A small peace vigil was held on Monday to raise concerns about a new twin-pad area to be built at Trent University in Peterborough.
About two dozen people, including students and members of Sacred Water Circle, marched at the corner of George and McDonnel streets across from City Hall. They say the city’s arena and aquatic centre project at Pioneer and University roads will put wetlands and a minimum of 1,600 species at risk.
“We have much to lose if development proceeds,” said Sacred Water Circle co-found Dorothy Taylor.
The group says there are multiple wetlands connected throughout campus, including a trio designated as nature areas: The Otonabee College Nature Area Wetland, the Wildlife Sanctuary Wetlands and the Archaeological Centre Wetland Nature Area.
“These wetlands have already been impacted by construction and widening of Pioneer Road,” the group stated in a release.
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The group wants the university and the city to reconsider the location for the $54-million arena project. Construction is expected to begin in 2019.
“This area is sacred to First Nation people,” Taylor said.
“We weren’t consulted in an appropriate manner. We have ceremonies there … and we believe in the spirit of the land, and the protection of water. This was disregarded completely.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Trent University noted the city’s arena complex will be on land already in use by the university and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and as a baseball field. The site was identified in both the 2006 and 2013 Trent Lands Plan, which featured “extensive public consultation.”
Trent noted recent changes were made to the design of the building to accommodate natural features of the site following environmental studies and surveys.
“The shape of the building needed to change and 2.4 acres of Trent’s 870 acres of nature areas was required,” the university stated.
“This 2.4 acres will be repatriated to the Trent Nature Areas through an open review, consultation and update of the Nature Areas Stewardship Plan, as part of the Trent Lands Plan, this coming year.”
The university also said the nearby Cleantech Commons research park is being built on former farmland.
“(The) Otonabee Region Conservation Authority has approved all plans. External reviews found no species at risk on either site.”
Reports from Trent says 60 per cent (870 acres) of its 1,400 acres of land is dedicated to nature areas.
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