Couple hopes donation to radio station will settle Laurentian University land dispute

A Sudbury couple embroiled in a land dispute with Laurentian University is offering a large donation— $25,000— to the campus radio station in exchange for resolution of the matter.

James Crispo and Dominique Ansell purchased their home on South Bay Road in 2016. After the purchase, the couple discovered Laurentian University owns almost half of their backyard, including their septic system, patio and pool shed.

Since then, the couple has offered to purchase the land without success. They say the university has said it will take legal action if the septic bed, shed and patio aren't removed from the property.

CBC Sudbury has previously contacted the university for comment on the dispute and has been told it will not comment as it is a matter between two landowners.

At a city council meeting on Tuesday, a request will be made to give Laurentian's CKLU radio station a one-time grant of $25,000. The station lost a large portion of its funding when students were given the opportunity to opt out of the school's ancillary fees this September.

Instead, Crispo and Ansell are offering to give the station that amount, if the university settles the land dispute.

"Since Nov. 2017, the Laurentian University board of governors has spent more than $66,000 on external legal fees services rendered in this matter," the couple stated in a letter to city councillors.

"The board continues to spend its limited resources litigating this issue despite our willingness to resolve this conflict with the university in a manner that we think is very reasonable."

The couple made a similar offer to the CKLU board of directors in July, which the board voted against.