Save The Frogs

Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction as this little press release rolled across my inbox last night around 10 pm.

Section of Laird Road will close at night for amphibian migration

GUELPH, ON, September 22, 2009 – The City is acting quickly to mitigate frog road mortality on a stretch of Laird Road after receiving reports from local environmentalists last night. The City has learned that more than 100 frogs may have been struck by cars on a stretch of Laird Road as they were migrating to their wintering grounds.

The City has been looking at the road closure option since the spring when significant amphibian mortalities were identified on Laird Road. Migration during the fall months is generally less concentrated than spring migration. However, given today’s findings, the City is proceeding with the closure of Laird Road between McWilliams Road and Downey Road from dusk until dawn to avoid further mortality this fall. (Night is when amphibian migration usually takes place.) Traffic volume on Laird Road is low at night.

City staff will consult with experts and undertake observations of amphibian movements and weather patterns to determine how long the road closure will continue.

Meanwhile, as a longer term measure, the City is planning to construct amphibian movement culverts with fencing on either side of Laird Road this fall to provide for safe passage.

The matter had prompted LIMITS, already in the amphibian saving business, (so to speak) to take action themselves. Apparently, they were the "local environmentalists" that the city press release spoke of.

"TONIGHT!!! There is a meeting at Laird Road (between the Hanlon and Downey Road) tonight - 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm - to try to save as many of the amphibians as possible. All are welcome, but make sure to wear reflective clothing, and bring a flashlight, bucket and gloves!!!"

That message went out to members of the LIMITS Facebook group around 3:30 pm, by 5 pm victory was declared by another message:

"The frogs that did not make it across Laird road last night were put on display in front of city hall, prompting Hans Loewig to come out and announce laird will be closed tonight and then the city will figure out what to do on a more long-term basis!"

The Mercury's got copy on it in today's issue, but apparently this has been an issue with area residents for some time now.

"Norah Chaloner said she and a few friends noticed last September while walking on Laird Road the large number of frogs and toads being killed by passing cars. Realizing conditions would be ideal for a migration Monday night – a wet, warm night following a dry spell – they headed out with flashlights in hand to help the amphibians with their treacherous journey."

So kudos to area residents for taking swift action, and kudos to the city for taking such a big step to close a road for wildlife.

HCBP: That's all folks... for now

It would seem that those rascally Hanlon Creek Business Park Occupiers got their wish after all and stopped construction on the HCBP lands, for this year anyway. After the City got Ministry of Natural Resources approval to proceed with the construction of a culvert last week, it seemed it was full speed ahead to wrap construction before we got too deep into fall.

Press Release from the City:

GUELPH, ON, September 3, 2009 – The City of Guelph has determined that it will not proceed with construction of a culvert on the Hanlon Creek Business Park site in 2009, and will instead undertake culvert construction in 2010 as part of the overall servicing work for Phase 1 of the Business Park.

The decision comes this afternoon at the conclusion of careful analysis on the part of the City as to the environmental and technical implications of undertaking the construction in the fall rather than in the summer. One month of critical summer work was lost between July 27 and August 27 as a result of a small group of protesters having occupied the site. The original work plan would have seen all in-stream work completed before August 31. That plan was thwarted when protesters halted work on the project in July.

Construction of the tributary "A" culvert is considered to have lower environmental risks in the summer when groundwater levels and stream flows are low. Construction in the fall creates the potential for greater environmental impacts when groundwater and surface water levels are generally higher. To perform the work this fall would require extensive de-watering (a process whereby the shallow water table is manually lowered) and an elaborate diversion of the stream, the first of which would require a permit to take water and both of which would be subject to a potentially lengthy approval process.

City officials have decided that deferral until 2010 is the environmentally responsible and generally more prudent route. "A handful of protesters have held our City hostage and ignored democratic processes. Regrettably, the result is a significant delay, which will ultimately cost city taxpayers," says Guelph's mayor Karen Farbridge.

The City's contractor will be on site over the next few days to remove equipment and stabilize the site.

All construction planned for 2010 will move forward without delay. The City will work with Industry Canada to secure the use of more than $621,000 in federal funding, announced today, when it resumes its work in 2010. This funding was announced as part of the country's economic stimulus package to get Canadians working, create jobs and provide a legacy of longer-term economic benefits.

It's kind of odd to hear the Mayor talk about the City being held "hostage" and the cost to taxpayers, especially given that many involved with protesting are involved in the Ontario Public Interest Research Group, also known as her old digs.

