`Where's nature if you put all these trails in'

Residents raise concerns for future of Hungry Hollow

It was standing room only at a meeting Thursday evening at the Civic Centre focusing on access points the Town is looking at to connect with the trail system planned for the Hungry Hollow ravine. The Town currently has several access ways into the ravine off various streets in town-- some that are in use and others that aren't-- and is in the process of deciding which ones to keep and how to define them. Noble Court, Sargent Road, Heslop Crt., Lucinda Place, Stockman Crescent., Dawson Cres., Miller Drive and Eaton Street are all streets that currently have or will have access points into the ravine located between Cedarvale Park and Mountainview Rd. That was the area discussed Thursday. A second meeting focusing on Mountainview Rd. to Willow Park was held last night (Tuesday). Several area residents took the opportunity to give their views at Thursday's meeting, many presenting petitions signed by residents in their area. Lucinda Place resident Jean Aubin said he had surveyed 13 residents on his street and they do not want to see any changes with the access that already exists there. "For reasons of aesthetics we are hoping to maintain the status quo," said Aubin. He said he didn't want to see a garbage can or signage there. Noble Crt. resident Sherrill Irwin did not want access opened on the bottom of that street. Her main concern was environmental. She said the end of Noble Crt. was the narrowest wildlife corridor in the entire ravine. "We've heard Noble Court should never have been built; we agree," said Irwin. "Noble Court is a significant intrusion into the Hungry Hollow ravine." She said the best that can be done is to preserve the corridor as much as possible and be vigilant about further intrusions into the environmentally sensitive area. She said people could use the Eighth Line access to get into the ravine. "I believe there is room for a trail in some parts of the Hungry Hollow ravine, but let's only look at the widest areas of the ravine," stressed Irwin. "This tiny piece of paradise is an incredible and rapidly disappearing precious jewel in today's world. Can we not recognize that, and protect it for our future generations?" she asked. Stockman Cres. resident David Collie said of the 16 residents on his street, 14 believed access should be opened and maintained on Stockman Cres. He said the two other residents on the street were undecided. "You have a huge opportunity in front of you, please stay the course," said Collie. Barbara Baron praised the Town for doing a "wonderful job" with its trail system. The Rexway Drive resident who lives near Noble Crt. said she had spoken to 49 homeowners in the area and only one person didn't like the idea of access into the ravine from Noble Crt. Baron said one resident told her that before Noble Crt. even existed that was the way area residents used to get into the valley. Dawson Cres. resident Ann Geh was concerned about the current state of the ravine and the impact more paths, and human traffic, will have on it. "We've observed the animals are getting desperate in the valley and are coming closer to our houses," said Geh. "What we do know is that there are impacts, evidence of inappropriate use of the ravine," said Terry Alyman, Director of Recreation and Parks for the Town. "That is what you get with an unmanaged plan, a proliferation of trails because there is not anything to guide people through." "Where's the piece (in the ravine management plan) about the monitoring and protection (of the ravine)?" asked Geh. Noble Crt. resident Ed Ryan said he had no problem with access ways into the ravine, even from his street, but he urged the Town to take another serious look at the plan in that area, the narrowest part of the corridor. "I really don't want the walkway or anything else inside the ravine because that's killing nature. I really don't want nature to be destroyed," said Shannon Bain, 8, of Noble Crt. Hank Rasanen of Heslop Cres. said he doesn't understand what is driving the Town to spend all this money in the ravine. "This is supposed to be a nature walk. Where's nature going to be if you put all these trails in," asked Rasanen to hearty applause from the crowd. No date has been set yet for council to make a decision on the access way issue.