St. Marys is rightfully proud of our walking trails and beautiful green spaces. We're also a growing community building new places for families to live in. The Town of St. Marys Official Plan currently calls for Wellington Street to be extended north to service new housing developments north of the Grand Trunk trail. This is a mistake. 

An extension of Wellington Street North will:

1. Cut the Grand Trunk Trail in half and put pedestrian and cyclist safety at risk.

2. Flatten more than thirty mature trees, similar to the devastation that can be seen from the Grand Trunk Trail at Emily Street.

3. Destroy the pond and streams that run alongside the Grand Trunk Trail.

4. Cause serious traffic congestion and risks to pedestrian safety along Wellington Street in the downtown core.

Let's encourage St. Marys Town Council to keep new housing developments connected using existing roads and new walking trails, rather than carving a channel for heavy traffic through the middle of town.

This is only one of many beautiful places in St. Marys that are threatened by hasty development plans. We want town council to consider all its options when making choices that impact St. Mary's natural heritage. We need more parks, more trails, more trees, and municipal policies that will protect them for the future.