Is this about supporting farmers by expanding walking trails or is this about supporting farmers by re-designating Countryside lands on the Oak Ridges Moraine?
Councillor Tom Muench sent another letter (April 18) to residents and this one goes on about "expanding our walking trails while supporting our farmers" and "an integrated trail system" and referencing 20 year old letters about lands not being "provincially significant agricultural lands"
This is a follow up to his March 30th letter where he speaks about keeping "lands sterilized" and promoting "crops like marijuana".
There is no mention about "expanding our walking trails". Muench's March 30th letter speaks about "lands being unreasonably restricted" and "why are York Region and Richmond Hill focused on keeping the Countryside designation".
Sadly though Muench's motion to "Review of farming and Agriculture in Richmond Hill" was passed by Richmond Hill Council (Councillors Cilevitz and West voted against) on April 14th.
Listen to this clip to hear Muench speak about why Countryside doesn't work.
Thankfully both York Region and the province have not supported re-designating these lands because they are on the Moraine and hopefully that will continue.
Don't be fooled! This whole "smoke and mirrors show" is about the repeated attempts by this Richmond Hill Council to re-designate Oak Ridges Moraine Countryside lands.
This statement during the meeting by Councillor Greg Beros suggests the true intent.
(April 14th council meeting timestamp 34:43)
"Be careful what you wish for you might get Natural Core which is worse than Countryside and your values of land go even further down"
And don't be fooled by Muench's "integrated trail system across the Oak Ridges moraine".
We already have a 300km Oak Ridges Trail that runs throughout the moraine.
Click here to read more about the Oak Ridges Trail Association.
