| June 17, 2002 |
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Windsor, Ontario -
“…we’re going to bulldoze it.”
-Thom Hunt, Manager of Planning Policy Services, City of Windsor
St. Clair College Environmentally Significant Area threatened by development.
The Citizens Environment Alliance is concerned that a public consultation process has been designed to fast track development in a regionally significant environmental area. Plans for development within the woodlot adjacent to St. Clair College will be the subject of a public open house tomorrow night.
The open house will be at South Windsor Arena, 2555 Pulford Street
4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18, 2002.
The St. Clair College woodlot has been designated an Environmentally Significant Area (ESA), because of its size (15 hectares/37acres), undisturbed condition, and diversity of habitats. There have been 151 plant species identified on this site. Of these, 38, or 25%, are considered rare. There are 14 plant species which are rare in both Ontario and Essex County.
Members of the CEA and concerned citizens will be going door-to-door in the adjoining neighbourhoods on Tuesday morning, urging residents to attend the open house and make their views known.
On June 13, 2002, during a meeting of the Windsor Environmental Advisory Committee, Thom Hunt, Manager of Planning Policy Services for the City of Windsor responded, “…because we’re going to bulldoze it,” when asked why he failed to inform committee members of the upcoming public meeting regarding this regionally significant environmental area.
This area is listed as an Environmental Policy Area “A” in the City of Windsor Official Plan. The Official Plan states that an “Environmental Policy Area A may be partially developed provided that the development conserve the significant natural features and/or functions…”
In a letter commenting on this proposal, CEA Natural Heritage Coordinator Mark Buckner wrote: “We do not believe the significant natural features and/or functions can be conserved if partial development is allowed on this site.”
“I think local residents need to speak out if they hope to protect this ecological gem,” said Shawn Hupka, Executive Coordinator of the Citizens Environment Alliance.
For more information contact:
Shawn Hupka
President, Citizens Environment Alliance
(519) 973-1116