As so many of you are witnessing from Premier Ford’s responses to your texts, phone calls and emails, he is fully engaged on the golf course/greenspace case now. He is also fully aware of the over 500 homes that flooded in Beaverbrook, right beside these important stormwater catchment lands. As you know, he has been suggesting to residents and to me, personally, that he is working on a solution. To that end, Mayor Sutcliffe and I moved a motion at Council to write to the Premier and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to use their powers to help us get our promised land back. You can read the entire motion here. However, below is the THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED clause that is the operative clause:
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Mayor write to the Premier of Ontario and the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing requesting that the Province of Ontario consider using the following tools:
1. An order under Section 47 of the Planning Act issued by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to ensure the preservation of the Kanata golf lands and greenspace as part of the 40 per cent greenspace; or
2. Special legislation to ensure the conservation of the Kanata golf lands and greenspace as part of the 40 per cent greenspace lands; or
3. Other possible options or mechanisms within the authority of the Province of Ontario to ensure the conservation of the Kanata golf lands and greenspace as part of the 40% greenspace.
No Trespassing signs – I have received many emails regarding the No Trespassing signs that seemed to go up all over the golf lands on the day the motion above passed. So coincidental. Some of the signs now prohibit movement from Beaverbrook to a well-used park. Given that the community has always had all of this land to use for about half of the year (including easy access to one of its small parks), and given Bill Teron’s design that ensured interior pathways so that people could move through the greenspaces easily, this type of action, without any notice or warning, is quite the slap in the face. In the winter, a motion passed and bulldozers instantly moved across the course. In the summer, a motion passes and “No Trespassing” signs go up. Time for some more advocacy, Kanata North!
Below are the email addresses you can write to ask that the province does one of the three things above to save our promised greenspace.
And, as Premier Ford has made it clear that he is working on a solution (and he always encourages residents to call or text him), I think he might appreciate some thanks. The number he provides for texting him is (647) 612-3673.
Work Taking Place at 7000 Campeau Drive – Residents may notice maintenance activities at 7000 Campeau Drive. A contractor will be completing routine maintenance on erosion and sediment control measures to ensure they continue to function effectively. Small construction equipment will be on site, and the work is expected to take approximately 3 to 4 days to complete. This is routine maintenance related to erosion and sediment control installations completed over the winter months. This work was requested by City of Ottawa staff after July 1 flooding.