Maplewood Not Out of the Woods Yet

From the Conservation Advisory Board, to the Full Conservation Board last Thursday, and now back to the Conservation Advisory Board we go. Maplewood isn't quite dead yet. Soon, hopefully, the idea of a private school in the middle of public conservation lands will be dealt a final blow, and the natural lands will be allowed to regenerate, as suggested by HCA staff in a thorough report (that keeps getting ignored by the board)

I'm using more time than I thought I would need on this file, getting my car-less self to far flung meeting locations only to see this thing kicked around despite all the good arguments for demolition, so I'm going to borrow from the recent update from the Hamilton Naturalists Club.

Hamilton Conservation Authority Meeting: Thursday, January 16th, 7pm at Ironwood Hall, Westfield Village (follow Hwy 8 north-west through Dundas, cross Hwy 5 and continue to Kirkwall Road/RR#552 just past Rockton. Turn right and follow for 1.5km)

The Club reports that

"There has been a lot of support for the demolition of the Maplewood building in Dundas Valley in the media and at the last HCA meeting....Our own Paul Smith presented at a public meeting a couple of weeks ago and many others including the Chair of the HCA when the property was acquired in 1968. http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4270168-bulldozer-or-school-for-maplewood-hall-/

There has been a good deal of interest in the conservation community to manage this property strictly in the interest of conservation and there has been a good deal of demonstration of financial support for this course as well. I conservatively count $128,000 from private sources widely reported in the media.

If you are interested in conserving conservation areas in a natural state, or as the HCA puts it "for the demolition of the building and support for the naturalization of the site and its access" then please try and attend Thursday's meeting.

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