RESTORE COOTES

The Ravine Road trail through the Westdale forest we enjoy during peaceful walks today wasn't an actual trail until 1960, as RBG Conservationist W.J. Lamoureux recorded in The Garden's Bulletin , February, 1961: "From time to time we have been requested to exclude cars from the ravine road. Although this would represent a considerable saving in road maintenance, the experiment was not tried until the spring of 1960. At the moment, we believe that it is a decided improvement to the area. Walking is much more pleasant now without the dust and noise, and the necessity of dodging the many vehicles which used the road, often because the operators had nothing better to do."

A very useful resource to get an understanding of what is going on with McMaster Parking, and as it relates to the goal of creating a naturalized buffer between McMaster parking and Ancaster Creek, is found an MA Thesis by Jessica S. Becker: Understanding Commuting Decisions: A Case Study of Students and Staff at McMaster University , from 2007. Tidbits like the fact the "outermost lots are rarely full, even during the fall and winter when the [University] policy is to oversell the permits of all lots by 10%" (Becker, 2) are helpful,  and are supported by the experience with the temporary closure of a section of what is now known as Zone M: i.e. the closure did not result in problems for parking elsewhere on campus since it was shut down for construction of a Combined Sewer Overflow tank in 2009. This finding supports Restore Cootes' concern that the University will needlessly repave this area for parking, thereby creating extra parking demand. As research shows ...

RESTORE COOTES restorecootes.blogspot.com PO Box 19, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton ON L8R 1Y3 dundastard@gmail.com To McMaster University Planning Committee President Patrick Dean Councillor Brian McHattie March 31, 2011 Subject: Zone M Parking Dear Planning Committee, Restore Cootes is encouraged by McMaster University’s work to improve the sustainability of campus, and applaud efforts so far as the university makes the shift toward a smaller environmental footprint. With the hope to build on success, we are writing to convey our thoughts on plans to re-open parking in McMaster Parking Zone M. Our concern is that restoring parking will negatively effect the potential for an improved natural habitat adjacent to Coldspring/Ancaster Creek. As you are aware, the campus Master Plan refers to a desired “30 metre naturalized buffer” between parking lots and the creek [i] , as proposed by the Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA). The HCA is tasked with protecting Hamilton’s natur...