A battle brewing over what to do with an empty lawn bowling green in Wolseley might be the most exciting thing to ever happen at a lawn bowling green.

The space at Vimy Ridge Park has sat empty behind a locked fence since the lawn bowling club that had used it folded last summer.

Now two area groups—off-leash dog walkers and bocce ball players—are vying to take it over.

“It’ll be the public works department and the animal control agency that make the decision, but I’ll have input,” said Coun. Harvey Smith who represents the ward on city council.

Smith has organized a public meeting later this month for area residents to bring forward ideas on what to do with the space and he’s been busy talking to both sides in the mean time.

What Smith is almost certain of is that he doesn’t like the city administrations idea of turning the space into a picnic area when the fence comes down in the fall.

“There’s no trees, it’s not ideal as a picnic area,” he said.

Last Friday Smith opened the gates for roughly 30 bocce ball players to try out the green.

Cassin Elliott, 32, who started the Vimy Ridge Bocce League with his friend Sara Atnikov, 30, stresses they’re not against dogs, but would rather see the green used for a sport similar to the one it’s designed for.

“We want to get the most use out of it for the neighbourhood,” he said. “Bocce is a great game, it’s easy to play, and it brings people together.”

The public meeting will get underway at 7 p.m. on June 28 at Robert A. Steen Community Club on Palmerston Avenue.