[All] Fw: MOECC Part II order

[Greg Michalenko]

Your letter from the Minister is dated 2016.  I was on the Ecological and Environmental Advisory committee of the Region of Waterlooat the time.  EEAC was instrumental in opposing several earlier proposals for the road extension, some of which would have gone straight through the middle of the best part of the parcel.  Eventually a much revised proposal was designed that largely would go around the east and north sides of the natural area.


The EEAC subcommittee delegated to that proposal spent an afternoon site visit examining the proposed section next to the proposed bridge over the freeway, the access/exit ramps associated with the  new road, and possible impacts on the adjoining natural features, including a small creek.  It was EEAC which initially proposed a salt study in that area, as well an ecological restoration study for removal of an existing incipient Phragmites infestation which has the potential to spread into other pristine wet areas, and a study of the declining population of an uncommon gentian in an adjoining pine plantation caused by the increasing shading of the area as the pines grow and get bushier.


That part of the Hidden Valley area is not where an employment area might be situated.  That would be on disturbed/cultivated land on the opposite side.


One sad thing about this issue is that two very significant stresses continue to mess up the natural part of the Hidden Valley complex:  illegal ATV traffic and widespread Phragmites contamination of the original natural wetlands.  The potential environmental effects of the proposed road are well considered, but ironically might never reach the magnitude of the incremental degradation caused by the ATVs and the scourge of the Giant European Reed that is occurring right now.


- Greg Michalenko


________________________________
From: All <all-bounces at gren.ca> on behalf of Lanteigne <water.lulu at yahoo.ca>
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2020 8:37 PM
To: GREN >
Subject: [All] Fw: MOECC Part II order

FOI

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Lanteigne <water.lulu at yahoo.ca>
To: abridge at regionofwaterloo.ca <abridge at regionofwaterloo.ca>
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2020, 08:37:18 p.m. EDT
Subject: MOECC Part II order

Hello Ms. Bridge

In the attachments is the Part II order I secured during the Hidden Valley area River Road extension.

If the minister recognized the constraint of building a road to the point he issued an order to secure a Road Salt Study, surely that indicates there is significant risk if we were to place an employment area in the same location.

Thank you for your time.

Louisette Lanteigne
700 Star Flower Ave.
Waterloo Ont
N2V 2L2


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