Work by the City of Nanaimo to extend Linley Valley Drive was briefly disrupted on Monday by a crowd of about 25 protesters. They marched along the road near Turner and Uplands Drive. Local activist Joanne Jonas McRae says they’re worried about how the removal of trees will impact nesting birds. McRae says they blocked a logging truck from entering the site.
However Ron Diederichs, Ecosystem Section Head for the Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resources, says the City’s abiding by the Wildlife Act. He says they hired a biologist to survey the area and look for nesting birds.
But the protesters say they don’t trust that biologist’s findings, and they’re planning to keep up the pressure by demonstrating on the corner of Turner and Uplands Drive at 1:00pm for the rest of the week.
There are also concerns about the City’s plan to fill in a wetland behind Oliver Woods. However, the City’s Construction Manager, Steve Rickets, says they aren’t planning to touch the wetland. He says their original plan to build a road through the area to connect with Rutherford Rd, but they’re now putting that part of the plan on hold.
Rickets says the City and Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resources are working on arranging a meeting to discuss the project.
