Transit, environment both important
Re: Moodie LRT station’s location bad for green space, city told, Sept. 1.
The Crystal Beach Lakeview Community Association wants to clarify its position regarding the draft Environmental Project Report of the LRT extension to Moodie Drive.
Our association worked hard over the summer to get the best possible results for a Moodie Drive LRT station design and light maintenance and storage facility location. Indeed, through collaboration with the community, Coun. Mark Taylor and city staff, we were successful in moving the facility to the west side of Moodie Drive away from fragile wetland and greenbelt lands.
While our detailed survey of our members showed a preference for a station location west of Moodie Drive, we accept that this is not possible due to conflict with the Light Maintenance Storage Facility location and loss of lands associated with Wesley Clover Parks that would result. For this reason, we worked in advance of the FEDCO meeting to put before the committee and city staff key conditions we believe need to be met with construction of an east-side station. These conditions centre on protection of the wetlands, Stillwater Creek and the greenbelt, detailed plans for connectivity of pedestrians and cyclists in the entire plan area, and a detailed traffic and safety study of the Corkstown Road/ Moodie Drive intersection, given the more than 1,000 buses using that intersection and the 8,500 DND employees, many of whom will choose to walk to DND from the station.
We are not a NIMBY association; we cherish what we have in and near our community, and are committed to working with the city to protect our environment for future generations. Ian McConnachie, chair, Transportation Committee, Crystal Beach Lakeview Community Association