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February
27, 1998
RESIDENTS FIND WAY TO OPPOSE SALE OF PARK
At
least 60 individuals have applied to speak to a City of
Hamilton committee on Monday morning. They will be addressing
the plans of the City government to sell large amounts of
parkland in east Hamilton.
The
curious laws in Hamilton do not require any public notification
process when parkland is sold. Parklands can be rezoned
and sold on the whim of the Council, because local bylaws
exempt the City from having to follow its own rezoning procedures.
The
City's Transport and Environment Committee is considering
the sale of portions of the Red Hill Valley to the Regional
government to allow the construction of an expressway inside
the park. The City plans to sell more than 160 acres of
the park to the Region, most of it for the rock-bottom price
of $5000 per acre. Red Hill Valley is the largest city park
in Canada.
Up
until now residents have not been notified of the sale or
given any opportunity to formally raise their concerns.
However, six small pieces of the valley lands are "closed
road allowances". The Municipal Act requires that the City
advertize the sale of these particular pieces. It also requires
that the Council agree to hear from residents who feel that
the sale will "prejudicially affect" them. Consequently,
the City has recently published classified ads about the
sale.
This
tiny window of opportunity has been seized by at least 60
residents. They will each be making a presentation to the
Transport and Environment Committee on Monday, March 2,
beginning at 9:30 am in Room 233 of Hamilton City Hall.
In effect, these citizens have created the "Public Hearings"
on the sale of parkland that the City officials have tried
so hard to avoid.
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