Bylaw passed puts Greek Orthodox Community’s new church on hold

By Sean Frame

 

Manager Editor

 

The Greek Orthodox Community is unable to build at a Walker Road site,as a result their plans to build a new church is once again hold.

 

The Greek community originally approached the city to have the industrial 12 acre property it had purchased rezoned for development, according to Mayor Eddie Francis. The city voted in favour of the rezoning with the condition that the GOC preserve the woodlot. The Greek Orthodox Community purchased the 12 acre property in late 2012. In order to build a new Greek Orthodox church and community centre. In late December last year the governing body of the Greek Orthodox church allowed the cutting of trees at the site, leading to a new bylaw proposed and passed.

 The zoning bylaw, which would stop anyone from building large developments on the land, only affects the 1.5 acre woodlot. The lands are associated with a portion of Candidate Natural Site # 18 also known as Walker Woodland Junction. The president of the Greek Orthodox Community Council, Pat Papadeas, represented the Greek community at the meeting. She asked city council for a deferral because she needed time to talk to the rest of the community before making a decision.

 

The vote to pass the bylaw was 8-1 passing the bylaw. Ward 3 Coun. Fulvio Valentinis, was the only vote against the bylaw and asked the matter be deferred.

 

“The trees have been cut here,” said Valentinis. “They are gone but the province says there is an opportunity to regenerate the area which, as a city, we are hoping gets done… The property north of the woodlot could be joined with the Junction to negotiate other terms, which I feel is a discussion we should be having.”

 

Ward 4 Coun. Alan Halberstadt said it was a tough decision to make for his ward. According to Halberstadt, the destruction of the woodland was “a disgrace” to the community. City officials said the Woodland Junction is now only available for small developement. Development of the land is now confined to the construction of small paths and park benches.

 

A rare species of tree, known as the willowleaf aster, was identified by Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, on the site. According to a report given by the Essex Region Conservation Authority, several significant oak trees were destroyed in the cutting but the area still contains other significant species.

City Planner Thom Hunt explained, the meeting wasn’t to revisit the matter of the trees being cut. He said the meeting was for the benefit of the woodlot. The future of the natural heritage site was in danger of being further destroyed if council did not act.  The Greek Orthodox Community say they are unsure what they will do with the lot.

 

“I was with the city in January as soon as this issue happened and came to our attention,” said Papadeas. “We asked this very clearly ‘this is our application, what is our position?’ We can abandon it. I’m not suggesting we are going to, but that is our application, so we can. We can continue with it as it is and we can ask for an amendment.”

 

Papadeas said the church has not said where they will search for property or what they will do with the Walker Woodland Junction. A meeting of the Greek community council, to further discuss building the church will be held later this month.