Saving Laurentian University's green space
A large group of nature lovers descend on the green space at Laurentian University on Saturday to hear from ecologists about the wildlife that exists in Greater Sudbury.
Organized by the Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury, many in the city still remain worried about the property's future.
A map of the 200 hectare piece of land located between lakes Ramsey, Nepahwin, Laurentian and Bennet referred to as Laurentian University's green space. (Photo from video)"People love this space, it's so important to them," said the coalition's Naomi Grant.
"It's so important to the animals that live here and it's so important to the water that we rely on."
The key message from the group, 'a winter forest may look still but there are always signs of life.'
The ‘green space' as many locals call it, is over 200 hectares located between lakes Ramsey, Nepahwin, Laurentian and Bennet. It's been a source of recreation for many Sudburians.
Some though wonder, if the school will sell it off as it looks to resolve some of its debts.
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
"For the university, this is what makes the campus unique, it's such an attraction for the students for the Northern lifestyle," said Grant.
"It's very important because it's right next to a conversation area and the conversation area at Lake Laurentian, not only is a great recreation area but that water is very important for the drinking water source of Sudbury," said retired botanist and former Laurentian University professor, Peter Beckett.
Beckett, along with retired biologist and staff scientist at Science North Franco Mariotti, led separate groups through the hills and up to the beaver pond, while educating people about nature on the way.
"Part of the reason people come to Laurentian in the past has been that it's got five lakes, it's got all this open space," said Beckett.
"Today's hike is to point out what some of those secretive animals are that actually thrive above and beneath the snow, so we're hoping to… I don't think we'll actually see them but we'll see evidence of them and discover the world with the participants," said Mariotti.
The university is under new leadership and city hall is reportedly watching the situation very closely. The mayor has said that he is aware that the green space is important to a lot of people.
University officials, as of Friday, said they had no updates on the property as of yet.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.
B.C. rescuers face 'high likelihood' of failure to reunite orphaned orca with pod
The race to reunite an orphaned orca calf that’s stuck in a shallow lagoon with a neighbouring pod has entered its fifth day, and a marine scientist says the clock is ticking.
Video shows police interrupting auto theft in progress outside Toronto home
New video footage obtained by CP24 shows the attempted theft of a vehicle in a North York driveway earlier this month that was ultimately interrupted by police.
Majority of Canadians believe in life after death: Angus Reid survey
A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute has found that a majority of Canadians believe in some form of life after death, a proportion that has held steady for decades.
MyPillow, owned by U.S. election denier Mike Lindell, formally evicted from Minnesota warehouse
A court ordered the eviction Wednesday of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used.