With regard to Tracey Duguay's column LU area
needs second access road in the Feb. 4 edition, thumbs up to
Councillors Bradley, Caldarelli and Reynolds who voted a second
time to reject Dalron's proposal.
At the Feb. 1 planning committee meeting I
attended, again city staff recommended that councillors approve
re-zoning to permit the creation of a 185-unit
multi-residential housing complex on that part of the
Laurentian University site lying between South Bay Road and
Bethel Lake.
These councillors listened to the residents'
concerns regarding this project's impact on nearby wetlands,
Ramsey Lake (a source of drinking water) and Bethel Lake, as
well as on traffic safety and congestion in the area.
City staff did not raise these concerns. Had
this dedicated group of residents not raised these concerns,
the outcome would have been very different.
This further demonstrates a need for
full-time councillors as they need time to research in order to
question the validity of proposals and not just rubber stamp at
the last minute.
I agree with the area residents who suggest
this proposal is less about creating a centre of excellence and
building-for-profit, high-end housing on university-owned land
in a prime location.
Fran Nault
Greater Sudbury