By John Bacher
For now, the 827 acres of land in the headwaters of Frenchman’s Creek and Miller Creek in Fort Eire, Ontario, assembled for the proposed Canadian Motor Speedway, is off limits.
Millier Creek floating through a woodlot on the proposed NASCAR site. Photo by Mike Dickman
Blessedly, through a procedure of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB), Mike Dickman, a long-time university professor and biologist, and I were able to access the property this April with three experts employed by the (NASCAR) speedway corporation. We were able to take photographs of streams and forests that could not well be seen from the public access points of Gilmore, Bowen and other roads running around the property.
In their two Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), issued since 2009 and one of which was released just on the deadline for evidence on May 14th, t he Canadian Motor Speedway advocates have tended to trivialize the significance of the headwaters of Miller Creek. A one-kilometre section of this creek, between Laur Road and Sunset Avenue, is planned for diversion if the motorway receives approval through the OMB hearing starting at 11am June 18, at the Fort Erie City Hall.
If conceptually approved by the OMB, the Miller Creek diversion will be one of the first modifications to be fast tracked under the Fisheries Act after it is altered through the Harper government’s omnibus budget bill now being debated in the House of Commons. These amendments have been widely denounced as gutting by environmental groups and former Conservative Ministers of Fisheries.
After journeying into Miller Creek legally with the proponents consultants, Mike Dickman and I were able to see a reality that was not evident from the consultants words. Adjacent to the Type 1 Fish Habitat, we saw a forest not recorded in the EIS. We later discovered what was originally a candidate for selection as a Regionally Significant Forest when these areas were first identified by the Niagara Regional Planning Department in 2002.
According to the province’s Natural Heritage Manual, woodlands located within 30 metres of fish habitat receiving ecological benefit from such forest cover are supposed to be considered significant. This fish forest bordering Miller Creek if the speedway is approved is to become part of the 3,000 car lot paved “VIP Parking” for the motorway.
Although the EIS creates the impression that tractors can cross at will over the length of Miller Creek we found this to be impossible. Apart from two tractor crossing areas, one near the end of Miller Creek at Laur Road, the other indicated by a flag, Miller Creek is protected by a good canopy forest. In addition to providing cooling shade for fish and protection from predators this canopy cover would block farm vehicles from crossing the creek along most of its path.
Although the EIS the lack of “flow-formed or dug features” are proof that they will be able to construct a superior stream to the current Miller Creek, Mike Dickman’s photos show that the stream is already filled with them. It will be decades moreover, before trees will grow to the heights of the majestic Pin Oaks that tower above Miller Creek.
Although the proponent dismisses swales as useless, the Natural Heritage Manual has policies to protect such features. The Ministry of Natural Resources notes that they “can provide a major contribution to flow concentration from saturated portions of headwater watersheds”, and are now appreciated as “headwater drainage features.”
Let’s hope that the OMB shows in its decision that such policies to provide for headwater stream protection in its decision on the motorway are effective.
John Bacher is a Niagara resident and long-time conservation advocate in the region. Mike Dickman is a biologist and a former Brock University professor who has had a courageous record of speaking out on environmental issues in the region.
(Niagara At Large invites you to share your views on this post below. Please remember that NAL only posts views by individuals you are also willing to share their first and last names.)
Niagara At Large 
Fort Erie always has the most ridiculous, pie in the sky plans which inevitably fall flat.
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Citizens of Fort Erie should start thinking positive instead of running this town down anymore. And do you think the people behind this have put up all this money and are going to walk away. I don’t think so.
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I can only hope the Fort Erie council will not continue to take an approach to the speedway, in light of the racetrack closing, that will amount to selling our natural habitat—our irreplaceable birthright—for a pot of porridge—the speedway. Ah, but then, council has often been shortsighted and ineffective.
Do the people of Fort Erie really want a motor speedway? The upside is small compared to the downside of the proposal. With its arrival, will go Fort Erie’s potential to be a true family-friendly community. We can do better. There are better ways to build the economy of the town without destroying our natural heritage. Where is the leadership with initiative and imagination?
Surely we can find other ways to improve the economy. Mega projects, like a speedway, will bring income to the town only part of the year. Jobs will be plentiful perhaps during the racing season, but they will be gone for most of the year. Smaller projects that produce income throughout the year will do more to create full-time, permanent jobs that keep families together and in town. Those job-creating opportunities will be drawn here only when we have leadership that understands the true character of Fort Erie, and is able to think outside the box.
Big projects are appealing to be sure, but ultimately they provide quick fixes for problems that need more creative solutions. When a town relies on one major industry—or even a few—suffer significantly when those industries close. Have we not yet learned this lesson? Look what’s happening right now with the closing of the current racetrack. The speedway is an even bigger racetrack and the fall if, as, and when it closes—if it ever succeeds in the first place—will be much bigger and more impacting, too. Better more enterprises of a smaller scale that serve the community throughout the year than one that is so seasonal.
Where is the vision people?
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In the interest of fairness it should be pointed out that John Bacher is a member of PALS (Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society) and could be biased as this society is to appear before the OMB in opposition to the speedway project. I have no problem with him stating his views but his connection to the legal proceedings should be pointed out.
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Kudos to John and Mike as they bring some sanity to this hijacked process to clear the way for an endeavour that has limited economic value for Fort Erie. I understand the challenges faced by the town, but selling off clean water, and fish habitat doesn’t make sense.
