On 
September 26 and 27 a Hearing will be held under the Dominion Water Power Act to "hear concerns over the proposed hydroelectric development at Locks 22 and 23 on the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site of Canada". We are told it has been more than 50 years since the last such hearing in Ontario. On top of that the Panel on the Future of the Trent Severn Waterway has just completed its public consultation meetings, although written submissions may still be made until the end of the month. If you wish to inform yourself of some of the issues regarding the development here are some references.
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September 26 and 27 a Hearing will be held under the Dominion Water Power Act to "hear concerns over the proposed hydroelectric development at Locks 22 and 23 on the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site of Canada". We are told it has been more than 50 years since the last such hearing in Ontario. On top of that the Panel on the Future of the Trent Severn Waterway has just completed its public consultation meetings, although written submissions may still be made until the end of the month. If you wish to inform yourself of some of the issues regarding the development here are some references.
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Don't 
be fooled! Trent's plan to create the Trent University Development Corporation to manage its endowment lands is still very much alive. Trent administrators wrote the final report prior to the end of period during which public comments on the draft version were officially being accepted. No public discussion of the draft was permitted. The first three parts of the four part Endowment Lands Master Plan were approved on January 27. But the board was silent on the fourth part, which recommends creating a separate corporation to oversee using lands to generate revenue. The new corporation would circumvent traditional bicameral management of lands and would likely be exempt from Freedom of Information legislation. Trent's president might find herself in a conflict of interest as she would also be the corporation's CEO. Until such time as Trent definitively kills it, the concept of a separate corporation to manage its lands must be considered alive and well and in the hands of the administration.
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be fooled! Trent's plan to create the Trent University Development Corporation to manage its endowment lands is still very much alive. Trent administrators wrote the final report prior to the end of period during which public comments on the draft version were officially being accepted. No public discussion of the draft was permitted. The first three parts of the four part Endowment Lands Master Plan were approved on January 27. But the board was silent on the fourth part, which recommends creating a separate corporation to oversee using lands to generate revenue. The new corporation would circumvent traditional bicameral management of lands and would likely be exempt from Freedom of Information legislation. Trent's president might find herself in a conflict of interest as she would also be the corporation's CEO. Until such time as Trent definitively kills it, the concept of a separate corporation to manage its lands must be considered alive and well and in the hands of the administration.
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A 
hydroelectric generation proposal at Trent would see the construction of a 15 meter (50') wide diversion canal on the west bank of the Otonabee River. The canal would run from lock 23 (2 locks north of Trent) southward past lock 22 to a proposed powerhouse just north of Champlain College, and then spill back into the river. The excavation would dramatically affect a unique Trent Nature Area, hitherto protected from such development. The public may initially submit written comments and/or objections no later than February 8, 2006 to the government agency who will then determine whether or not further public hearings will be held or if a Priority Permit will be issued without such hearings. To assist in formulating public input the details of the project are presented herein. We also highlight various issues worthy of review and further thought including issues of governance of university nature areas and whether the board indeed has unilateral authority to alter land use in the established nature areas.
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hydroelectric generation proposal at Trent would see the construction of a 15 meter (50') wide diversion canal on the west bank of the Otonabee River. The canal would run from lock 23 (2 locks north of Trent) southward past lock 22 to a proposed powerhouse just north of Champlain College, and then spill back into the river. The excavation would dramatically affect a unique Trent Nature Area, hitherto protected from such development. The public may initially submit written comments and/or objections no later than February 8, 2006 to the government agency who will then determine whether or not further public hearings will be held or if a Priority Permit will be issued without such hearings. To assist in formulating public input the details of the project are presented herein. We also highlight various issues worthy of review and further thought including issues of governance of university nature areas and whether the board indeed has unilateral authority to alter land use in the established nature areas.
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A 
past member of both Trent University's board of governors and Senate warns that Trent's distinctive nature areas are threatened by the apparent frenzy to develop commercial opportunities on campus lands. "In June, 2005 Trent's Board was assured that the proposed sports field would not be built in the Wildlife Sanctuary at the City's requested location, but Trent's administration seems to have subsequently flip-flopped on that assurance. With so many mosquitoes about, perhaps someone had an itchy back," writes Derrick McIntosh. Commenting on the "unbridled haste" with which Trent has entered into agreements with the City to prop up the DNA Cluster business park (for which no business plan exists), McIntosh notes the administration and Senate are playing fast and loose with policy and their respective responsibilities, to the potentially irrevocable detriment of Trent and the greater community. There is still time "for the University's governing bodies to rectify this short-sighted and reckless folly," he says.
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past member of both Trent University's board of governors and Senate warns that Trent's distinctive nature areas are threatened by the apparent frenzy to develop commercial opportunities on campus lands. "In June, 2005 Trent's Board was assured that the proposed sports field would not be built in the Wildlife Sanctuary at the City's requested location, but Trent's administration seems to have subsequently flip-flopped on that assurance. With so many mosquitoes about, perhaps someone had an itchy back," writes Derrick McIntosh. Commenting on the "unbridled haste" with which Trent has entered into agreements with the City to prop up the DNA Cluster business park (for which no business plan exists), McIntosh notes the administration and Senate are playing fast and loose with policy and their respective responsibilities, to the potentially irrevocable detriment of Trent and the greater community. There is still time "for the University's governing bodies to rectify this short-sighted and reckless folly," he says.
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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.
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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.
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