By Doug Draper
Start your engines. You are off!
Architects’ rendition of NASCAR speedway facility planned for Fort Erie, Ontario.
The Ontario Municipal Board – a body appointed by the provincial government to hear concerns about proposals for development – has said no to any and all concerns expressed over plans for a giant NASCAR speedway facility in Fort Erie, Ontario.
The NASCAR plan was approved by a majority of Fort Erie councillors and is seen by many in this Canada/U.S. border community as a possible financial boost at a time when the town has suffered the loss of a provincially run gambling facility and is almost surely facing the possible shut down of a more than century old horse racing track.
Some rural residents living near lands where the speedway would be located off the Queen Elizabeth Highway feel the facility would destroy the quality of life in their area and others have approached the Ontario Municipal Board with concerns they have over the impact the facility may have on wetlands and watersheds in the area.
The OMB’s rejection of those appeals leave the private developers free to work with the town to move forward with plans for the speedway.
To view information by the NASCAR track proponent, posted on the Town of Fort Erie, Ontario’s website visit http://www.cdnmotorspeedway.com/
(Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com invites you to share your comments on this post. PLEASE NOTE that NAL only posts comments from individuals who also share their first and last names.)
Niagara At Large 
No surprise here. What a bloody shame. 😦
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The reason that I changed my stance for this facility,was that if put someplace else in the Province it would cause a far larger carbon foot print,,than if it was built in Fort Erie It will be built close to the QEW and between two cloverleafs, also the Ontario Minister Ms Puppatello went to Dubai and laid out why Fort Erie Ontario is the logical place to erect a world class arena for motor sports.This would put the Town of Fort Erie a financial basket case of a Town, world wide status. The province and the OMB has finally thrown our town a bone (a big bone) , now we have to get the new boys on council to push and ok the Niagara/Ambassador bridge which is all ready to from blueprints to reality.The twinning is not going to happen for at least another decade , This will position our new council to prove to the nay sayers of the Chamber of Commerce wrong, when they accused the new council of being anti- developement.
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The twinning of the Peace Bridge was put off for the next ten years.The Town needs another bridge ASAP.
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It wasn’t just those rural owners (and many other members of Concerned Citizens of Greater Fort Erie) who objected to this mammoth 800 acre farmland- wasting , Millers Creek head water parking lot – covering, forest damaging, hugely loud proposal, but also the Preservation of Agricultural Lands Society, with the backing of representatives of the Bert Miller Club, the Niagara Falls Nature Club and expert witness and biologist Dr. Mike Dickman as well as well-respected, retired geography professor Dr. Hugh Gayler . And, in order to forward this proposal the OMB Chair has overlooked the Provincial Policy Plan and ignored Regional planning testimony that there was alternative site close to Thundering Waters, a key precept i.e. that if you have an alternative site you should NOT allow development on prime farmland. And, I gather from some reports, that the town is now working on getting servicing funds so that this will be in effect an urban expansion in a place where “growth” is not supposed to go.
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What a hoot!
Do you really think NASCAR will come to Ontario?
If you do, I have a bridge in New York that I can sell you.
NASCAR people don’t like going north of the Mason-Dixon line! Sure, they go to Watkins Glen once a year … reluctantly! But that is it – period.
Canada is a foreign country and they want to stay in the “good ol’ U.S. of A.”
You might as well try to get NASCAR to race on the moon.
If you are an investor looking to lose your money, you could put it into a “NASCAR” track in Fort Erie. You won’t see any return on your investment.
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who needs the americans to come. 65k seating. ever gone to michigan 80 percent canadians and how many does michigan hold. It will get filled if if if they get a nascar race. There is enough canadians that would go. Go to oshweegan speedway for a major event its packed. Not that far away from erie. If you build it they will come. Just my opinion.
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I too go to Watkin’s Glen once a year as my son is a big fan. The Glen has had racing for many, many years before NASCAR–at first the races went right down the main street. The impact on the town is huge from a traffic and logistical perspective. Economically, you only have to tour the town and drive around the counrtyside adjacent to the track to see that the money does not end up in local pockets to any extent–accomodation and restaurants being excepted–it is a very poor area over all. Dreams of NASCAR coming here are hilarious. They already have more than enough tracks in the US. Where the NASCAR title in all of this came from is a mystery.
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I’m sure it has happened and I’m not prepared to search out the answer but …. when has the OMB ever turned down development, whether local government is for the project or not?
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Further to my comment above … even the Wheels section of the Toronto Star has doubts … but for slightly different reasons.
http://www.wheels.ca/news/old-mosport-control-tower-demolished/
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Those who laud the OMB fail to understand Fort Erie’s long history as an eco-tourist destination, going back to the 1880 when it became a haven for Buffalo residents from noise and pollution. Attempts to construct the motorway will degrade the natural enviironment that makes the community an attractive resort, turning into into a slum. Miller and Frenchman’s Creek, which now provide fish habitat for game species such as Northern Pike, will be degraded by wave of sediment and leaking auto fluids from massive parking lots. It will be tragic indeed if the scheme is built through the granting of $50 million from the provincial government to pay for the extension of sewer services to the grotesque RV camping areas that are being planned. Imagine how Fort Erie’s environment would be wonderfully enhanced if these funds instead were used by the province to plant trees in the watersheds that are being destroyed.
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Oh goodie, noise and pollution and one antiquated bridge to get to it. Fort Erie’s “wise” politicians always seem to have their heads in the clouds … either that or up their own a…es.
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It is $50 million. The funds will be used for things like providing sewage for the proposed RV “parking-camping” area.
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It’s $12 million just to pay for a sewage hookup for the so-called campground which will be horribly crowded. One of these is proposed on a headwaters spring of Miller Creek, which the OMB claims is being “already identified for protection”
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Someone should buy an atlas and find out where the Mason-Dixon line is. NASCAR runs 4 different series that between them run over 25 races in the north.
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For all of the people who dont race or follow nascar go to a race first before you comment. . Enough of save the trees bs. Do you know what ACT stands for. American Candian Tour Series. We already have a series that travels north and south of the border.Did you not just loose your casino and people were complaining about lost jobs now someone is willing to spend 400 million create jobs some full some part and you are complaining again. What do you want jobs or no jobs? Developement creates jobs think about it. If you have any business sense maybe you should buy up some of the surrounding land and build a hotel,motel convenience store ect ect the land is only going to get more valuble.
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