This petition is a reaction to the GRCA’s disaster recovery efforts from the May storm.

By signing this petition you are expressing your dissatisfaction with the current management of the Ganaraska Forest.

We intend to present this petition to the Board at their next meeting on October 20th, 2022.

Key areas of concern:

·       Effective communication

o   The communication from the GRCA regarding the recovery plan has been limited in detail and deliverables.

·       Strategy and plan to recover the trail network

o   Inability to engage necessary external resources.

o   No plan or strategy to safely engage a large network of qualified volunteers.

·       Environmental risk

o   According to the strategic plan for 2015-2020 one of the goals of the GRCA is:

“We are committed to working with our partners to ensure that the special spaces and places that make the Ganaraska Region so unique remain intact for others to enjoy.”

 The inability to cope with the storm in May puts in question the ability to manage any future disasters.

·       Reopening effort

o   The reopening on September 30th revealed a limited number of trails available to members.

o   If you are a Central Forest user, the forest remains completely inaccessible and closed.

o   The West Forest users have access to limited trails and access points.

o   Memberships were restarted as of September 30th, with the extension added to their term, however, for many users, the forest essentially remains closed.

 

 

While we acknowledge the impact of the storm and extreme damage caused in specific areas, the efforts of the GRCA have failed to provide any meaningful results.

 

If you are a member of the Ganaraska Forest, a resident of the area, or a member of the public who wants to see this Forest managed and maintained successfully, please sign the petition and add your voice to those who are requesting a review of the process by which this cleanup effort was undertaken. The members of the GRCA Board are up for election on October 24th and if the current members are to remain on the Board they need to be accountable for what was done, what needs to be done now, and what plans will be in place the next time there is an unexpected weather pattern or disaster.