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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.