One group, Project Niagara, would like to build a 2000 seat outdoor amphitheatre for music festivals to be held from June until September. Upon hearing this proposal last year, I thought a conservation area would be better suited for the site. Niagara Shores Conservation Area is west of the Parks Canada owned land and I believe it to be beneficial to all if the boundaries of the conservation area were extended to include the 100 hectare site as there is not much land left on Lake Ontario's shoreline that is accessible to the public.
An article in the May 27 St. Catharines Standard suggested just the very thing we birders would like to see become a reality. Randy Busbridge, a spokesman for the Harmony Residents Group, proposed the idea of an ecopark to Niagara-on-the-Lake town council Monday night.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=niagara+on+the+lake+ontario&sll=43.157052,-79.245178&sspn=0.007013,0.013733&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=43.256549,-79.106369&spn=0.015002,0.027466&z=15
It would appear that Parks Canada is open to the idea if they asked Randy Busbridge to develop more concrete plans. Though I do appreciate the arts, I would rather support an ecopark at this location. Urban sprawl is occurring at an alarming rate and we in the Niagara Region need more areas devoted to conservation.
A visit to the Niagara Shores Conservation Area this weekend may be in order. I was planning on a visit soon as I can count on observing Bank Swallow on the bluffs overlooking Lake Ontario.
an ecopark would be great for that property. What a waste for that land to be sitting there all these years and nobody can enjoy it. At least make a trail along the shoreline and connect it to the conservation area
ReplyDeleteDave V
Allowing the Shoreline Trail access to this area would be great.
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