A number of Thornbury residents are worried that a severance proposal at the end of Alice Street will also cut off local access to the Beaver River Trail.
Sarah Waggott has started an online petition asking the Town of The Blue Mountains to stop up and close the unopened portion of Alice Street to ensure the shady, tree-line access to the trail remains in place.
“This section (of the trail) that we have in our neighbourhood is one of the few that is off-road and is in a tree canopy, it’s in glorious shade,” said Waggott in an interview with CollingwoodToday at the trail location.
The Beaver River Trail extends from Thornbury Harbour all the way to Clendenam Dam outside of Clarksburg. The trail features mature trees and abundant wildlife.
Currently, Alice Street comes to a dead end and a small path on the unopened portion of the road allowance leads to the Beaver River Trail.
A local property owner is proposing to sever a lot off a property that is immediately adjacent to the small path and the unopened portion of Alice Street. If the severance is approved – a similar application was granted in 2022, which later lapsed – it would require an extension of Alice Street and the possible elimination of the trail linkage and the removal of several trees.
The Blue Mountains committee of adjustment will hear the application for a severance at its meeting on Aug. 21 at 1 p.m. Details of the application can be found online here.
Waggott notes that 85 trees in and around the Alice Street connection to the trail have been marked with orange spray paint as a part of a recent survey of the properties.
“We don’t know why. This is a big point of contention. The planning department, the committee of adjustment and the neighbours don’t have details on how much damage there will be to the trees and to the trail,” she said. “Every large tree for several hundred metres has been marked.”
Waggott has put up information sheets in and around the area with a QR code that leads to more information about the application before the committee of adjustment. Her petition has now been signed by 485 people.
Standing on the small path that connects the dead end of Alice Street to the Beaver River Trail, Waggott said she has serious concerns that the linkage to the will be lost.
“This section is not considered part of the Beaver River Trail,” she noted. “It’s clear - this is a trail.”
Colin Travis is the planner for the proponents – Joe and Linda Elmes. Travis told CollingwoodToday in an email that his clients are planning to build a house on the new lot if it is approved. Travis said the trail linkage would remain in place.
He explained that the southern end of the long property owned by the proponents, which has frontage on the Alice Street road allowance, is zoned for residential purposes. The remainder is zoned for future development.
“In order to gain access to the proposed severed parcel, Alice Street will need to be extended about 50 metres to the east. This is to accommodate a short water and sewer line extension to service the lot as well as allow for a driveway access to the lot,” Travis said. “There is an informal trail connecting Alice Street to the Beaver River Trail and this connection will be maintained.”
Travis added that the proposed severance would not have any impact on the Beaver River Trail, which is located on an unopened portion of Russell Street. He did add that there would be some tree removal on the Alice Street allowance.
“The extension of Alice Street will require the removal of 16 trees within that portion of the Alice Street road allowance. Our arborist/landscape architect has identified these trees as being in poor to fair condition range. A full tree inventory and protection plan is a requirement of the proposed conditions of approval,” said Travis.
