Conservation authority pulls out of maligned Navan wetland project

The South Nation Conservation Authority has backed out of a controversialplan to create a publicly accessible wetlandin Navan, saying they're worried tensions with residents could get ugly.

In a letter to Coun. Stephen Blaiswritten Monday and obtained by CBC News Thursday, the conservation authority said it's concerned that the safety of its workers could be jeopardized by moving ahead. It also said they'reworried property could be vandalized or even destroyed.

"It is our view that construction on the proposed site could lead to additional confrontation (beyond the language and behaviour we have already encountered)," reads the letter, signed by general manager Angela Coleman.

The conservation authority also said some residents "remain unsatisfied with our project communications," and that "many residents remain unsupportive and highly critical" of the idea.

Had been given green light by council

The $300,000 project involveda small parcel of parkland owned by the cityat 999 Smith Rd., north of thePrescott-RussellTrail Link.

The conservation authority had wanted tobuilda shallow pond andaboardwalk there. The idea originated with theNavanCommunity Associationas a wayto make the land more accessible to the publicwhile preserving it as a wetland space.

City councilhad already given the project the green light.

But the plan has divided the community.

Birchtree Crescent residentscreated theNavanLandowners Committee to fight the project.

They havecirculatedonline petitions, one of which calls for the project's termination.It says they're concernedthe project is the first step "in a steady 'creep' in the rezoning or re-designation" of the parkland into a provincially significant wetland.

They're concerned thatwould bog homeowners down in red tape, and cause "a drastic decrease in property value and restrictions to landowners' rightswithin the wetland areas and surrounding buffer zones."

At aninformation meeting last week,some residents among the 100 who attended told officialsto sit down and said they weren't trusted. Blais was also toldhe could be in trouble over the issue in the next municipal election.