Hon. John Gerretson
Minister of the Environment
12th Floor, 135 St. Clair Ave. West
Toronto M4P 1V5

RE: File #ENV 1283MC -2008-3481 

Dear Minister:

I am greatly concerned with the City of Toronto’s continuous march towards inappropriate development contributing to the destruction of the natural character of Colonel Samuel Smith Park, in Toronto.  The most recent of these proposals is a plan to build an ice skating trail in the park.  I am writing to ask that you designate this project one to which the Environmental Assessment Act applies.  

To date, there has been no study into the environmental impact of the skating trail on the trees that surround the area, nor on the effect of the proposed lighting, sound and other equipment on the migratory birds and other fauna that travel through and call the area home.  Barring an intervention by the Ministry of the Environment, the effects of this project on the environment will never be fully assessed and irreversible damage could be done to the natural environment in an area that citizens in the area have fought long and hard to protect.

Fully-preserved green and natural habitat is the pressing need of the present and the future, rather than elaborate construction projects resulting in tailored lawns, concrete pathways, concession stands, and a disastrous displacement or even destruction of the area's fragile flora and fauna. The two uses are incompatible. One of them is restricted to specialized natural habitats. The other can go anywhere, and should go elsewhere.  

CCFEW’s request for designation identifies concerns about the City’s decision making process, the failure to consider the impact of the skating trail on the naturalized environment of the park and the long standing provincial interest and investment in the park. Please consider this request seriously and ensure that the City live up to it’s own environmental commitments and policies and reconsider an outdated decision that was made with little public consultation.

Sincerely,