Chicopee Hills school gets green light, no Blanding's Turtles found on site

A field survey at the future site of Chicopee Hills Public School has revealed no evidence of the threatened Blanding'sturtle, and construction will proceed as planned,public school board staff say.

In 2014, someone reported spotting a Blanding's turtlenear the future site of the school near Lackner Boulevard and Fairway Road North.

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The Blanding's turtle is considered a threatened species in Ontario and has been nicknamed the "smiling turtle" because yellow markings around its neck and mouth make itappears to have a grin.

A staff report, presented to a Waterloo Region District School Boardspecial committee of the whole budget meeting Monday evening, said a field survey was completed this spring "and no Blanding's turtles were found" at the Chicopee Hills site.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has accepted the school board's consultant's report and now staff can move forward with construction.

The kindergarten to Grade 8 school is expected to be open in Sept. 2017.