Welmot Township is not the enemy here

The rare Charitable Research Reserve is an ecological jewel in our community, encompassing more
land than New York’s famous Central Park.

That’s right, the reserve is an urban land trust of more than 1,200 acres, larger than the about 900
acres that make up Central Park. And much like Manhattan’s Central Park, rare offers a natural
oasis in the heart of a densely populated area.

Given rare’s standing, it’s little wonder serious concerns have been raised about a potential land
donation that’s run into roadblocks in Wilmot Township.

Jane Schneider and her family want to donate more than 230 acres of their land in Wilmot to rare, so
that people who have been using the area to ski and hike for more than 40 years can continue
enjoying the property for generations to come.

In an open letter to the community, the Schneider family says “as of now, Wilmot is mandating that
we build a parking lot, at our expense, on our lands to allow severance of the existing homes.

“A parking lot would be detrimental to neighbours, incur excessive maintenance and cost, and
destroy the beautiful land where it would be built. Existing road parking works well now, and we see
no need to change this.”

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it?

That adage comes to mind, especially as we witness the backlash to Wilmot’s parking requirement.

The rare Charitable Research Reserve is an ecological jewel in our community, encompassing more
land than New York’s famous Central Park.

That’s right, the reserve is an urban land trust of more than 1,200 acres, larger than the about 900
acres that make up Central Park. And much like Manhattan’s Central Park, rare offers a natural
oasis in the heart of a densely populated area.

Given rare’s standing, it’s little wonder serious concerns have been raised about a potential land
donation that’s run into roadblocks in Wilmot Township.

Jane Schneider and her family want to donate more than 230 acres of their land in Wilmot to rare, so
that people who have been using the area to ski and hike for more than 40 years can continue
enjoying the property for generations to come.

In an open letter to the community, the Schneider family says “as of now, Wilmot is mandating that
we build a parking lot, at our expense, on our lands to allow severance of the existing homes.

“A parking lot would be detrimental to neighbours, incur excessive maintenance and cost, and
destroy the beautiful land where it would be built. Existing road parking works well now, and we see
no need to change this.”
If it’s not broke, don’t fix it?

That adage comes to mind, especially as we witness the backlash to Wilmot’s parking requirement.

“I think the community is just appalled … by this absurd request for a parking lot,” says Kevin
Thomason, vice-chair of the Grand River Environmental Network.

But things are rarely as simple as they seem on the surface.

Firstly, we’re not talking about a big-box superstore-sized parking lot. Wilmot is asking that 12
parking spaces be provided, and they don’t even have to be on asphalt.

Secondly, rare’s property in Blair has several options for parking, and even publishes a “best place to
park” on its website. Yes, even in this ecological oasis, there’s a parking precedent.

Having visited rare on many occasions, I’ve parked in less-than-ideal locations, including a lot that
required a trek back to rare’s main entrance at the property’s Slit Barn. This meant a walk along a
very narrow shoulder of a winding Blair Road, where vehicles travelling at the posted speed limit of
80 kilometres per hour were whizzing by within mere inches.

To say the walk was death-defying is not an exaggeration, and the situation in Wilmot is eerily
similar.

Those who have been accessing the Schneider property for decades have been parking on the side
of a busy and fast-moving Wilmot Line, engaging in risky behaviour on their way to the skiing and
hiking trails.

As the Schneider family works with the township on this donation, it would be Wilmot that suddenly
assumes this risk.

The parking lot offers important protections.

Consider how liberally we apply salt to roads and sidewalks today in an effort to reduce slips and
falls, or how quickly we declare snow days to reduce the risk of school buses on the road.

The situation with the Schneider land is no different.

The enemy here is not Wilmot Township; it’s the potential for future litigation.

Re Welmot Township is not the enemy here

I wanted to share my thoughts on the recent article discussing the potential land donation to the
rare Charitable Research Reserve by the Schneider family in Wilmot Township. It’s got me
thinking about how we balance preserving our natural spaces with making them accessible to
everyone in the community.

The Schneider family’s concerns about having to build a parking lot as part of the donation
definitely makes sense. It’s not just about the environment byt also the costs invilved. But on the
other hand, having a designated parking area could really help keep visitors safe. The current
situation of people parking on the roadside sounds pretty risky.

Having a proper parking lot might seem like a small thing, but it could set a good example for
how we manage our natural areas responsibly. It’s about finding that balance between keeping
things safe and making sure everyone can enjoy the reserve without causing harm.

So, while there are challenges to consider, I think having a parking lot is wirth it in the long run.
It’ll help protect the Schneider land and ensure it says a special place for generations to come.

Alex Dillon, Guelph