SPEEDWAY UPDATE:
THE ONTARIO MUNICIPAL BOARD
PRE-HEARING
The Citizens Coalition of Greater Fort Erie and several other groups and individuals who have officially registered their opposition to the speedway project, have been waiting for this issue to make its way to the Ontario Municipal Board hearing process. As many of you may know from the Bay Beach Condo Tower issue, the OMB tribunal operates ‘at arm’s length’ from the Provincial Government for the purpose of reviewing all aspects of a development proposal to determine its’ viability; based on the evidence presented at a hearing regarding the relevant law, provincial polices and the principles of good planning. The OMB process begins with the pre-hearing, details as follows:
PRE-HEARING DATE
Tuesday January 17, 2012 at 11:00 am
COUNCIL CHAMBERS – TOWN OF FORT ERIE,
1 Municipal Centre Drive
An OMB hearing is open to the public…... so please join us!! The concern of the community will not be overlooked by the OMB adjudicator.
Thank you to all those who have already contributed to our legal challenge fund to help us win our OMB appeal to prevent the building of a destructive speedway in our town.
All contributions are welcome ... no amount is too small ... anything you give will be very much appreciated. Without the assistance of many, it will be difficult to mount a powerful appeal before the OMB and hopefully reverse the Town Council's decision to sacrifice our wetlands, farmlands and quality of life. If not overruled, this decision will set in motion an urban boundary expansion and pave the way for development throughout our agricultural and rural areas; thus destroying our community and burdening taxpayers with the costs of increased infrastructure expansion and upgrades!
Please support us!! Here are some ways you can help:
DONATE!!
Call the Citizens Coalition of Greater Fort Erie at 905.994.7422. We will be happy to pick up your donation; or make a donation payable to Citizens Coalition of Greater Fort Erie and mail it to: Citizens Coalition of Greater Fort Erie, P.O. Box 111, Fort Erie, Ontario L2A 5M6
HELP SPREAD THE WORD!!
Circulate this newsletter to your mailing lists. Encourage participation by hosting a get-together for your friends and neighbours. A representative from CCGFE will be happy to attend and answer questions about this issue.
Please email us at ccgforterie@gmail.com
or call 905.994.7422 to make arrangements.
STAY INFORMED!!
To learn more about the current status of this issue, please check out the overview of the Speedway situation on CCGFE’s website http://www.ccgfe.org; and/or the CARS website at http://www.forteriecars.org .
Once again, please forward this newsletter to your friends and neighbours ... we need everyone's help.
We're all in this together. Thank you for your support!
Sandy Vant,
Citizens Coalition of Greater Fort Erie
How you can help:
1. Please forward this information to your friends and neighbours ...we need everyone's help right now. We're all in this together ...thanks for your support!
2. Please donate to our legal challenge fund today* ... time is running out. Here is how you can contribute:
Call Citizens Coalition of Greater Fort Erie 905.994.7422 we will be happy to pick up your donation or make your donation to Citizens Coalition of Greater Fort Erie and send it by mail:
CCGFE. P.O. Box 111, Fort Erie, Ontario L2A 5M6
*tax receipts will be issued for donations of $25.00 or more.
3. give us a call if you would like to get involved and volunteer.
To access the Town of Fort Erie web site with the draft bylaws and zoning changes, click here.
For more information, please visit http://www.forteriecars.org.
Urgent Action Bulletin
Call on Provincial Government
to Stop Fort Erie Motorway!!
BAND TOGETHER AND STOP THE SPEEDWAY FROM DESTROYING THE QUIET ENJOYMENT OF OUR PROPERTIES
One of the most dangerous assault’s on the mosaic of farmlands and forests of Carolinian Canada is underway in Fort Erie to facilitate the approval of the proposed Canadian Motor Speedway, a NASCAR-like amusement racing track. This would involve the re-designation of 821 acres of land in the Fort Erie and Niagara Region Official Plans which are currently designated "Good General Agricultural Land", to a new designation of "Special Policy Area." Unless the province appeals this re-designation of agricultural land to the Ontario Municipal Board, it is likely to be approved. As a community we must show solidarity and fight for our quality of life.
In opposing the motorway there are three points to stress.
- Fort Erie has one of the best preserved Carolinian habitats in Canada, comparable in extent to only the Walpole Island and Six Nations native communities. Half of the town is in natural habitat, predominately swamp forests. Taking out such a large swath of habitat, will harm many rare and diverse Carolinian species.
- The motorway proposal would result in the urbanization and subsequent degradation of a Provincially Significant Class One Fish habitat Miller Creek. The creek provides habitat for endangered Grass Pickerel and Wood Turtle. The creek’s mouth near the Niagara River is also an important muskie breeding habitat.
- The re-designation of 821 acres of Good General Agricultural Land is the biggest loss of farmland in Niagara since the introduction of regional planning. It represents some of the best land for farming in south east Niagara. A third of it has been carefully reforested by conservation minded farmers over the last half century. Several area farmers have spoken out against the proposal, because of expected problems of vandalism associated with similar motorways in the United States. It would violate Ontario’s Growth Management Plan, which should prohibit all urban boundary expansions in Niagara.
The persons who will ultimately make the decision to whether or not to appeal the Speedway to the OMB are the Minister of Municipal Affairs and the Minister of Energy and Public Infrastructure. They are Jim Bradley and Brad Duguid.
Please email:
Jim Bradley - Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
jbradley.mpp@liberal.ola.org
<mailto:jbradley.mpp@liberal.ola.org>
Brad Duguid - Minister of Energy and Infrastructure
bduguid.mpp@liberal.ola.org
<mailto:bduguid.mpp@liberal.ola.org>