“Disturbed over Beaver Pond development”
By Matt Muirhead
Originally published in the Kanata Kourier-Standard
Page 1
I find myself deeply troubled by the circumstances surrounding the development of the South March Highlands and the Beaver Pond Forest. The land in question is rugged and pristine and deserves our protection. Although the 3,200-home development has been seen as a foregone conclusion for years, Coun. Marianne Wilkinson has at last joined the fight. It’s her eleventh-hour entry into this issue that troubles me most.
In May 1981, Marianne Wilkinson – then the mayor of Kanata and chair of the Regional Planning Committee, rejected advice from regional planning staff (and many experts) who recommended that the land north of the Beaver Pond should not be developed. The planning staff recognized the ecological significance of the property (even though a thorough inventory and study of the lands was never adequately performed) and they sought to protect the area.
The pond itself was thought to form a natural barrier between the incompatible urban development and the natural environment area to the north.
Instead of maintaining the protective status of these lands, however, Marianne Wilkinson and her committee zoned a large area of the South March Highlands for urban development.
That deal became known as Amendment No. 24 of the Official Plan of Ottawa-Carleton.
The zoning, authored by our now-councillor, was forged as part of the oft-touted “40 percent agreement” whereby the developer (Campeau at the time) agreed to reserve 40 per cent of the area of development as “some form of open space.” Parts of that open space are now comprised of the Kanata Golf and Country Club, hydro easements, school playgrounds, and storm water management areas.
Ultimately, in the negotiation of this agreement, Ms. Wilkinson surrendered areas of the South March Highlands for development, and she did so in direct opposition to planning staff’s recommendation that it be preserved as “Natural Environment Area.” I won’t take issue with the merits of the agreement at this time, only elucidate the past.
Today, with four months remaining in this term of city council, Ms. Wilkinson has promised to fight the destruction of the Beaver Pond Forest, but I find myself perplexed by the timing of the councillor’s bravado.
While I am loathe to descend into a state of cynicism, I can only fathom two possibilities in my observations of this scenario: either the development cannot be stopped and Coun. Wilkinson is politically posturing in her attempt at re-election; or the other (and more troubling possibility) is that this development could have been stopped but Coun. Wilkinson has squandered four years in office without taking any meaningful action.
If the former is true, then Ms. Wilkinson’s performance is disingenuous, and therefore highly unbecoming.
If the latter is true, then I think we deserve an answer as to why Councillor Wilkinson has waited all these years to take action – especially given her involvement in the original deal.
About 30 days remain before Urbandale begin their work making room for development at the Beaver Pond site. Like it or not, they are well within their rights to do so.
It is up to our municipal leaders – past and present to find suitable solutions that treat landowners fairly, but that also recognize the community’s desire to save this land. Action must be also be taken in a more timely fashion.
Unfortunately, I fear that the time has passed when meaningful negotiations might have had an impact on this development. I, and many others, are still pushing to find a solution to this crisis as soon as possible.
If the reality is that this development cannot be stopped, however, then I think we are owed the truth – and without performance or political pretense.
Anything less would be an underestimation of the intelligence of the people who live here.
Matt Muirhead
President,
Briarbrook & Morgan’s Grant Community Association
Councillor candidate,
Kanata North, Ward 4
613.291.5602
