Ojibway Park roads won't be closed for fall migration

Roads around Ojibway Park won't close this fall to protect migratory species at risk.

The request from area supporters was pushed back for a second time, to allow administration to create a plan and make a decision in 2020. 

Dwayne Dawson, executive director of operations for the City of Windsor said there would be consequences to rushing a decision. 

"[There will be] longer, bigger effects with traffic, with emergency response ... the businesses, the residents," said Dawson. "It needs more than just throwing up a closure and calling that a solution."

Windsor police were also at Monday's council meeting and raised concerns about closing the roads, adding that there would be issues in other areas as traffic was diverted. Police were also concerned about response times for emergency vehicles. 

Business owners, such as John Kulikowski, were concerned a closure might affect day-to-day operations.

"We acknowledge that there is a problem, but closing down our businesses for two months out of the year is not going to [be good]," said Kulikowski. "How are we going to be compensated for that loss of business?"

Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens met with west Windsor business owners before Monday's meeting to hear their concerns. 

"We know the number of businesses that are [in that area] ... it would be nearly impossible to close Malden Road. It is impossible to close Malden Road for the protection of snakes and reptiles," said Dilkens. 

The mayor said he was "sensitive" to comments saying the time to act was years ago, but noted that the city had made efforts to purchase protected land around the Ojibway complex.

"Throw away all the concerns we've heard tonight, which are all very valid, but you can't put your head in the sand and pretend you don't know the deal with Matchette Road," said Dilkens, referring to "external legal advice" that said the City of Windsor would be sued by Coco Paving if the road closure was to go through. 

"We do that at our own peril," said Dilkens.

Eco-passages, alternatives proposed

In 2017, council voted against an environmental assessment to close the road after Coco Paving threatened legal action, citing concerns about its big box complex plans in the area.

At the time, a plan was proposed to include eco-tunnels in the 2018 budget, but that funding never materialized.

Biologist Jonathan Choquette said he's disappointed with the outcome.

"The city decided to take no action in the short term on this issue," said Choquette, who sat in Monday's council meeting. 

"The ask wasn't for a permanent closure, just something like what we experience when there's construction. Local traffic would be permitted."

Choquette said the motion on the table at Monday's meeting was for 2019, with no mention of closing the road every year. The group pushing for the closure envisioned the roads being closed as a temporary emergency measure so that more permanent solutions could be researched and implemented.

Eco-passages are one of those permanent solutions — and they already exist in some capacity in the region.

"We have a large overpass created as part of the Herb Gray Parkway," said Choquette. "And then there's a small eco-pass on Matchette Road, just south of the Herb Gray Parkway."

According to Choquette, the passages have so far been successful, and groups are measuring the passages' effectiveness with tags and trackers on various animals. 

"In the short term, we are continuing to witness the mortality of endangered species and watch species decline locally," said Choquette, asking motorists to slow down on or avoid taking those roads despite the city's decision to not move forward with a closure.

Councillor Chris Holt opposed the motion to wait on making a decision.

Council will look at options alternative to road closures, including traffic calming measures or eco-tunnels.