Residents, natives voice concern
EAGLE PLACE: Agent for developers encounters opposition at meeting
November 13, 2009 Brantford Expositor
Three developers have a fight on their hands with Eagle Place neighbours and native activists in their plans to build more than 300 homes in four subdivisions on a large tract of contested land.
About 70 people, including residents and Six Nations activists made that perfectly clear in a tense, often noisy information meeting in Bellview Public School on Thursday evening.
"Could we be in another Caledonia type of situation here?" Bob Howard of Dover Avenue demanded to know about proposed plans of subdivision filed on four connected properties on a parcel on the south end of the city bounded by Erie Avenue, Birkett Lane and Dover and Baldwin avenues, which natives claim is unsurrendered land and part of the Eagle's Nest Tract.
"Do you know that we are going to come if you try to build there?" asked Haudenosaunee activist Ruby Montour, who has led many protests and work stoppages at construction sites around the city in the past two years.
"The developers are aware of the concerns and will have to make a decision," responded Bob Phillips of J. H. Cohoon Engineering Ltd., the agent for Multani Custom Homes Ltd. which has two residential proposals, Cambridge Heritage Management Ltd. and Gord's General Contracting. Phillips made an introductory presentation, then found himself fielding a torrent of questions.
Phillips explained that the plans by the three developers are still preliminary. He said that not all studies have been completed yet and three of the proposals still have to go through an approval process.
"I'm sure there will be revisions to the plans due to technical considerations."
Collectively, he said, the developers plan to construct different types of single-family homes, multi-residential townhouses and condominiums totaling between 300 and 350 units, which would house 600 to 900 people.
One proposal by Cambridge Heritage Management for 99 homes has made it through the approval process, but can't proceed because activists keep stopping a contractor from running water and sewer pipes to the area.
The other three still have not been approved.
Those in attendance had many questions, ranging from concerns about unresolved land claims to questions about the cutting of trees and the fact that the land is in a floodplain area.
"What about all these children that are going to be there," one Baldwin Avenue resident wanted to know. She wondered if a study had been conducted yet for the school boards.
Whenever he was asked about what the developers plan to do about land claim dispute, Phillips repeatedly said "that's a legal issue" and will be settled.
"How can you, as an honest man, take money from people who want to steal land and develop on it," one native demanded of Phillips.
"My clients provided me with evidence that they own the land," he responded, while many in the audience shouted their disagreement.
Vince Gilchrist, a member of the Haudenosaunee Men's Fire, said the plans and the developers' determination to proceed amount to "a slap in the face to the Haudenosaunee."
Others were concerned that a lot of trees might be cut, detracting even more from the city's tree canopy which, estimated at between 14% and 19%, is already one of the lowest among cities in the area.
"It's time you leave it be as it is. No more building," resident Debbie Dowling said to applause.
Ward councillors Marguerite Ceschi- Smith and John Bradford remained silent observers throughout the meeting, although both have made their concerns known about the proposals.
"I wasn't surprised that it went the way it did, given all the protests and site disruptions we've seen in that area," Ceschi-Smith said later.
"What the developers want to do represents a big increase in density in an area that has been farmland for so long and where there are a lot of environmental concerns. There is a lot to be addressed before any of the plans can go forward."