Tell City Hall: Updates on Kortright Waterfowl Park Lands must be in open sessions not behind closed doors

Send a message to City Hall

Let City staff and City Council know that you want this zoning error corrected.

In the recent past, decisions about public lands were made in open sessions, so the public could attend Council meetings to hear updates. Please read the notes below and sign the letter to let City staff and City Council know that you expect updates about public land negotiations to take place in open sessions.

Some background:

City’s Negotiations with the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) on the Kortright Waterfowl Lands Need to take place in Public, Not Behind Closed Doors

On February 10th of this year, Council unanimously voted to protect the entirety of the Kortright Waterfowl Park by moving to redesignate the 20 acres South of Niska Road from residential to open space/parkland. This was an important decision by Guelph City Council as it showed that people power can prevent the privatization of public lands – and it reaffirmed Council’s commitment to the Hammill family’s legacy for a strong conservation vision for the Kortright lands.

In the past, the City of Guelph has provided parkland acquisition updates in public, not behind closed doors:

From the 1970’s to 1990’s – staff provided Council and the public with regular updates in the public domain on the acquisition of lands by the City of Guelph and the GRCA for the Hanlon Creek Conservation Area (HCCA);
During the development of the Clair-Maltby Secondary Plan (CMSP), the Open Space Strategy was publicly debated – and the preferred location for the Community Park was identified through an open public consultation process.

Further, through the 2018 Ontario Municipal Board Case No. PL140042 that the City of Guelph was party to, the settlement agreement emphasized the need for transparency on the Kortright lands:

“AND WHEREAS all the parties believe that the public interest is served by opportunities for the public to understand and comment on the decisions of the City and the GRCA” (p.2).

There is no justification for closed door updates for parkland acquisition by a municipality with another public entity, in this case the GRCA.

As we approach the end of the second quarter of the year when City staff are expected to report back to Guelph City Council on a process for redesignating the 20 acres of the Kortright Waterfowl Park – it is time to request that Council direct staff to provide updates on negotiations with the GRCA in open sessions of Council.

There is too much at risk for the future of the Kortright Waterfowl Park for updates to take place behind closed doors. Please sign this letter.

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Email Petition: Kortright Waterfowl Park Part 2

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Dear Ms. Baker, Mr. Matthews (and circulating Mayor Guthrie and Members of Council):

On February 10th of this year, Council unanimously voted to protect the entirety of the Kortright Waterfowl Park by moving to redesignate the 20 acres South of Niska Road from residential to open space/parkland. This was an important decision by Guelph City Council. It showed that both the community and Council are adamant about keeping public land in public hands.  It also reaffirmed Council’s commitment to the Hammill family’s legacy for a strong conservation vision for the Kortright lands.

In the past, the City of Guelph has provided parkland acquisition updates in public, not behind closed doors:

- From the 1970’s to 1990’s - staff provided Council and the public with regular updates in the public domain on the acquisition of lands by the City of Guelph and the GRCA for the Hanlon Creek Conservation Area (HCCA);
- During the development of the Clair-Maltby Secondary Plan (CMSP), the Open Space Strategy was publicly debated - and the preferred location for the Community Park was identified through an open public consultation process.

Further, through the 2018 Ontario Municipal Board Case No. PL140042 that the City of Guelph was party to, the settlement agreement emphasized the need for transparency on the Kortright lands:

“AND WHEREAS all the parties believe that the public interest is served by opportunities for the public to understand and comment on the decisions of the City and the GRCA” (p.2).

There is no justification for closed door updates for parkland acquisition by a municipality with another public entity, in this case the GRCA.

As we approach the end of the second quarter of the year when City staff are expected to report back to Guelph City Council on a process for redesignating the 20 acres of the Kortright Waterfowl Park - it is time to request that Council direct staff to provide updates on negotiations with the GRCA in open sessions of Council.

There is too much at risk for the future of the Kortright Waterfowl Park for updates to take place behind closed doors.

Sincerely,

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