www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, December 8, 2016 | 4 Residents protest development in `heart of Oakville' continued from p.1 development -- with more than half of the privately-owned site dedicated to the public as permanent, publicly-accessible green space. The proposal includes transforming the 92.7-hectare course into 3,222 residential units, 121,000 sq. ft. of new commercial space and about 124 acres of permanent, publiclyaccessible green space. The green space makes up 54 per cent of the Glen Abbey property, and includes an 8.5 kilometre-long Sixteen Mile Creek Trail, which has been called the "missing link" of the Sixteen Mile Creek Trail system because it isn't publicly accessible. The development plan, however, has drawn significant opposition from residents since it became public. The Save Glen Abbey coalition released a statement to the Oakville Beaver after Thursday' s demonstration. "Glen Abbey Golf Course is a beautiful open landscape that has environmental, cultural and national, historical significance. Glen Abbey is not zoned for residential development nor was it identified as one of the six targeted growth areas in the Livable Oakville Plan," the statement read. The group also stated ClubLinks proposed development won't benefit Oakville or make the Glen Abbey property "more accessible to the public." Lisa Djurfeldt, who attended the the "beating heart of Oakville." "W hat ClubLink wants to do is stab Oakville in the heart... just rip it right out of there. It' s a very sad day that it has come to that," said Brandt. When the corporation initially purchased the course, Brandt said ClubLink became "part of the stewards of Canadian golf history." "Now, it will want to destroy it. Why? It can't be a case of land because it owns so many golf courses, it can develop anywhere... in a place that might be zoned for development. This isn't even zoned for development," said Brandt. Robert Visentin, ClubLink senior vice president, was aware of the protest, but he didn't have a problem with it, he said. "I heard it was a peaceful protest," said Visentin. Earlier in November, Town of Oakville council extended an interim control bylaw that temporarily blocks development of the Glen Abbey Golf Course for another year. The original bylaw was enacted on Feb. 1 and was extended until Jan. 31, 2018. ClubLink appealed the original interim control bylaw to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) and a hearing is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2017. Fraser Damoff, who ran for election in Ward 2, south of Ward 4 in Glen Abbey, said Thursday' s gathering aimed at sending a strong message to Glen Abbey resident Robert Thompson protests at the entrance to Glen Abbey Golf Course last Thursday (Dec. 1) night. | Nikki Wesley/Metroland demonstration, said the goal of it was to "disseminate all the information" on the proposed development. "It is our belief that inside (at the open house) there is going to be one side of the issue presented and we want to make sure all the facts are in everybody' s hands," said Djurfeldt. Joe Brandt called the Glen Abbey Golf Course see ClubLink on p.12 O a k v ille In v it e y o u o u t wAw< / Call today fo r your personal tour. We'd love to have you join us! D is c o v e r Y o u r C h o ic e s iA tm nete 380 Sherin Drive, Oakville, Ontario (905) 847-1413 www.vistamere.ca R e t ir e m e n t L i v i n g A t Its B e s t