Burlington Today
Trees are coming down at Millcroft Golf Course, as the land is prepped to be redeveloped into housing.
On Thursday morning, workers started removing mature trees from the 16th hole.
“This is devastating, we have worked hand in hand with the residents for five years,” Kirk Robinson, director of Millcroft Against Bad Development (still abbreviated as MAD) said. “After our rally, we heard from Ontario Premier Doug Ford and it was our impression that he was having conversations with the developer to come up with alternatives. We confirmed the housing minister was coming out, so we all felt the rally did what it was supposed to do, then all of a sudden the developers jump ahead and it’s like a scorched earth policy.”
MAD held a rally last weekend in a last ditch attempt to save the golf course, with local politicians making an appearance and voicing their supports. According to BurlingtonToday, the Minister of Housing Rob Flak did not attend the rally.
Robinson said it was ironic that MPP Effie Triantafilopoulos was out planting saplings, instead of helping to save trees that have already grown.
“She was out planting trees instead of attending our rally,” he said. “Instead, she sent her representative.”
Robinson said the community is feeling downhearted following pictures and videos of the trees being cut down that have been circulated Thursday morning.
Videos of large machines removing trees only metres from residents' back yards were posted to the MAD X account.
“You feel defeated,” Robinson said. “The wants of the very few were prioritized over the needs of the thousands. This is not a necessary development.”
Robinson claims the development is unnecessary as Burlington is on track to meet its 2030 housing goals already.
“It is 100 per cent greed,” he said. “The Liptay family that owns the course is running a family business, and this community has supported them since 2006 when they took over. All our golfing, events, and the clubhouse.”
The development, should it go through, will see 90 new single family units and 130 apartment units built on former golf course land, which will remove four holes from the course.
