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Friends of the Cawthra Bush & Greater Mississauga Area
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Opening comments - The fight was bad enough but salt was soon to be rubbed into their wounds as what joy in victory they had was taken away. Click Here. Toronto Star Feb. 24, 2004 - by MIKE FUNSTON STAFF REPORTER Woman's
crusade saves rare trees
When Mississauga resident Therese Taylor was told by city officials two years ago that it was too late to save a one-hectarestand of trees from development, she refused to accept it. Taylor collected 373 names on a petition and persuaded city council in September, 2002 to hold off on giving final approval for 81 townhouses that were to be built at Britannia Rd. and Bidwell Trail, west of Mavis Rd. She also enlisted the help of another concerned resident, Susan Karrandjas, to appeal the proposal to the Ontario Municipal Board, and of a forestry expert, Philip van Wassenaer, to evaluate the woodlot. In the end, the developer agreed to redesign the subdivision to save the oldest and rarest of the trees. The decision, which will preserve about 40 per cent of the woodlot, has been ratified by the OMB, a delighted Taylor said in an interview yesterday. The remaining trees will include the shagbark hickory, a Carolinian species rare in this area, said Taylor, who praised the development company for giving up three housing lots to achieve the new design. "Fitzwood Investments, their representatives Mark Mandelbaum and Linda Warth, and their parent company H&R Development should be commended for being good corporate citizens," Taylor said. But she said she was not pleased with the city. "Our environment is going to hell in a handbasket and more people need to stand up for it. When are our elected officials going to wake up and smell the toxins?" Taylor said she was originally told that the woodlot was too small and not healthy enough to merit protection. But van Wassenaer concluded that the woodlot has a large variety of plant species and provides habitat for a number of birds and animals. Other than some diseased elms, most of the trees there are healthy, he said. Councillor
George Carlson, who represents the area, said the city changed some design
guidelines to accommodate the new configuration of the development, and
the "best part of the woodlot" will be preserved.
The woodlot wasn't rated highly by the city's foresters because it is small and surrounded by development, making its long-term prospects for survival poor, Carlson said. Asked about Taylor's criticism of the city, he replied: "I guess with 20-20 hindsight, we could always do things a little better." Reach-out and make a difference PLEEASSE SIGN OUR PETITION It will make a difference! Home Page - Main Table of Contents - Back up a page - Back to Top |
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