. Modest invasive plant management may also be worthwhile.
But we don't need paved trails, expensive playground equipment or elaborate landscaping.
The kids are already playing there. People are already enjoying it.
It's already serving a purpose.
The Village Already Owns It
The Village Already Owns It
The Village acquired this property from School District 71 in 2014 as part of the Ulverston Avenue land exchange.
The Village's planning framework allows for several possible future uses, including civic facilities, community space, housing and public open space. However, no specific use is currently being considered, and there is no confirmed proposal to remove the trees.
Councillor Sean Sullivan has suggested a community garden as one possibility. Community gardens are valuable, but they need suitable growing conditions. I'd rather see one established somewhere that doesn't require removing mature trees.
With the Village already considering significant changes to its existing civic facilities, I think we should first look at whether other municipal properties could accommodate those needs before turning to this little forest.
Just because a piece of land hasn't been developed doesn't mean it's vacant or without value.
And the idea of protecting this property isn't new. In December 2018, a written submission to the Village's financial planning process specifically called for the Beaufort–Silecroft property to be designated as a park.
This is a conversation Cumberland has been having for years, and one worth revisiting before any decisions are made about the property's future.
Worth Protecting for the Next Generation
Worth Protecting for the Next Generation
Cumberland is fortunate to have a Community Forest and an extensive trail network. But forests beyond the developed village don't replace the mature trees within our neighbourhoods.
Small wooded spaces provide shade, habitat and places where children can explore close to home.
I would like the Village to investigate formally protecting this property as parkland or another appropriate form of protected public green space.
That would require considering long-term municipal land needs, maintenance responsibilities, public safety and the implications of setting the property aside for conservation rather than other uses.
Those trade-offs deserve an open public discussion.
At just 0.79 acres, this is a small piece of land. But it's where I played as a child, where my own children play today, and where other families have made memories of their own.
I'd like to see it remain a wooded public space for future generations.
Because not everything in Cumberland needs to change.
And some things are worth keeping.
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