Save the Whistle Bend Forest

Forest or clearcut?

This area at the entrance to Whistle Bend has been designated for decades as highly sensitive environmental area. Why is it now being considered for a gravel pit and eventual housing?

Potential Negative Impacts of Development

Years of heavy equipment and trucks in and out of the area in an already congested traffic zone.
High levels of dust and increased noise for Whistle Bend; potential removal of the hill would reduce sound barrier from Mountainview Drive.
Loss of a relatively untouched trail and recreation area, and wildlife corridor; between this area (being called “Whistle Bend South”) and Range Point there will only be a tiny passage for wildlife between steep banks.
More housing—compounded with Range Point and ongoing Whistle Bend homes—means considerably more vehicle traffic on Mountainview Drive, and foot traffic in the 300m corridor.
Loss of a well-established city bike trail (“Roadrunner”)

Basic Facts

Located at the southeast corner of the roundabout that leads into Whistle Bend, between Mountainview Drive and Range Road.
Is designated as an “Environmentally Sensitive Area” on the City’s own map and GIS site.

Light green is the “Environmentally Sensitive Area” on the GIS site…
Red line is the proposed development area…

Excluded from final boundaries of Chasàn Chùa Territorial Park though it had been proposed for true park ecological integrity.
With development of Range Point, development will leave only a small 300m corridor between housing areas for wildlife passage…area is full of visible tracks in the winter.
In the 2010 Official Community Plan (OCP), this area was clearly designated as green space and/or park area. However, in the current 2040 OCP, the area has been dropped out entirely from this designation and marked as a development zone.
Under the Zoning Bylaw Rewrite underway now, the proposal (see page 6 of this document) is to designation this area OFP Other – Future Planning to reflect the designation in the 2040 OCP. This is an opportunity for you to voice your opinion on this matter (see below).

How can I get involved?

Make a comment the the Zoning Bylaw Rewrite consultation process… the sooner the better!

Please review the Zoning Bylaw Rewrite page and send in your comments to the contact people listed there. The Yukon Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS)has drafted this letter with instructions that can be used as a template :

Public Input Template(2)Download

If you are on Facebook, join the group…

A group space called Save the Whistle Bend Forest has been created, and you are invited to participate. Share your ideas and concerns, and join in the discourse.