As expected, ARAC did not approve the motion to purchase this property for conservation purposes. Instead, they passed their own motion to have City staff prepare an inventory of other rural properties currently available for purchase to better inform a decision on the matter. Both the initial motion by the Finance and Corporate Services Committee to purchase the property and the ARAC motion were referred to Council. By a very close vote, with the Mayor’s vote breaking the tie, the purchase decision was deferred and staff were directed to prepare the property inventory request and report back to Council in Q2.

Councillors Menard and Carr held an Open House on January 29 concerning the AltaVista Transportation Corridor.  This is a 50-year-old idea that is still in the Transportation Master Plan project list, having never over this period attained the priority necessary to be funded. This zombie project would be a major greenspace killer, including a large section of the Poets’ Pathway and cause significant upheaval across many neighbourhoods from Walkley Road to Old Ottawa East. The GA will work with partners to prepare for its defense.

From the the Kanata Greenspace Protection Coalition campaign to save the Kanata Golf and Country Club.

Recent developments in this epic battle by the local community to preserve the greenspace provided by the golf course saw the latest decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal essentially voiding the 60%/40% agreement in its entirety. Previous decisions had found only certain sections to be inoperable. The City will seek leave to appeal the latest decision at the Supreme Court of Canada. So there may still be a small glimmer of hope after all of getting a positive result.