Dear MTB Kingston members, we wanted to give you an update on the solar farm developments, especially given recent newspaper coverage of council and committee meetings. As you know, our biggest concerns were related to access to the Bur Brook road allowance; in the initial plans that were circulated there was a possibility that Bur Brook Rd would be used as the entry point for construction. This would have had an impact on wetlands and also on public access to this well-used roadway. Given the role the dirt road plays in connecting our trails, this would have been a huge challenge for the Club, aside from possible environmental impacts.
One of the solar companies was hoping to build a project on the western end of the Cataraqui Ridge. This proposal was withdrawn and was not approved by council. The other proposal, for the eastern end of the Ridge, was approved by Kingston City Council on 26th of August. Importantly, the developers now understand the importance of Bur Brook and have moved the northern border of the plan back from Bur Brook and this was also mandated by council to protect the wetlands.
MTB Kingston will be involved in the public consultations as the plan unfolds and will work to ensure that public access to Bur Brook remains in the plan. If you have comments or questions, please contact us.