But what do the protesters themselves have to say:

We just learned from a City press release that the City is cancelling the HCBP for this year, due to losing a “critical month” of summer work. In other words, the main goal of the occupation – stopping the HCBP for this year – has been achieved! The larger goal of stopping the HCBP as a whole, has yet to be accomplished. But we have a hell of a lot more time and energy to work towards that.

Check out this article from the Mercury: Farbridge says city held ‘hostage’
http://news.guelphmercury.com/News/Local/article/529069

Also see the City’s press release, which is basically the same: City delays culvert construction until spring (As quoted above)

Mayor Karen Farbridge also says that, “A handful of protesters have held our City hostage and ignored democratic processes.” If the Mayor had visited the site even once during the occupation, she would know that literally hundreds of people of all ages participated in the occupation, with thousands more in support.

The Mayor herself should ask how many times people must be ignored through their ‘democratic process,’ until they realize that sometimes the most effective way to create change is to take action.

Thank you so much to everyone for every single way you have helped. Let’s keep it going, and stay tuned for updates.

Good news!

This message was sent over both the "Save our Old Growth Forests" Facebook group and the "Land Is More Important Than Sprawl" group.

So there you have it, a small group of so-called radicals can really make a difference after all. My hope is that over the next couple of months, there is a serious reconsideration of proceeding with work on this site. It's plans were drawn years ago in a completely different economy. And I have yet to receive a decent counter argument as to why hundreds of acres of empty industrial space in the north end can't be converted to a new business park as opposed to digging up and paving over pristine green space.

LIMITS Parties

The environmental advocacy group LIMITS is continuing their push on to keep the Hanlon Creek Business Park from coming to concreted fruition. In my mailbox today, I got this invite from the group for an event happening this Sunday. Hopefully, the weather will clear up by then.

The City of Guelph's proposed Hanlon Creek Business Park continues to be at the forefront of Guelph's environmental issues. To continue raising awareness and building momentum against this 675-acre industrial project, and to build positive community relationships, LIMITS (Land Is More Important Than Sprawl) is hosting a family-friendly summer solstice event this Sunday. The best time for photo/camera shots would likely be around lunch.

When: Sunday June 21, 11am-4pm
Where: An old homestead on the proposed-HCBP site, just South of Downey and Teal (look for signs)
Who: Members of LIMITS, local and out-of-town musicians, and local youth and families
What: See schedule below:

10:00 am - Local activists will meet at the Farmers Market for a leisurely bike ride to the site.

11:00 am - Music by Beth Prysnuk and Lady O' Lakes from London, Ontario
- Crafts and Face Painting
- Information table out about LIMITS, the Old Growth, and the Jefferson Salamander.

12:00 - Fun games for kids, including Three Legged Races and Pin the Tail on the Salamander
- Information session for parents about the Old Growth, the proposed
development, and the Jefferson Salamander.

12:30 - BBQ
- Music acts by Sarah Mangle, Vicki B, and Kelly
- Medicinal Plant Walk

2:00
- Forest Walk
- More games for kids

3:30 - Wrap up, discussion

You Don't Say...

It what has to be a major victory for local advocates fighting the Hanlon Creek Business Park, this press release came through from the City this afternoon. As to what effect it'll have on development plans for the area is yet to be determined, and it may still be too early to seriously weigh the impact of these findings.

City consultants identify Jefferson salamander on Hanlon Creek Business Park lands
City reaffirms commitment to protecting wildlife habitat

GUELPH, ON, May 21, 2009 – DNA analysis on a salamander collected along Laird Road has determined that while that salamander is a hybrid Jefferson, a pure Jefferson salamander sperm donor is present in the area.

The discovery is the result of the City's ongoing terrestrial and aquatic monitoring, which is being conducted by Natural Resource Solutions Inc. (NRSI). No salamander species were observed in the Hanlon Creek Business Park area during surveys conducted this spring, but one individual of the Jefferson salamander complex was observed while crews were monitoring amphibian movement across Laird Road. DNA extraction and analysis performed on a tissue sample by Dr. Bogart from the University of Guelph confirmed that the individual salamander was a hybrid. However, genetics indicate that a pure Jefferson salamander is present.

The Jefferson salamander is currently protected under the federal Species at Risk Act and the Ontario Species at Risk Act. The City's findings have been forwarded to the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the City will work with the Ministry to determine next steps.

"This discovery is the result of our rigorous, ongoing monitoring program in this area. The City remains committed to protecting the habitat of endangered species, and we will work closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources," said Mayor Karen Farbridge.

