Aurora resident frustrated by lack of wildlife park progress

Yorkregion.com
June 30, 2016
By Teresa Latchford

The money spent on consultants could have built a trail system through Aurora’s proposed wildlife park, according to David Tomlinson.

The Aurora resident, with a background in horticulture and landscape architecture, first proposed the design for the park in 1998 that was later endorsed by council; the lands designated a provincially significant wetland by the Natural Resources Ministry.

Tomlinson produced a master plan concept in 2007 and a water system control concept plan in 2008. In 2011, the town commissioned a hydrology feasibility study.

Most recently, council approved the hiring of Cole Engineering Group Ltd. to investigate, design and initiate the bid process for just under $200,000, with another $238,152 in capital funding for the project administration and reporting associated with future phases of the construction of the park.

While Tomlinson disagrees with the commissioned studies, the town defends the process and says they are a necessary step to present a design that would receive approval from the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, according to Aurora parks and recreation director Al Downey.

“Mr. Tomlinson’s design includes online ponds, which are not accepted by the conservation authority, however, we will be making a case for those,” he said.

“We will also be putting forward a design that supports offline ponds because, at the end of the day, we need approval from the conservation authority to move on with any construction.”

The LSRCA’s policies support offline ponds, those not connected to other water sources, such as streams, because online ponds can affect the temperatures of water courses and negatively impact fish migration and population, Downey said.

But Tomlinson doesn’t buy it.

“I didn’t see the point in going out for a feasibility study when I know what I am doing and did the plans for free. It’s irrational,” Tomlinson said. “I’m a little bit frustrated that it is taking so long and costing so much money to get this done.”

According to Tomlinson’s calculations, between $300,000 and $400,000 has already been spent on consultant reports.

The 70-hectare wildlife park, featuring natural and storm water ponds, marshland and shorebird scrape, deciduous and coniferous woodland, scrubland and grassland that serves as habitats for a broad range of wildlife will be constructed in five phases with the first to begin in 2017. Each phase is expected to cost $1 million.

“I pitched this as a project that would require some enhancements but not cost a lot of money,” Tomlinson said. “I designed it specifically for an economical price but it is important to preserve the natural history and wildlife habitat this land provides, especially with all of the development going on in town.”

But he is beginning to see a trend in, what he calls, council indecision, he added. Last summer, he proposed the town purchase a critical 0.8 hectares from a property owned by a developer, who agreed to the sale, for $2 million from the $35- million hydro fund on which the town sits.

He has yet to hear back regarding the decision to purchase or not.

“If they don’t move soon the land could be built on and that would completely interrupt the flow of the ecosystem,” he added.

A name hasn’t even been decided as it’s still referred to as ‘the wildlife park’ by the town and Ivy Jay Community Nature Reserve by others as recommended by the town’s environmental committee.

“If Frank Stronach can donate a million or so dollars to the leisure complex and get it named after him, I feel that Jim Spring and his family, who donated millions of dollars of farm land, should also be honoured,” he added.

“Either way, it is time to make some decisions and to get this going.”

To view the full master plan presented by Tomlinson, visit natureaurora.ca.