News

Well it looks like the post concerning the MTO lands ruffled a few feathers at our City Council. But that’s fine as some important facts have come to light which we must report to set matters straight.

According to Alderman Gary Price the City has been dealing with the ATV problem and for the past five or six years has been attempting to purchase the lands from the MTO. They however are not ready to sell it.

Alex Koch, Co-ordinator of Design and Development with the City is quoted as saying ” I did not know that they were talking to MTO. If they can get MTO to put up signs – that would be great”.

Carol Kinzie who works with the City(I’m afraid we are unaware of her exact job title),  is quoted as saying “On March 17, 2006 (after reading an article about all terrain vehicle use destroying Chilligo), I contacted the MTO to advise them of the article and expressed the City’s concerns with the improper use and damage to area. At that time, I urged the MTO staff person that we work diligently towards a purchase by the City so that the lands could be better managed and hopefully reduce the amount of destruction.” She goes on to say that she has been in touch with Mr Warner at the MTO concerning the interest that the City and the GRCA has in purchasing the lands but has had little response.

So there you have it. We’re hopeful that things are moving along. Our apologies for quoting e-mails but we are confident that nothing quoted here is secret or offensive.

Thanks go out to Celeste Walker and “Cambridge Now” the “Area Guide & Interactive Community Portal” for featuring a great a story about us recently. Please do check it out online. This type of publicity is what we need ! Thank you, thank you !

We had a telephone conversation this week with a gentleman from the MTO Property Office in London . Thanks go out to the good people at Gerry Martiniuk’s office who directed us to the proper people.

Mr. Bill Warner, the head of Property Management for the region that includes Chilligo Valley, verified that the MTO owns a rather large chunk of land north of The Speed River and east of the former Hwy 24 bypass left over from when the road was constructed. The highway and road allowance itself is of course now controlled by the Region Of Waterloo and is an extension of Hespeler Rd.

Mr Warner was appalled to hear that their land has become part of an illegal ATV playground and admits that he is worried about liability problems. He went on to say that his office would like to divest themselves of the land and as per their mandate they would gladly sell it at a fair market value. Negotiations are ongoing with the GRCA and The City Of Cambridge, he says.

It is our hope that either the GRCA or The City Of Cambridge buy the land from the MTO and establish a passive use park for the health and well-being of our city.

Bill Warner half-promised us that in the near future he would try to get some MTO signs put up in the area…NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES….NO TRESPASSING etc . We hope that this happens as we feel that the offenders are offending out of ignorance.