Lots of Neighbourhood News…

Medway Valley Heritage Forest Environmentally Significant Area

The final report and background material for the Medway ESA Conservation Master Plan Review can be found at http://www.london.ca/residents/Environment/Natural-Environments/Pages/Conservation-Plans.aspx

There is a proposal for two new, likely large, bridges across the Medway including one adjacent to the “beach” in our area. (On the maps in the report, they are called “trail linkages”). This is a significant change to this Environmentally Significant Area and to our neighbourhood.

There has been an off and on effort from the City to bridge the Creek for the last 20 years. Each time our community has been outspoken with our concerns about the negative impacts on the natural environment increased use will cause. As you will note in the report and on the maps, there are large areas of habitat and examples of species at risk that are already stressed.

There is a public participation meeting on April 16th at City Hall. It is likely to start around 5 pm. Everyone is able to speak at this meeting for up to 5 minutes. You can also write to the Chair and Members of the Planning and Environment Committee of City Council who will be hearing from the public at the meeting. Letters for inclusion on the agenda for the meeting must be in to pec@london.ca by April 9th at 9 am. You should also copy Councillor Squire at psquire@london.ca

Contact information for all city councillors is available at https://www.london.ca/city-hall/city-council/Documents/Council-Contact-List.pdf

The decision of the Committee will go to the rest of City Council for a vote on April 24th.

London Artist Studio Tour

The 2018 London Artists’ Studio Tour is April 20th, 21st and 22nd. This self-guided tour offers the public an extraordinary opportunity to meet local artists in their working environments and learn more about their creative processes. Friday, April 20th is opening night. Between the hours of 7 and 9:30 p.m., tour-goers are treated to refreshments and first choice of the artists’ works. Studios remain open Saturday, April 21st from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 22nd from noon to 5 p.m.

For more information and the tour guidebook see http://londonstudiotour.ca/

There will be booklets for the tour available outside the home of local artist Marlies Gueth at 60 Bloomfield Dr.

Annual Meeting and Community BBQ, May 24th at 6 pm

Mark your calendars for our annual meeting and community BBQ. It will be at Orchard Park Public School again this year. There will be updates on the development project at the former Sherwood Forest School site as well as a City Hall report from Councillor Squire. We also will have representatives from Western to briefly talk about their open space and car free campus plans.

For the event, we are looking for pictures and recollections and stories of the neighbourhood. The area was first developed about 60 years ago and we have already started a collection of photos and the original sales brochure for the area at: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oMayEBZP0Cyjr2wcGrD9bf0e1fjsjqSX?usp=sharing

Please feel free to post photos or stories you wish to have shared at the AGM.

Looking ahead to warmer weather

The Orchard Park Public School Fun Fair will include an outdoor movie night in Furanna Park on June 7th. Mark your calendars. More details to come closer to the date.