In an earlier article we asked Will the DNA Cluster deal with City impact the Trent Nature Areas? We looked at the potential of land use and ownership transfers portrayed as "Essential Components of the Memorandum of Understanding" between Trent and the City of Peterborough in February 2005. We raised concerns that, among other things, the Trent Nature Areas could be negatively impacted. The larger issue is to extract from Trent university administrators clarity and transparency regarding their overall development plans. In the absence of such transparency the full impact of potential development in and around Trent cannot be accurately assessed and evaluated. On July 4, 2005 the City passed by-law 05-146 and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and Trent University has been signed. In the public interest we are posting the MOU at OurTrent.

We at OurTrent suggest it is incumbent upon Trent University administratiors to produce a clear and concise map of development plans that can be overlayed on top of a map of the Trent Nature Areas as described in the draft Trent University Nature Areas Stewardship Plan. (also available here with all chapters conveniently in one in zip file (26MB)). With such a map the impact of development on the nature areas may be more easily understood.

References:

• City by-law 05-146
  Being a by-law to authorize the execution of a memorandum of understanding between the corporation of the city of peterborough and trent university
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
  The Memorandum of Understanding addresses the following:
  1. Payment by the City to the University (as a capital contribution to the University’s DNA Project);
  2. The Future Ring Road
  3. 1671 Water Street Road Widening;
  4. Armour Road Re-alignment;
  5. Nassau Mills Bridge Rebuild;
  6. Rotary Trail and Pedestrian Bridge;
  7. Sport Field Development;
  8. Future Affordable Housing Site;
  9. The North-East Corner of Woodland Drive and Water Street; and
  10. Potential PUS/Trent University Electrical Generation Project.