Major LaSalle development plan could mean loss of key green space, advocate says

This story is part two of Lay of the Land, a CBC Windsor series examining the state of green space throughout Windsor-Essex.

It's being hailed as the biggest land use plan in the Town of LaSalle's history, with the potential to eventually double the town's population.

But critics say there hasn't been enough public input on the Howard Bouffard Secondary Plan — especially when it comes to its impact on the town's green space.

"It's a huge area to be developed," said John DeMarco, a concerned citizen with a background in conservation management. "That, to me, should be the subject of a very full discussion."

The municipality says there will be more chances to weigh in before final decisions are made.

The far-reaching plan would allow for development of land north of the Vollmer Culture and Recreation Complex, mostly for residential purposes.

A variety of densities are being considered, along with institutional areas (schools), mixed use, and "neighbourhood commercial."

The municipality is looking at three different options for the area, at most projecting development of almost 17,000 new dwellings, effectively increasing LaSalle's population by more than 40,000 people.

According to DeMarco, all options of the plan that have been presented and discussed so far involve significant loss of LaSalle's wood lots and natural areas — nearly 100 acres (40 hectares), by DeMarco's estimations.

DeMarco is troubled that there isn't greater public awareness of a plan of such magnitude. "It comes across as very strange. The town seems to want to get this gigantic development approved as quickly as possible, with minimal discussion," he said.

Embarking on the plan in its current state, DeMarco said, would make it impossible to accomplish restoration of the region's natural habitat — a stated goal of the County of Essex.

DeMarco envisions a corridor of connected green spaces that includes the lands of the coming Ojibway National Urban Park.

"Every wood lot is important," DeMarco said. "This is our last chance, for all time, to reconnect Ojibway through a string of wood lots — right to here (in LaSalle)."

For a period of about two weeks ending Monday, Sept. 25, the municipality has invited public online comments on the plan via a platform called PlaceSpeak.