Le parc de l’harmonie
Discord over housing project in North Aylmer
Opposition to a housing development in North Aylmer is mounting. A group of residents who live near the Perry and Pink Roads intersection are seeking answers about construction just east of the Vivaldi Street and Pink Road intersection.
The land-clearing started in June for the project’s first phase of two dozen units.
“We are not opposed; we want the approval steps to be rigorous and followed. We want the project to respect the environment.
It appears the project is going ahead without following the rules,” said Stefan Haag, spokesperson for the residents.
“The rules require, according to Environment Quebec, that an environmental impact assessment be conducted within five years of the start of the project. The last assessment dates from 2007, and the project started in 2016,” said Haag.
The Bulletin asked the city if it had all the necessary documents for approval. A city spokesperson cited a resolution from council in March 2016, giving the developers the green light for the first phase. “We have lots of questions and many were left unanswered. A second meeting is being scheduled. Meanwhile, we learned that Western Chorus Frogs reproduce in a nearby pond,” added Haag. The Western Chorus Frog is listed by Environment Quebec as a vulnerable species and is protected under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA). According to Environment Canada, “the most serious threat to the Western Chorus Frog is habitat destruction or alteration”.
In late June, Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment, issued an emergency order for the protection of the Western Chorus Frog, reducing a 1,200 housing unit project to 1,029 units.
The Minister reported that nearly 60% of the Western Chorus Frog habitat was destroyed between 1992 and 2013. “And habitat in suburban southwestern Quebec is vanishing so quickly that populations are in danger of extirpation by 2030,” she stated.
In 2010, the Nature Conservancy of Canada presented to Gatineau a 48-page conservation plan for the Western Chorus Frog in Aylmer. In the report, it states that Aylmer houses one of the largest populations of the frog in West Quebec.
“We believe there are Blanding’s turtles and milk snakes also in the area,” noted Haag. “With all the development, we’re worried about the Western Chorus Frog.”
Mr Haag added that the project is outside the city’s urbanization perimeter. The owner has acquired rights to build there.
Catherine Marchand from the city’s planning department had previously explained in a public meeting that after the former City of Aylmer requested that a quarry cease operations there in 1988, it approved removing the property from agricultural zoning. In 1991, the zoning commission (CPTAQ) excluded the property from the permanent agriculture zone.
Marchand further explained that in 2000 the property was considered as an exception since it is outside the urban perimeter and residential construction is allowed.
In 2008, a report confirmed to the planning advisory committee (CCU) that a decision in 1998 authorized a rural residential zoning for that property and a presentation was tabled to the CCU for the first phase of Parc de l’Harmonie. A first presentation was made to council in 2009, but the item was removed from the agenda. In 2012, council, in short, gave the go-ahead for the project.
Four years later, in a 16 to 3 vote, city council approved a motion on March 15 to allow certain municipal services for the development called Parc de l’Harmonie, water not being one of them.
