A new local environmental advocacy group is taking exception to the city’s proposed new Official Plan for its treatment of Guelph’s rivers and river corridors.
The Living Rivers And Greenways Action Group Guelph (LRG2) has asked City of Guelph planning staff to reopen the city’s new draft Official Plan for more public comment.
The plan removes the special status for Guelph’s rivers and river corridors that has been in place for the last 15 years, a news release said. “A co-ordinated Natural Heritage/Open Space System has been the core of Guelph’s Greenways policies since 1995 and has been the guide to outstanding improvements of Guelph rivers as environmental corridors,” said LRG2 communication co-ordinator James Gordon in the release. “The draft is a complete rewrite of Guelph’s Official Plan and removes both the Linked Open Space Concept and the emphasis in the Official Plan on river corridors as the core structures of the Open Space System,” he said. “Both of these principles are essential to a fully functional and sustainable greenway system in Guelph.”
Members of the group will appear at city council on Tuesday night. The group is planning a “Living Rivers Rally” in front of city hall at 6 p.m. on Tuesday June 5 prior to the 7 p.m. meeting.