Ontario citizens group opposes development on land that expert says is rich in Indigenous history

Marcie Jacklin sees a migration path for at-risk species, a significant battleground from the War of 1812 and woodland with deep ties to Indigenous history when she looks at the dense pocket of trees near Old Lake Erie Beach Park in Fort Erie, Ont.

But soon, that 14.8 hectares of land above the shoreline of Lake Erie could become Harbourtown Village — a slice of suburbia with 86 single-family homes, 96 townhomes and a 10-storey apartment building.

Now Jacklin and Community Voices of Fort Erie, the citizens group she leads, are heading to a Local Planning Appeal Tribunal hearing at the end of April to fight off the developer, Silvergate Homes, and the Town of Fort Erie.

"We're really, really worried that some really significant historical artifacts ... are going to disappear or be destroyed," Jacklin told CBC Hamilton.

"It's disturbing actually … there are some things that are priceless."

The case comes as Fort Erie and other Ontario municipalities are trying to build enough homes for a growing population.

It has been before the tribunal since late 2018 and the developer didn't return calls for an interview.

Fort Erie Mayor Wayne Redekop disputes some of the claims from the group, but said he has an open mind about the concerns.

"All they need to do is prove it."

Jacklin said the citizens group will have Ricahrd Feltoe, who authored four books on the War of 1812, and two archeological reports from Triggs Heritage Consulting to prove the significance of the land.

She said based on the reports, the land — which Jacklin and others call Waverly Woods — could qualify to be a heritage site, and the citizen group may apply for that.

Ron Williamson, founder of ASI Heritage, told CBC Hamilton the area is "one of the richest archeological areas and historical areas of the Niagara Region."

He said there's roughly 3,500 years of Indigenous occupation nearby, and those people would have gone to Waverly Woods looking for chert and flint to make arrowheads and spearpoints.

"That's why within that site, you could, when you excavate down quite low … you can find literally hundreds of artifacts per square metre. And this has informed development in that area since about 1980."