More than 100 people attended a town hall meeting regarding the Bell Creek corridor hosted by Quinte Field Naturalists (QFN) at Eastminster United Church in Bellevile last week.
The meeting, organized by Lori Borthwick with assistance from members of the Friends of Bell Creek group, featured a series of speakers, videos and photographs pointing to the importance of protecting the ecological jewel east of Haig Road.
Representatives of Ontario Nature and Environmental Defence were on hand, there was a petition to sign and draft letters/emails were made available to residents to send to City Council.
Opposition to a proposed housing development called “Hanley Park North” has been growing with many people expressing concern about the environmental protection of the Bell Creek natural heritage system.
A plan for Hanley Park North features 103 residential units consisting of 74 single-family dwellings and 29 townhouses along with parks and walkways.
A report from city staff suggests approximately 77% of the the Bell Creek Watershed will be protected from development, and new residential lots will be set back at least 30 metres from the existing wetland.
Some residents say the 30 metre setback isn’t enough and that much of the provincially significant woodland wetlands and wildlife habitat will be lost.
QFN’s Lori Borthwick says they were very encouraged by the turnout at the meeting.
She adds they will be meeting with Friends of Bell Creek to discuss further plans and that they are looking forward to a City staff report requested by Councillors Kelly Henderson and Barb Enright-Miller looking at the feasibility of acquiring land in the Bell Creek watershed from Hanley Park Developments.
Borthwick says beyond that, they are considering how QFN can advocate long term for the city to take a proactive approach to protecting natural heritage areas like Belleville’s waterfront and remaining Bell Creek lands through the Official Plan and perhaps Bylaws.
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