City blames wet spring and summer for weedy lilac gardens at Lindsay’s Logie Park

Strolling the hardscape pathway through the memorial lilacs of Logie Park, residents may find a legacy that falls short of the gardens they remember – gardens that received a high recommendation from the “Communities in Bloom” judges back in 2002.

“The Lilac Gardens are an important part of Logie Park,” says Mayor Doug Elmslie. It’s a statement that seems to be supported by the Lilac Gardens’ appearance on the Kawartha Lakes Cultural Assets Inventory in the 2020-2030 Cultural Master Plan.

Elmslie says “with all the rain we’ve been getting this spring and summer, it’s understandable that the weeds could easily get out of control but I’m confident that our Parks and Recreation division has a plan in place to address the situation.”

Prior to a park refresh project that began in 2017, and turned into one of Kawartha Lakes’ largest redevelopments, the Lilac Gardens of Lindsay were completely maintained by a stand-alone committee of the Lindsay and District Horticultural Society. In 2007, then-Mayor Ric McGee recognized the achievements of the Lilac Gardens of Lindsay volunteer committee by declaring the lilac the official shrub of Kawartha Lakes.

“I believe the volunteer group still exists but is limited in numbers,” says Jenn Johnson, director of Community Services. While a website remains for the Lilac Gardens of Lindsay, updates end with the promotion of the 2018 Garden Festival. Attempts to contact the group through their general information email resulted in messages being returned as undeliverable.

“The municipality currently maintains the park land, including all garden areas,” explains Johnson, who was recognized by the Ontario Parks Association in 2021 with an Urban Design Award for her role in the park’s redevelopment. “Staff have been maintaining the gardens, hand weeding, line trimming and placing mulch this summer. Unfortunately, it has been an exceptionally challenging summer to keep ahead of the weed growth with current resources available. Staff have short-term and long-term plans to combat the weeds and bring the gardens back to a desirable state.”

As of the Advocate’s press time, obvious progress was being made by city staff in tackling the weeds around the memorial lilacs.

The Lilac Garden’s “Plant a lilac, plant a memory” initiative continues through the City’s sponsorship and dedications website page, but some changes have been made to the program. Originally, residents purchased a memorial lilac for a $100 donation to be cared for by the volunteer committee and were left to source and purchase a marker on their own. Today, the $350 plus tax price tag of a memorial lilac, to be cared for by the city staff, includes a granite marker. Intake for the program takes place bi-annually during spring and fall, and space is limited.

Johnson assures the public that, “Memorial shrubs that require replacement will be addressed with the appropriate species as they are identified.”