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What Does This Mean?
Why Is This Important?
How Are We Doing?
Taking Responsibility
- What You Can Do
We Must All Be
Accountable – Improving Trees, Parks & Natural
Areas - Find Out More
What Does This Mean?
The Open Space designation
in the City of London Official Plan Schedule A
includes lands which are to be maintained as park space or natural
areas. These lands include public and
private open space, flood plain lands and
natural heritage areas which have been
recognized as having city-wide, regional or
provincial significance. The Plan directs the
conservation of these areas and integration into
the City's overall parks network. These lands also
serve the added function of enhancing the City’s
image as the “Forest City”, and in providing a
break in the urban landscape. Uses permitted
within the Open Space designation are limited to
non-intensive uses, such as playgrounds and
cemeteries. District, city-wide and
regional parks are included in the Open Space
designation. The Open Space designation may also
be applied to natural physical features which
are desirable for preservation.
Why Is This Important?
Due to urban and
agricultural development over the past 150
years, the majority of London’s original
wetlands and forests have been drained or
cleared. While developing areas bring many
economic benefits, there is also the need to
protect the remaining natural attributes as an
integral part of a healthy community. Natural
areas such as parks and open space enhance the
quality of life of London residents. These areas
are home to many different plants and wildlife
and contribute to the health of the whole
ecosystem of which they are a part.
Subwatershed
Planning Studies were completed in the mid-90’s
to coordinate land use development with
environmental protection. Open spaces are
important to the environmental, social and
economic health of any area. They ensure water
quality and quantity, habitat protection (fish
and wildlife) and restoration issues are
addressed in the planning process.
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How Are We Doing?
æ
Getting
Better
Source: City of
London Official Plan – Schedule A, Planning
Department (Jan. 2005)
The amount of Open Space
will likely continue to increase in the near
future simply because the City of London
currently has over 2,000 hectares of land
designated Environmental Review. These are lands
identified through the Subwatershed Planning
process that “may” contain significant natural
features and important ecological functions
which should be protected. On the basis of more
detailed environmental studies, in conjunction
with an area study or site specific development
proposal, areas with ER designation will be
redesignated as either Open Space if
environmentally significant or other appropriate
land uses.
Taking Responsibility – What You Can Do
-
Get involved in
community-based stewardship initiatives.
Contact your local Conservation Authority or
the Urban League of London for a group
addressing your interest.
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Get involved in
the planning process. In order to ensure the
preservation of an area’s natural heritage
features, planning and land use decisions at
all levels of government must recognize the
need to protect the remaining natural heritage
features to address water quality and
quantity, habitat protection (fish and
wildlife) and restoration issues.
We Must All Be Accountable –
Improving Trees,
Parks & Natural Areas
-
Find Out More
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