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Development Plan Threatening Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes WildernessJanuary 14, 2010There seems to be some stalling if not backtracking by HRM in regard to the promised Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Regional Park. The 2006 Regional Plan laid out plans for a Regional Park at Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes (BMBCL). The park would include a core wilderness area and a peripheral multiple use recreational area. In October of 2007, the province made a commitment to protect a large crown land block within that area and in April of 2009, 1312 hectares of provincial crown land, covering most of the area conceived as core wilderness area and some of the area conceived as multiple use recreational area in the Regional Plan, were designated a protected Wilderness Area under the Wilderness Protection Act. HRM had agreed to procure privately held lands (by purchase, land swaps or other means) to complete the park including land around the eastern lakes, which comprise the major part of the water surface within the proposed Regional Park and are ultimately at the heart of the BMBCL ecosystem. Over the past several months, rumours have circulated about possible development of the private lands. On January 8 a public information session was held, hosted by HRM staff to clarify what has been happening. About 75 people attended, including seven of the 23 HRM councilors The essence of what they were told is contained in a Q&A document which is posted at: In summary, on July 31, 2009, Birchdale Projects requested HRM to conduct a secondary planning process for the private lands they hold within and adjacent to the proposed park. Staff looked at this request and two others for other areas. As there is no shortage of land in HRM for projected growth to 2026(as identified in the HRM Regional Plan), they recommended that consideration of requests for secondary planning be deferred to the second review of the Regional Plan in 2016. It is now up to Regional Council to accept this recommendation – or not. The staff’s report and the original requests for secondary planning are available at: Noticeably lacking in the Staff’s Report was any mention of procurement of the private lands for the Regional Park. Following the staff’s presentation, the floor was opened for questions and an intensive discussion took place over the ensuing 2 hours. Speaker after speaker expressed dismay that HRM has not been moving ahead with its commitment to procure the private lands that lie within the proposed regional park. Three councilors said they agreed and would not support any request for secondary planning involving these lands. That leaves 20 and the Mayor that we are not sure about! The Ecology Action Centre and the Nova Scotia Public Lands Coalition are calling on HRM municipal government to fulfill its commitment and commence a process to acquire the private lands needed to complete the promised regional park. We also encourage HRM residents to all their local councilors to express their opinions on this issue. For a list of HRM councilors and their contact information see: |
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