Dick Bell Park is a public

park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

, Ontario, Canada, on the southern shore of the

Ottawa River The Ottawa River (, ) is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word "to trade", as it was the major trade route of Eastern Canada at the time. For most of its length, it defines the border betw ...

. Admission and parking are free. The park is home to the

Nepean Sailing Club The Nepean Sailing Club (NSC) is a sailing club located on Lac Deschênes in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The club is based in Dick Bell Park, along Carling Avenue, adjacent to Andrew Haydon Park in the former city of Nepean, Ontario, Nepean. Histo ...

. The park's area, according to the city, is . The official address of the park is 3259 Carling Avenue, Nepean.

Geographical location

Dick Bell Park is bordered by

Carling Avenue Carling Avenue is a major east–west arterial road in the west end of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs from March Road in Kanata to Bronson Avenue in the Glebe. The road is named for John Carling, founder of Carling Brewery and Conservative M ...

to the south, Rocky Point to the west, and Andrew Haydon Park to the east. The border between the two parks is a small stream with a wood and metal bridge.

Naming

The park was named after

Dick Bell Richard Albert Bell (September 4, 1913 – March 20, 1988) was a member of the House of Commons of Canada representing Carleton from 1957 to 1963 and from 1965 to 1968. He was born at Britannia Heights in Nepean Township, Ontario in 1913. ...

, a member of the Canadian

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

from 1957 to 1963, and again from 1965 to 1968. He served in the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

of Prime Minister

John Diefenbaker John George Diefenbaker (September 18, 1895 – August 16, 1979) was the 13th prime minister of Canada, serving from 1957 to 1963. He was the only Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, Progressive Conservative party leader between 1930 an ...

Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...

from 1962 to 1963.

Rules of the park

Cyclists

Cyclists must dismount and must walk their bikes throughout the park.

Curfew

The city bylaw bans activity in the park after 11 pm. That includes leaving your car parked in the lot.

Dogs

Historically, dogs have not been allowed in the park, nor in neighboring Andrew Haydon park. In 2009, the city allowed dogs on a leash as a one-year pilot project. This was to try and solve the "geese problem", which was caused by too many

Canada geese The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), sometimes called Canadian goose, is a large species of goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North ...

in the summer that excrete all over the grass and paths. This rule has since been extended indefinitely. Currently, dogs are allowed on a leash, but "are prohibited from being within five meters of all children's play areas and pools".

References

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