Citizen Groups Already Planning Appeal As Regional Council Grants Approvals To Speedway Project

By Doug Draper

Niagara’s regional council has granted the proponents of pans for a mammoth NASCAR speedway complex some of the key approvals they need to build the speedway outside the town of Fort Erie’s urban boundaries.

One of the posters Fort Erie area residents have made up to protest NASCAR speedway project.

The council gave its blessings to amendments to the region’s policy plan and the town’s official plan – amendments that allow for such development on rural lands – despite a plea this February 11 from a citizens group to spend more time studying the impacts the speedway could have on the lives or nearby residents and farms before making any decisions.

“Amending the official plan at this point only results in hastily thrusting opponents, local governments and proponents into the expense and time commitments of an Ontario Municipal Board hearing,” Sandy Vant, head of CARS (Citizens Against Racing Speedway) warned the regional council.

“As a representative of a large group of citizens who are concerned about their quality of life being diminished, the simple enjoyment of the homes they have heavily invested in being degraded, I ask that you postpone passing the regional official plan amendment until you can ensure, without a doubt, that this development is a win for the community as a whole, on all levels.”

The speedway plan would consume at least 800 acres of rural lands in Fort Erie for high-speed racing tracks and a grandstand capable of seating 100,000 people.

Azhar Mohammad, a partner in Canadian Motor Speedway, the consortium proposing the project, told Niagara At Large earlier this year that the speedway would create hundreds of jobs and “will bring significant benefits to (the region) for generations to come. ”

He said he and his partners are not trying to push their way through municipal and provincial planning rules and are willing to undergo a review that weighs all the potential benefits and impacts of the project.

Meanwhile, another residents group called the Citizens Coalition of Greater Fort Erie has recently been incorporated to work with CARS and others to, as it puts it, “represent the best interests of area citizenry.”

William Nelson, director of the coalition, says the group “has already set a plan in motion to appeal (the speedway project) through the Ontario Municipal Board hearing process.”

“We intend to champion the rights of area citizens at every level where this initiative is concerned,” adds Nelson, “and residents are urged to get involved through participation and financial support.”

The coalition says resident can get further information by referring to its soon-to-be-launched website at http://www.ccgfe.org or CARS’ website at www.forteriecars.org.

You can also visit the town of Fort Erie’s website at http://www.town.forterie.ca  and click on ‘Motorsports Complex’ on the right side of the home page for information on this proposal from the town.

(Please click on  www.niagaraatlarge.com  for related news and commentary on this and other issues of concern in our greater Niagara region.)