Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward is reaching out to Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his government on Friday, asking them to safeguard green space in her city.
The mayor, along with a group of residents, is working hard to prevent housing development on a golf course located in the Millcroft neighborhood.
Pat Kearse was drawn to the area by a unique feature when she moved there eleven years ago – the golf course that sits behind many of the homes.
“And we love it and it was supposed to be open space forever,” said Kearse.
Kearse and her husband Brent claim they were promised it would always remain green space, but now that seems to be changing.
WATCH MORE: Millcroft development raises health and safety concerns
“We’re disgusted, we feel cheated,” said Kearse. “We came here, all of us – I think there are something like 800 households that are on the golf course – we’ve all been cheated out of our open space and our privacy.”
Even with local residents and the City of Burlington opposing it, heavy machinery arrived last year to begin clearing trees behind Kearse’s house, preparing the golf course for its first phase of housing development.
“We had the opportunity to wake up one day and we heard heavy machinery in our backyard, and there were these very large machines coming in, basically taking all the trees willy-nilly, right from roots up,” said Brent. “And it was like, ‘what can we do about this?,’ and obviously nothing.”
With approval from the Ontario Land Tribunal, construction began on phase one, with phase two planned for later on at the second half of the golf course.
: Parties agree to mediated discussions on controversial Millcroft Golf Course development
“We are adamant that phase one is destroying the neighborhood and phase two is just exasperating that structure,” said Cynthia Shanahan, a spokesperson with Millcroft Against Bad Development.
The residents who oppose this development plan alongside city officials say they won’t give up easily.
“We hope the developer gets the message loud and clear: greenspace is not the place to develop; floodplains are not suitable for development; and our fight continues,” said Shanahan.
Apart from losing their green areas, they’re worried that this project could lead to flooding similar to what occurred in Niagara during summer months.
Ward has written to provincial authorities requesting an immediate decision that supports city council’s unanimous opposition against this development plan.
: Burlington seeks zoning order to protect Millcroft Golf Course
“What we’ve asked for is an order that keeps zoning as it currently stands-parks and open space,” said Ward.
This comes as opponents of development promise they will keep pushing back against these plans.
“We aren’t giving up hope,” said Shanahan. “The glimmer is in our eye.”
“I’m never going to stop fighting for this,” said Ward. “This is critically important. This greenspace is essential for our community; we need it here.”
Ward believes an immediate decision from the province could help avoid a long and costly appeal process before the Ontario Land Tribunal.
WATCH MORE: Driver charged in Milton Hwy. 401 crash that sent four to hospital
Source link
