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Future of Merton lands remains unclear to residents by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff 9 | Thursday, June 12, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com It will take about a year to gather all the information requested by councillors, according to a staff report updating Oakville's Planning and Development Council on steps to protect all the Merton lands. The report, received by council with little discussion at a meeting Monday, outlines how staff plan to compile more information on environmental work that still needs to be done by the Merton landowners and a timeline of when the Town's peer reviewers will do further analysis on water balance, preserving the Fourteen Mile Creek's recharge ability and certain species and their critical habitat. Staffers will also be exploring the natural heritage functions of the golf course and examining new Provincial Policy Statements (PPS) that came into effect April 30 and govern all planning decisions and how they can be applied to the Merton lands. According to the report, staffers expect to have these particular details to council by year's end. Council made the requests at an April meeting where residents packed council chambers urging politicians to protect the Merton lands -- a 578-acre area of green space on the north side of the Queen Eliza- A Town of Oakville planning map outlining the Merton lands. | photo illustration Town of Oakville planning document beth Way (QEW) and south of Upper Middle Road, between Bronte Road and Third Line. At that meeting, Oakville Mayor Rob Burton told residents members of council and planning staff share a "passionate desire to protect and preserve green space." He noted the Town has been making efforts to get public land near Fourteen Mile Creek, between Upper Middle Road and the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW), added to the Ontario Greenbelt. The application has been endorsed by Halton Regional council. Since then, a copy of an April 29 letter signed by Glen Murray, the Liberal minister of infrastructure and transportation, has been circulated, stating he is committed to keeping the lands in "public ownership." Addressed to Drew Fagan, the Ministry of Infrastructure's deputy minister, and Infrastructure Ontario Chair Anthony Ross and copied to Oakville Liberal candidate Kevin Flynn, the letter also states Murray has asked Infrastructure Ontario to extend all properties leased to the Town of Oakville until 2040 and to work with Deerfield Golf Course to extend its lease to beyond 2022. Residents have been questioning whether Murray's letter holds any weight after receiving notices in the mail from the Town of Oakville that two development applications from the two major landowners -- Bronte Green Corporation and the Province of Ontario -- have been deemed complete by Town planners under the Planning Act. Charlie McConnell, Oakville's manager of current planning told the Oakville Beaver the planning department is legally obligated to notify residents when it has received a complete application. Bronte Green Corporation, he said, has a "vested interest" in moving forward its plans to develop the Saw-Whet Golf Course property. see Residents' on p.10 APPLEBY SUMMER CAMPS JUNE 23-AUGUST 29, 2014 DISCOVERY CAMPS (AGES 4-7) SPORTS & ADVENTURE CAMPS (AGES 7-15) ARTS & MEDIA CAMPS (AGES 7-15) SCIENCE & SUCCESS CAMPS (AGES 7-15) Let Let Appleby Appleby Camps Camps accommodate accommodate your your busy busy schedule schedule with with 10 weeks weeks of fun fun this this summer, summer, starting starting June June 23 through through to to August Aug ust 29! Led Led by by highly qualified Appleby staff, we offer low camper to instructor ratios, daily swims, nutritious lunches, family events and shows, all located on our beautiful 60-acre lakeside campus in southwest Oakville. New Summer Camp programs for 2014 include Martial Arts, Stop-Motion Animation, Adventures in Math, VEX Robotics and Overnight Temagami Canoe Trips to complement our outstanding sports, arts and science camps. Before and after care is available. Make us your choice for summer friendship, sports and fun! To learn more about Appleby Camps, please call 905-845-4681 ext.113 or visit www.appleby.on.ca/camps