“Walk of Reflection focuses on land use planning

February 3, 2022 · 0 Comments

By Rob Paul

On Wednesday, a group of considered residents met up at Belfountain Public School to take a walk. That walk was birthed out of the need to reflect on the ways in which Caledon’s land, and surrounding land, is being used for development.

The “Walk of Reflection” was organized by Caledon environmental activist Jenni Le Forestier as an opportunity to continue the conversation about what’s happening in the area as well as chance to reflect on the importance of the First Nations and the need to increase communications with them when developing land.

This walk was not a protest, just a chance to connect with others who are concerned about Caledon and the decisions being made with its vast lands.

“A few of us have been talking about the issues in this neighbourhood and the increasing stresses with the different applications,” said Le Forestier. “And also, how could we bring in dialogue about other groups that would be interested, like First Nations, who we don’t think have been consulted enough. We decided rather to impose anything on anyone, we would just take a walk and have a moment to reflect on all these things. This walk is to reflect on how the lands and waters have held us up and how it’s time to have some introspection on our collective duty to reciprocate and honour them. They’ve been the subject of traumas from unchecked extraction and development and it’s time to reflect on how to bring them to a point where they can heal. We’re just going to walk the area and talk; we feel it’s the least we can do.”

Multiple environmental groups in the area were involved in the walk of reflection, and though they’re championing different issues, they all align on the topic of protecting the lands.

“People who’ve been working on the water treatment plant issue (in Erin), Forks of the Credit Preservation group, and other people who are passionate from the area,” said Le Forestier. “It’s not a protest, we just want to reflect. We’re concerned and we want to talk about what we might do next to advocate, but really it’s about connecting and figuring out what we should do as a group to help make change.”