It was well attended by both press and members of the political parties running in the current territorial election. A local school group cycling through this area during the Press conference, also stated their love of the area, and desire to see it remain undeveloped.
Sept
28, 2011
Media
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
“The
Great Miss-Stake”
Before You Vote Consider What Middle McIntyre
Creek Could Look Like.
The
Friends of McIntyre Creek have staked part of Middle McIntyre Creek to show
where housing and roads could be constructed if City of Whitehorse proposals go
ahead. Middle McIntyre Creek is the part of the McIntyre Creek watershed
between the Alaska Highway and Mountainview Drive.
The
Friends of McIntyre Creek’s intent is to help residents better understand where
the proposed Porter Creek D subdivision and
roads connecting Whistle Bend to the Alaska Highway would be. The City of
Whitehorse intends to consult about the proposed Porter Creek D subdivision,
and roads across and parallel to McIntyre Creek, in the near future.
“In
my experience people often don’t pay attention to consultations because they
don’t fully understand what is being proposed,” said Friends of McIntyre Creek
Vice President Gerry Steers. “We want to give people an idea of what Middle
McIntyre Creek could end up looking like unless people who care about this area
make this into an issue in the territorial election. The land is owned by Yukon
government, it would be sold by Yukon government for housing, and the roads would
be developed and paid for by Yukon government. People really need to ask their
candidates in the territorial election whether a government led by their party
would protect McIntyre Creek.”
The
Friends of McIntyre Creek (FOMC) also say that the Yukon College Endowment
Lands, which have not been designated and transferred, are a Yukon government
issue. FOMC fears that the College Endowment Lands could end up being a nothing
but a sliver of land.
“This
is a really important area for education. There are diverse types of habitat,
including wetlands and old growth forest here,” said Steers “and it won’t be
any good for nature education if it is full of roads and houses – except
education about the fact that after a natural area is destroyed it can’t be re-created.”
The
Friends of McIntyre Creek are encouraging Whitehorse citizens to have a look at
the area that FOMC has staked, and then look at the development in Whistle Bend
to get an appreciation for what could occur if Porter Creek D and roads to link
Whistle Bend with the Alaska Highway are built – before voting.
“The
City says that the huge clear cuts in Whistle bend were a result of a mistake –
well it would be a huge mistake to build any roads and houses in Middle McIntyre
Creek at all,” said Steers.
The
attached photos are of the construction ongoing in Whistle Bend Phases 1 and 2 (Sept. 23, 2011) and what
a new road clearing looks like.
The
Friends of McIntyre Creek are working to maintain urban natural habitat and
preserve a valued area for future generations of Yukon people. This issue is
already being raised at the door with political candidates in the ridings near
McIntyre Creek.
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