The City has conducted environmental monitoring programs on the Hanlon Creek Business park lands since 1998. Separate from the proposed business park, the City retained NRSI to conduct wildlife mortality monitoring on Laird Road. This monitoring program was added as a result of comments from residents, staff, agencies, and the consulting team.

The need for ongoing environmental monitoring is part of the Environmental Implementation Report (EIR) for the project, which is one of the Ontario Municipal Board's conditions of approval. The EIR was approved by the Grand River Conservation Authority and the City's Environmental Advisory Committee earlier this year.

I e-mailed members of the group Land Is More Important Than Sprawl (LIMITS) to get their reaction, and "Wow" was almost all they had to say. When they come down off what I'm sure is an incredible high, I'll update this post.

LIMITS Gets Press

On Friday, LIMITS (or Land Is More Important Than Sprawl, if you will) held a press conference on the very land that they're trying to protect. They reiterated the need for great environmental assessment and a general reconsideration of the project on the basis of economic necessity and danger to the natural habitat. I couldn't make it out, unfortunately, but the Mercury had a decent article on the matter. Here's the link:

http://news.guelphmercury.com/printArticle/446576

Do you want to know what I think? Well, you're reading my blog so I assume that you do, but where's the need for new "sufficient employment lands" as Jim Mairs describes? Take a drive up in the industrial area, the Speedvale/Woodlawn West area, and take notice of all those empty buildings. I would much rather see this area - which is nearly becoming a brownfield dozens of blocks in size - redevelpoed as opposed to creating another wide expanse of brick and mortar. Especially when greenspace is sacrificed for the vaunted need for economic development, and when the area in question is nearly as much a part of Guelph as Cambridge is.

What do you think? Feel free to post.

Photo By Ryan Pfeiffer of the Guelph Mercury

Addendum to today's Guelph Beat

The below remarks are from the original notice about the first meeting of Land Is More Important Than Sprawl (LIMITS) as discussed in my Guelph Beat column in today's Echo. It's got the most basic and important of the information involving why LIMITS is fighting to protect this piece of land.

I plan on making a pilgrimage down that way myself, hopefully in the not too distant future. I'd love to check it out first hand before and if it disappears. Anyway, here what LIMITS has to say about it's cause:

This upcoming spring, the City of Guelph is hoping to finally start building their Hanlon Creek Business Park, a sprawling 675-acre industrial development on the south end of Guelph. Located on the west side of the Hanlon, across from the existing Hanlon Business Park, the land is a mix of forest, meadow, farmland, and a provincially significant wetland.

Located in the center of the proposed industrial development is a spectacular Old Growth forest, the only one of its kind left in the area. Approximately 165 acres, this forest contains hundreds of rare and old growth trees, and on the south end of the proposed industrial development is a hop hornbeam tree that is believed to be about 500 years old. This tree is located within a grove of 150-230 year old sugar maples.

Many of these trees were alive long before European settlers founded Guelph, alive even before the first French Jesuit missionaries explored this land in the 1600s. Archaeologists doing a survey for the HCBP lands recently found evidence that Indigenous people used this area as long as 11,000 years ago.

Also noteworthy is that the city's Downey well, which supplies 20% of Guelph's drinking water, is located about 800 meters from the proposed site for the HCBP. This well is fed by the Hanlon Creek, which travels through the proposed industrial park, and even further, the proposed site includes a recharge zone for the Hanlon Creek. The Hanlon Creek is a tributary of the Speed River, which is one of the four major tributaries of the Grand River.

According to the city's promotional publication on the HCBP, they want to surround this important creek and Guelph's last old growth forest with approximately 370 acres of industrial buildings and 74 acres of new roads. It doesn't take an environmentalist to know that this would permanently and seriously degrade the land.

For the survival of this land, the Hanlon Creek, and Guelph's last viable Old Growth forest, as well for the long-term health and survival of residents of Guelph, we believe there are better things to do with this land than build a massive industrial 'park'. Combining a look at the economic depression we are entering, the coming food security challenges, the severe threat of climate change, the mounting health problems of our industrial system, and much more, a powerful and comprehensive case can be made against the HCBP. We are excited to be working on this and to see where it can go.

Currently we are only a few people, and we would love to diversify and be part of a strong community opposition to such reckless development. Please get in touch if you have any ideas or desires to help us with research, outreach, media stuff, developing ideas, and more. This kind of thing can be very fun to work on with others when the workload is shared.

LIMITS also has a Facebook group, but should you too believe in their cause, the best way to get involved is through e-mail: guelphlimits@gmail.com.