A Forest Heritage will be partially shaved with the Carré Belvedere project
The Citizens' Group for the Boisé Belvédère, concerned about the disappearance of the forest’s heritage wealth with the construction of the residential Carré Belvédère project this September, says the 78 hectares of “rich maple forest, eight wetlands (two of which have high ecological value), two creeks, nearly 60 bird listed species, walking paths, a huge cedar stand and rare hundred year-old hemlock’
The Carré Belvédère is a residential project of about 20 streets and approximately 1,700 entryways for just under 4,000 more people in the borough of Mont-bellevue, already the most densely populated sector of Sherbrooke. Several types of dwellings and a commercial area will be located in what is described as “sloping and rocky ground.” Building roads and landscaping will require blasting.
In the process of construction, six of the eight wetlands will be drained and a good chance that a seventh wetland will dry out since a road will cut through the middle of it. Similarly for the drainage of the two streams that will now be surrounded by housing, more than 50 per cent of the hemlock trees will be destroyed. Wildlife and birds will either go away or disappear because of an environment that no longer can meet their needs. Wild garlic and other wild flora will be replaced by lawns. “What will we leave our children, asphalt, concrete or a city in nature?” a communiqué asks.
The group is proposing that a second ecological evaluation study be carried out in order to genuinely evaluate all the wealth of the forest and to minimize the impact of the project on the environment. It also suggests that the City consider the forest of high heritage value and protect it in the framework of the City’s desire for a 12 per cent ‘green city’ by 2025,
Finally, the Regroupement pour le Boisé Belvédère is making an appeal to all citizens of Sherbrooke to sign its online petition in order to send a clear message to the city and to get results. The petition is available for signing at: https://www.ipetitions.com/petition/regroupement-de-citoyens-pour-le-boise
About the Citizens' Group for the Boisé Belvédère
The group originally formed in 2015 among citizens from nine families living near the Boisé Belvédère, near Belvédère and College streets when the group first became aware of the City’s urbanization plan in their neighborhood. Then, in 2016, they tried to try to work with the city and the promoters to improve the Carré Belvédère housing projects while respecting the sustainable development objectives of the city of Sherbrooke.