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Christel Haeck has got it! We lose too much when we destroy the environment for pavement, noise and air pollution, and increased crime rates, While John Backer is a member of PALS he does not have a monetary interest in stopping the speedway. Of course he has a bias. If we care about the natural environment and see some kinds of growth as cancers in our communities we are biased — in favor of our kids’ futures.
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I have no problem with Mr. Bacher or anyone else having their own opinion on this project. I am in favour of the project and I would also point out that I have no monetary interest in its sucess or failure. If I was posting and was at the same time part of an on going legal proceeding concerning the project it would only be fair that others reading my posts were made aware of that fact.
A note from NAL – Nick Struger is absolutely right. We have declared John Bacher’s affiliation with the Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society (PALS) and his intentions to contest the NASCAR plan in Fort Erie in past articles, and assumed from the content in the latest post by John Bacher that readers would know his affiliations and where he stands on this issue. In future posts, we will be sure to be more specific about these matters in our bios on writers.
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In addition to all the environmental issues that should be raised about the proposed (note: “proposed” not “planned”) racetrack, there is another point that should be mentioned.
NASCAR doesn’t really like to go north of the Mason-Dixon Line! Sure, there are NASCAR races at Watkins Glen occasionally, but for the most part, NASCAR is based in the southern US. I can’t see the big names in NASCAR being willing to “travel overseas” to race! To them, Canada is not just another country, it is a foreign country.
Before anything further is done on this proposed racetrack, I would like to see a written guarantee from NASCAR that they will have NASCAR (big name racers) racing at the track on a regular (more than every year or two) basis.
I don’t think that kind of a guarantee will be forthcoming. And if it is, it will probably be worth just about as much as the US Steel promise to keep Stelco operating.
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Let’s keep the facts straight. Nobody, noone, not anybody has ever said that Sprint Cup Nascar races with the big name racers would be held at the track. Further no NASCAR track (other than 2 or 3) in the United States hosts more than 1 such race per year. One NASCAR race (2nd division) with a lot of the big name drivers also taking part is held every year “overseas” in Mexico.
A Note from Niagara At Large – Indeed, let’s keep the facts straight. References to NASCAR racing being in the mix at this proposed speedway first came from the Fort Erie council and the proponent – not from NAL.
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There is a quantum leap between NASCAR racing aka the Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR “style” racing. It is NASCAR style racing that is being proposed. Certainly the proponents would like someday to be able to attract Sprint Cup racing but so would hundreds of other tracks in North America that successfully.run NASCAR style racing without any guarantees of moving on up. Requesting a guarantee is ludicrous. Those are the facts.
A Note From NAL – We would not keep responding to Nick Strugar’s comments on this if he did not keep insisting that he has exclusive rights to “the facts” and the rest of us may be guilty of trading in misinformation ….. So now we see that, according to his latest note on behalf of the proponents of this speedway, we should not be referring to “NASCAR racing,” but “NASCAR-style racing” because there is a “quantum” difference. Well we don’t remember the mayor of Fort Erie or other supporters of this speedway proposal using imbedding the word “style” into the discussion when they were talking about NASCAR racing here. But hey, maybe the word “sytle” is the new weasel word being used by supporters to massage messaging in some way. You know, we would be happy to throw the word “style” in with NASCAR, if that will stop some from accusing us of not having the facts.
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Doug I do not claim to have exclusive rights to anything. I am merely pointing out that a great many people see the letters NASCAR and immediately picture Tony Stewart and Jimmy Johnson racing around Daytona, Indiannapolis or Talledega. The success of the project is not predicated by their appearance. I have no problem with those that have environmental concerns about the project as I am sure that many of them are fine people with basic beliefs that are important to them. That is their perogative and certainly their right. My concern is with posts such as that made by Mr. Mackenzie who does not have his facts correct.
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What benefit is there to leaving the area as is? Is it a popular fishing destination (on private property)? Is it a tourist attraction where people from all over Southern Ontario and the world travel to see the majestic Miller Creek? Rerouting the creek will have no irrevocable damage to what ecological system may be in this “creek”. Sure there’s something to be said for giving a voice to the voiceless ecosystem but causing a stink over a creek that will be rerouted (not destroyed) and has virtually no impact to humans is fighting an uphill battle and just delaying the inevitable.
The creek will be rerouted, this speedway WILL be built, thousands of people will come for a handful of events each year and the local economy of hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, ect will welcome the extra money spent in the community, not to mention the extra tax benefits to the municipality.
And Will MacKenzie’s point couldn’t be farther from the truth. The top level in NASCAR has been at Watkins Glen once a year since 1986 and they have been racing in Michigan twice a year since 1969. The drivers go where the series goes and although it may take a few years, a top tier NASCAR race at the speedway would inevitably happen if the speedway is built. There is currently a second-tier NASCAR race in Montreal that draws 70,000 fans. Although there may only be a handful of “marquee” events at the speedway each year there could be car tests or demonstrations from GM,Ford or even performance car manufactuers plus many speedways offer a driving school where people can pay for lessons and drive a stockcar on the track at close to race speeds. So local residents may only notice increased vehicular traffic a few times a year but the speedway could be generating money more often than you would think.
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I believe that someone made a comment about how the small town feel of Fort Erie will be affected. I would invite any one to go visit Bristol motorspeedway in Tennesee or Martinsville in Virginia. These are very small towns that have only gained. I would wonder if peoples’ thoughts would change if it was a factory of great proportions wanting to build there and provide jobs? Maybe they aren’t big race fans in the first place?
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The article is clearly biased against the endeavor which would clearly bring economic prosperity to the area. Just wonder if there is some other motive for the negative view put forth ?
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