An Ottawa-area family has received an outpouring of support from across Canada after being told they had to take down the boards of an outdoor rink in their front yard.
Cory Cosgrove, who鈥檚 built the outdoor rink for his three daughters during each of the past five winters, told CTV Ottawa that bylaw officers told him to move the boards, but later came back and told him to take the boards down after receiving a complaint from an angry neighbour.
The family was forced to remove the boards on Monday, which now sit in a pile in their backyard.
"We're just trying to create some good memories for our kids and taking down the boards this early in the season is, I think, challenging,鈥� Cosgrove said.
Bylaw officers say the rink is in violation of three regulations:
- possible damage to utility lines from stakes driven in the ground to put the boards up;
- driver sight lines and the chances a puck could hit someone passing by;
- and zoning rules that prevent permanent or temporary structures on front or side yards.
"It was entirely located on road allowance originally and we were really concerned about the safety of both the people that were using the rink as well as passersby and even vehicles that may be on the street,鈥� said Roger Chapman, director of Bylaw and Regulatory Services with the City of Ottawa.
Since news of the Cosgrove鈥檚 situation broke earlier this week, the family has received support from local politicians, media personalities and even Canadian Olympic superstar Hayley Wickenheiser.
People in Ottawa have also offered to transport snow to the Cosgrove鈥檚 rink to be used as natural boards.
With a report from CTV Ottawa鈥檚 Stefan Keyes
Then move :)
鈥� Hayley Wickenheiser (@wick_22)
Really? You gotta be kidding. There is no such thing as a kids outdoor rink being "an eyesore". Its a beautiful thing. I dont know the people in this neighborhood but I suspect its a fortunate thing for the complaining neighbor that their name has been kept out of the media.
鈥� Dean Brown (@PxPOttawa)
