Full speed ahead on casino
Construction not stopping over biologist’s concerns about project’s impact on turtles
Construction of a new casino isn’t about to stop because of a new biologist’s report saying it will impinge on the habitat of at least two species of turtle, says a spokesman for the developer.
Great Canadian Gaming Corp. is building the new Shorelines Casino Peterborough on Crawford Dr. at The Parkway; the company will also operate the casino.
Construction started in early September and the casino is expected to open in late summer or early fall of 2018.
Chuck Keeling, a company spokesman, wrote in an email to The Examiner that construction is on schedule still going ahead – even though a new biologist’s report says there are snapping turtles and Midland painted turtles on the site.
Keeling said they’ve done extensive studies on site, and this is the first they’ve heard of concerns over turtles.
“Our environmental consultants, the local conservation authority and the city have undertaken detailed work on the site since the spring of 2016 - and we are not aware of concerns related to the presence of turtles, or an impact to their habitat,” Keeling wrote.
“However, we will continue to work with the necessary agencies to ensure we mitigate any environmental impact while construction of our development proceeds.”
Ron Brooks, a long-time professor of biology and zoology at the University of Guelph, wrote a new report about turtles on the casino site.
He writes that there are snapping turtles and Midland painted turtles living on the site - and there may also be Blandings turtles and Map turtles there, too.
Brooks was retained by the law firm Affleck Greene, which is representing citizen Roy Brady in his lawsuit against the city over the casino’s location.
Affleck Greene asked Brooks whether there are turtles living on the casino site, and if so, whether plans have been made to mitigate harm done to their habitat.
After reading records from the Ontario Reptile and Amphibian Atlas, as well as data from the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre in Peterborough, Brooks writes that there are certainly turtles living there.
He also writes that he inspected four environmental impact assessments or environmental planning documents.
From reading those, Brooks could find no explanation of how the developer plans to mitigate damage to the turtles’ habitat or make up for the increased traffic from the new driveways on the site.
Given that, he writes, “I conclude that construction should not proceed until impacts have been identified and their mitigation has been addressed.”
Michael Binetti, the lawyer for Roy Brady, stated in an e-mail to The Examiner earlier this week that a further report is expected from Brooks.
“He( Brooks) is a world-renowned expert in this area,” Binetti wrote. “The city should heed his advice and prevent further environmental damage and harm to turtles and turtle habitat by stopping the building until proper mitigation measures can be taken.”
Although Brady’s case is expected to be heard in Toronto court, a date has not yet been set.
Brady will argue before the courts that city councillors chose the site for the casino in a closedsession meeting, and didn’t tell the public about it for six months.
Mayor Daryl Bennett told The Examiner earlier this week that casino construction is continuing apace - and nothing ’s expected to put it to a halt.
Even though he hadn’t seen the turtle report, he said he still thinks the casino will be built.
“The site plan is not appealable,” he said.