Skip to main content

road removal

This story isn't about Cootes - but a nearby natural area - the Ancaster Councillor exhibits a less than novel argument, that old "Drive-Thru Nature" one where car access trumps environmental integrity. If you don't know this area, it is certainly just barely a road, and a very muddy rutted almost-road at that.

Conservation Authority puts Dundas Valley road closure bid on hold
Richard Leitner, Dundas Star News Staff, Published on Mar 13, 2009

The Hamilton Conservation Authority is delaying a request to close and acquire a 1.4- kilometre stretch of a Dundas Valley road to allow for discussions with the city on how to limit access by four-wheel-drive trucks, dumpers and bush partiers.

Directors agreed to hold off on a bid to close the “badly rutted” dirt track on Martin Road after Ancaster Councillor Lloyd Ferguson implored them to consider other solutions that will maintain it as a public right-of- way.

He suggested the road might be upgraded to allow one-way traffic and give “the elderly and disabled the opportunity to drive though nature,” as well as to potentially host events like bicycle marathons and community fundraisers. Martin Road, which runs between Jerseyville and Mineral Springs roads, is narrower than standard municipal streets and the section in question isn’t maintained by the city.

“I’m just a touch thin about taking privileges away from the elderly in our community because kids want to come in and get tanked up at bush parties,” Mr. Ferguson said.

“This is a real jewel right dead centre in Ancaster,” he said. “My fear is that if we just go and close this, what else are we going to lose?”

Chief administrative officer Steve Miazga said the authority can continue to allow access for special events, but the goal of the closure is to limit the dumping and damage created by unauthorized use.

If it assumes ownership from the city, the authority plans to create a public trail on the section, which comprises about the inner third of the road.

“This goes through an environmentally sensitive area, that being the Dundas Valley. It is a very important broad-leaf forest in that area and has many ecological features,” Mr. Miazga said.

“In global terms, the Dundas Valley also has endangered species. If, in fact, the road was to be established here in the future at any time or improvements undertaken to the dirt track, then of course we would have to undertake a study to show if any rare or endangered species were affected.”

While agreeing to defer action to allow for talks with the city, other directors expressed support for closing the road.

“I don’t want a battle over it,” said Flamborough Councillor Robert Pasuta. “We have vehicles moving in and bringing in material and dumping it off,” he said.

“I like the trail idea, that people can walk through and we maintain that. I walked that last year. It’s a beautiful walk.”

Vice-chair Don McKay said he believes authority ownership would improve the state of the roadway and still allow for appropriate community events, including the existing annual Autumn Stroll hosted by Ancaster’s Rotary clubs.

“It would be a bonus,” he said. “I think there would probably be a better opportunity because it would be maintained, would be looked after by the conservation authority, there would be trails there.”

http://www.dundasstarnews.com/news/article/166551

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

a vision for nature in Cootes

View the Eco-Park Document here Make Cootes national park, group urges TheSpec.com - Local - Make Cootes national park, group urges Create eco-park in urbanized area Eric McGuinness , The Hamilton Spectator (Jan 28, 2009) The idea of a Cootes Paradise National Park is being revived by local conservationists. But they say it is jeopardized by plans for a self-storage warehouse beside the Desjardins Canal at the east entrance to Dundas. They point to a new vision of an urban eco-park -- maybe a national park -- incorporating the Cootes marsh, drafted by Urban Strategies Inc., the firm responsible for McMaster University's campus master plan among other Hamilton projects. Joe Berridge, a partner who has helped reshape waterfronts in Toronto, New York and London, produced the concept document at the invitation of Ben Vanderbrug, retired general manager of the Hamilton Conservati

McMaster's Parking Problem: Next Level

I'm sharing a recent article published in the Dundas Star News about McMaster's plan to build a - get this - $17-million dollar parking structure. Seventeen million. Yes, $17,000,000.00 That's a lot of money to provide temporary shelter for vehicles of people who choose to drive to campus. We will be following this closely. Here's the article.  Cootes Drive six-storey McMaster University parking garage under review Variances or amendment to zoning bylaw expected to permit parking structure Craig Campbell, Dundas Star News, Friday, March 5, 2021 Zoning bylaw variances, or amendments, could be required for a planned six-storey, 567-space McMaster University parking garage west of Cootes Drive, and north of Thorndale Crescent. University spokesperson Michelle Donavon said the $17-million structure on parking lot K at Westaway Road will help ongoing efforts to re-naturalize parts of the west campus, by moving some surface parking into the structure. “These plans will increa

Where did the water go? Art action in Lot M Parking

West Campus Eco-Art Project  A walking activity and site activation on McMaster’s West Campus.  West Campus Eco-Art Project is a project that incorporates creative walking activities and an artistic site activation connected with the West Campus Redesign Initiative at McMaster University. The initiative provides opportunities for connecting with nature through an on-line informational video, walking excursions and creative activities that deepen knowledge and experience with place in all its complexities (social history, citizen science, ecology and diversity).  Focusing on the Coldwater creek valley on McMaster’s West Campus, participants will learn about the history and unique features of the area and will be invited to then engage with the site through observation, sketching and stencil-making. Stencils will be used to paint text and image on the parking lot asphalt to delineate a blue line that marks an historic water route.  The project is supported by the McMaster Museum of Art (