SUBMITTED BY DEBI GOODWIN, HARMONY RESIDENTS GROUP, NOTL.
OPINION

Dear Editor:

Thanks to James Tupman for acknowledging clarifications that I made in a letter to address a letter he’d sent to your paper earlier this month.

The clarifications concerned the lands on Lakeshore that have been used by the Department of Defence and are now being handed back to Parks Canada. They also addressed some misrepresentations of the Harmony Residents Group’s wishes for future use of those lands as a natural heritage park that everyone in town can enjoy.

In his letter of April 25 (Turn defence lands into a park, not wetlands), he cites several problems he still sees with our proposal. (That proposal can be seen on harmonyresidents.org.)

Mr. Tupman mentions in his most recent letter that there are very little woods in the large open area. That is true. But the Niagara Shores land, with its existing Carolinian forest, is part of the land owned by Parks Canada. And its future will also be considered in any decision about the lands’ use. To clarify: the open green space of the former rifle range, the wetland areas, the forest lands of Niagara Shores that already exist and the shoreline will all be addressed in Parks Canada’s plan.

He is also very concerned about the idea of wetlands in the park and the ponds in question that we believe could be revitalized. I urge him once again to come to our annual meeting on May 22 to listen to the presentation by Bruce McKenzie, who was involved with a similar project at the Biggar Ponds in Grimsby, and to ask his questions. We want an open forum where questions like the ones from James Tupman can be addressed.

Mr. Tupman’s vision of “a sanctuary for townsfolk,” of open spaces where children can play and people can stroll without encountering wild animals is not at odds with plans for wood trails and wetlands on the lands where those currently exist.

Debi Goodwin
Harmony Residents Group

NOTL