A small forest and wetland wedged between Highway 401 and the newly constructed Amazon fulfillment centre in Blair is being severed and gifted to the rare Charitable Research Reserve for ongoing preservation.
The wetland that feeds Blair Creek was part of a site plan agreement between the city and developer that required it to be conveyed to the city or a third party for continued care and maintenance and rare agreed to take ownership. Part of the approval granted by the city's committee of adjustment last week means an easement and access road will be created along a retaining wall next to the property.
Consideration for the wetland was a priority for the developer in securing approval for the massive warehouse.
To prevent runoff from the parking lots and building, several underground storm water collection tanks were designed to hold clean runoff from the building's roof and dirty water from the parking lot.
The parking lot tanks include a system that separates oil and grit from the water before it is discharged into Blair Creek. The roof tanks will discharge and feed into the wetland.
The entire system was approved by the Grand River Conservation Authority and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.
Tom Woodcock, a planning ecologist at rare, said the organization will treat the wetland like it does any other of its properties and will be going in to do invasive species removal, tree planting and litter cleanup given its proximity to the 401.
“This place is here for nature, and it will help the community by being a refuge for nature, a place for flood protection, and a source of clean water and air for all," said rare communications officer James Bow, in an email to CambridgeToday.
