Post by L Roebuck on Nov 4, 2005 10:15:21 GMT -5
Karst land transfer will finally happen
By Kevin Werner News Staff
(Nov 4, 2005)
The Eramosa Karst, which is bounded by Highland, Rymal and Upper Mount Albion roads and Second Road West. is the 10th largest cave system in Ontario and provides the best examples in terms of that type of geological feature in the province.
After more than two years of waiting, the Ontario Realty Corporation will transfer about 170 acres of the environmentally significant Eramosa Karst to the Hamilton Conservation Authority for $1.
The ORC, which owns the land, is under provincial jurisdiction and recently sent a letter to the HCA stating the land transfer will soon take place.
"I will be meeting with them to finalize the details," said Bruce Duncan, chief administrative officer for the Hamilton Conservation Authority.
"We are very pleased," said Mr. Duncan. "It has taken some time. But (the transfer) will happen very soon."
Mr. Duncan is meeting with provincial officials later this week.
Mr. Duncan said the OCR reconfirmed last week it is transferring the property for $1.
There had been some consternation that the province would seek a larger fee for transferring the land to the HCA. But Mr. Duncan said the transfer only involves the nominal fee of $1.
The Ontario government had announced the land transfer to the authority in late 2002.
A call to the Ministry of Natural Resources was not returned.
In April 2003, the Ontario government designated the Eramosa Karst, located in upper Stoney Creek, south of the Niagara Escarpment, a provincially significant Area of Natural and Scientific Significance (ANSI).
The Eramosa Karst, is the 10th largest cave system in Ontario. It is a limestone region with underground drainage and a number of cavities and passages caused by the erosion of rock.
It contains 16 different karst features, seven of which are provincially significant, including sinking streams, dry valleys and soil pipes.
The Eramosa Karst is bounded by Highland, Rymal and Upper Mount Albion roads and Second Road West.
It begins with several sink holes west of Second Road West and travels under a wood lot for about 200 metres to Mount Albion Road, emerging from a farmer's field. The mini-escarpment covers an area about two square kilometres.
There had been some discussion that $800,000 would accompany the land transfer.
"(The province) got caught with their hands in the cookie jar," said Brad Clark, former Stoney Creek Progressive Conservative MPP.
Mr. Clark, who assisted in getting the ORC to transfer the property when he was provincial labour minister, said he hoped the province would recognize the importance of the lands and provide funding to the HCA to help it monitor the property and provide education programs for students.
"The HCA can't afford to monitor and provide the programs with the nominal fee of $1," said Mr. Clark.
"This is the rarest of the rare. I challenge the provincial government to provide the necessary funding to preserve and protect the lands. I was hoping the $800,000 would provide that assistance."
Stoney Creek News tinyurl.com/7radg
EVES GOVERNMENT PROTECTS STONEY CREEK KARST FEATURES www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/Csb/news/2003/aug13nr_03.html
High Resolution Map of Erasmosa Karst Area
www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/Csb/news/2003/aug13fsb2_03.html
By Kevin Werner News Staff
(Nov 4, 2005)
The Eramosa Karst, which is bounded by Highland, Rymal and Upper Mount Albion roads and Second Road West. is the 10th largest cave system in Ontario and provides the best examples in terms of that type of geological feature in the province.
After more than two years of waiting, the Ontario Realty Corporation will transfer about 170 acres of the environmentally significant Eramosa Karst to the Hamilton Conservation Authority for $1.
The ORC, which owns the land, is under provincial jurisdiction and recently sent a letter to the HCA stating the land transfer will soon take place.
"I will be meeting with them to finalize the details," said Bruce Duncan, chief administrative officer for the Hamilton Conservation Authority.
"We are very pleased," said Mr. Duncan. "It has taken some time. But (the transfer) will happen very soon."
Mr. Duncan is meeting with provincial officials later this week.
Mr. Duncan said the OCR reconfirmed last week it is transferring the property for $1.
There had been some consternation that the province would seek a larger fee for transferring the land to the HCA. But Mr. Duncan said the transfer only involves the nominal fee of $1.
The Ontario government had announced the land transfer to the authority in late 2002.
A call to the Ministry of Natural Resources was not returned.
In April 2003, the Ontario government designated the Eramosa Karst, located in upper Stoney Creek, south of the Niagara Escarpment, a provincially significant Area of Natural and Scientific Significance (ANSI).
The Eramosa Karst, is the 10th largest cave system in Ontario. It is a limestone region with underground drainage and a number of cavities and passages caused by the erosion of rock.
It contains 16 different karst features, seven of which are provincially significant, including sinking streams, dry valleys and soil pipes.
The Eramosa Karst is bounded by Highland, Rymal and Upper Mount Albion roads and Second Road West.
It begins with several sink holes west of Second Road West and travels under a wood lot for about 200 metres to Mount Albion Road, emerging from a farmer's field. The mini-escarpment covers an area about two square kilometres.
There had been some discussion that $800,000 would accompany the land transfer.
"(The province) got caught with their hands in the cookie jar," said Brad Clark, former Stoney Creek Progressive Conservative MPP.
Mr. Clark, who assisted in getting the ORC to transfer the property when he was provincial labour minister, said he hoped the province would recognize the importance of the lands and provide funding to the HCA to help it monitor the property and provide education programs for students.
"The HCA can't afford to monitor and provide the programs with the nominal fee of $1," said Mr. Clark.
"This is the rarest of the rare. I challenge the provincial government to provide the necessary funding to preserve and protect the lands. I was hoping the $800,000 would provide that assistance."
Stoney Creek News tinyurl.com/7radg
EVES GOVERNMENT PROTECTS STONEY CREEK KARST FEATURES www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/Csb/news/2003/aug13nr_03.html
High Resolution Map of Erasmosa Karst Area
www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/Csb/news/2003/aug13fsb2_03.html