dan kellar

my latest for CKMS News:

A 235 acre donation of farmland and forest in Wilmot to the rare Charitable Research Reserve is on hold over a parking lot. The Schneider family has been working on the donation since 2020 and has now reached out to regional residents to pressure township politicians to finalise the deal.

The land sits on Waterloo's border and the family has allowed light recreational use of the forest for decades, with some trail users parking along nearby roads. Now, citing safety and liability concerns, the township is requesting a parking lot be built to accommodate future land use. However, project proponents say the request will damage sensitive areas while burdening the charity with added maintenance costs.

This show features an interview with Dr. Stephanie Sobek-Swant, the executive director of rare, along with a quote from the Schneider family's statement, and the short comment a township representative made to CKMS News.

https://radiowaterloo.ca/ckms-news-2024-01-25-conservation-land-donation-road-blocked-by-a-parking-lot/

#waterlooregion #raresites @radiowaterloo.ca

CKMS News -2024-01-25- Conservation land donation road blocked by a parking lot. | CKMS 102.7 FM

Jan 25, 2024 at 6:10amWeb
Show threaddan kellarJan 27, 2024

From the audio: While much of the information in the letter written by the Schneider family regarding their donation was covered in the interview with Dr. Sobek-Swant, they also included a request for residents to contact council members of Wilmot township. Before listing the contact information of Mayor Natasha Salonen and other councilors, the letter concludes:

"Please write, phone, or email your support of our land donation to the Wilmot council and mayor. Let them know that you do not want a parking lot, that any further delays are not acceptable and that they need to work on alternative solutions to approve our severance application quickly. We do not want to close the property for public access as has been suggested by township planners. Improved roadside parking is a possibility and needs to become a political priority!"

https://raresites.org/schneider-call-to-action/

@raresites

rare Charitable Research Reserve