February 26, 2011 Hamlton Spectator
Ideas that have been considered for the land:
*Museum
*Medical centre
*Biosphere
*Park
*Educational centre
*A new forest
CALEDONIA There appears to be no end of ideas for what could be done with Douglas Creek Estates.
The site of a protracted native land claims dispute was once set to be a subdivision of 600 homes. There has been talk about placing a museum, a medical centre, a park, a pool or an educational centre on the site. There is also talk of replanting thousands of trees on it this spring.
“Everybody has ideas,” says Hazel Hill, a spokesperson for the Confederacy, the traditional government on Six Nations. “We’ve talked about a couple of ideas — agricultural, cultural, residential.”
In 2007, residents on the Sixth Line, Oneida Road and the Seventh Line — which surround the land — proposed it be converted into a biosphere.
The idea is hinted at in federal Access to Information documents from Ottawa, but Caledonia councillor Craig Grice said the idea was a biosphere. The residents said they were in a different place physically and financially than the rest of the town as they lived between DCE and Six Nations.
“They had come up with a plan ... to try and do something positive with DCE,” said Grice. “They were thinking outside the box, or inside the box … They were trying to make it work in that it respected Six Nations beliefs and what they felt would work for DCE because they are trapped.”
While there are ideas, Ontario Aboriginal Affairs Minister Chris Bentley says nothing will proceed until a proposal is approved by both Six Nations and Haldimand County. The province bought DCE off developers Don and John Henning during the height of the dispute in 2006.
A native man, however, told The Spectator he lives in a model home on the site, sort of as a watchman for Six Nations. A light-purple sign on the site proclaims ‘Welcome to Six Nations. Grand River Territory.’
“You know I am really interested in hearing from the residents in the surrounding communities and Six Nations and what they would like to see,” Bentley told The Spectator in an interview marking the 5th anniversary of the Caledonia standoff.
A year ago, former Haldimand mayor Marie Trainer said Bentley had given her the impression the province was leaning towards handing the 40-hectare site over to Six Nations. She also said Bentley’s predecessor, Brad Duguid, had indicated to her that he had told Six Nations Chief Bill Montour that land could end up in the hands of Six Nations. The government denied those assertions — Trainer still stands by them — and Bentley repeated those denials.
“No decisions have been made,” he said. “I really think we need the parties, the government, Six Nations and the municipalities, all of those involved, to help us find a resolution.”
Provincial Freedom of Information documents obtained by The Spectator showed the minister received a large volume of letters last year from people upset Trainer’s assertion was true. His office largely sent back form letters telling folks no decision had been made. One letter from Bentley’s office, however, questioned Six Nations claim to the land.
“There has been no decision made on the future use of Douglas Creek lands,” said the letter. “The land is part of the Port Dover Plank Road Land Claim and according to the federal government the lands encompassing Douglas Creek Estates were surrendered in 1800s.”
Ontario returned Ipperwash Provincial Park to the Stony Point and Kettle First Nations in 2009, but there was documentation a burial ground was on the site.