The ripple effects of a treaty signed 237 years ago have led to an occupation of a former municipal golf course in southern Ontario, where a developer hopes to build hundreds of new homes.
The site of the Arrowdale Golf Course in Brantford, Ont. has been under occupation since Oct. 9, when Indigenous leaders and concerned residents began a peaceful takeover of the property.
“This land is part of our hunting grounds,” Trevor Bomberry of the Arrowdale Land Defenders, said in a recent phone interview. “I have a direct connection to the land anyways. This land that I’m sitting on — this golf course — my people, the Oneidas, used to live here.”
Branford city council sold most of the golf course in 2020 to Elite M.D. Developments to fund affordable housing projects in the city. The development company plans to turn the 13-hectare land purchase into about 300 single-family homes and townhouses, though the deal has not been finalized.
The city plans to turn the remaining seven hectares into a community park.
“I’d like to see Brantford officials – in respects to the councillors and the mayor — start working with the Confederacy Council — the two governments — and figure out how they’re going to move forward from here on out because the mayor has the ability to handle the issues here,” Bomberry said.
Elite MD Developments did not respond to a request for comment.
In a statement from Oct. 12, Brantford condemned the “unlawful occupation of city-owned lands located at 282 Stanley Street, and of alleged criminal acts that transpired over the weekend on the property, including trespassing, breaking and entering and vandalism.”
In a statement to CTVNews.ca on Oct. 21, Maria Visocchi, a spokesperson for the city, said “it’s important to clarify that there are considerably more non-Indigenous individuals frequenting the site than those who identify as Indigenous.”
“It is a serious and sensitive matter that requires significant input from our federal and provincial partners as well as the Indigenous community, and is not within the city’s jurisdiction to resolve,” she added.
“We are thoughtfully considering options guided by our primary objective to ensure the safety and well-being of all parties on site.”
City council held a special in-camera meeting to address the issue on Oct. 21 and have since indicated its intent to hire an Indigenous affairs adviser to “help lead the city’s efforts to strengthen relationships with First Nations as well as urban Indigenous residents.”
In the meantime, Bomberry said he has no intentions of leaving the property and is prepared to stay through the winter, if needed.
“It’s going to be way longer than just the winter months,” Bomberry said. “Even if they shut the heat off, I was going to bring in a big diesel generator.”
Bomberry and the other land defenders also have the support of some city councillors who want the deal halted.
“I will continue to be an advocate for investing in our green and open spaces to contribute to the quality of life our residents deserve,” Cheryl Antoski, a Ward 4 councillor, told CTV News Kitchener last month.
“Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever and before anyone accuses me of not caring about affordable housing, I don’t believe that is true of anyone on Council – and it is certainly not true of me. There is just a disagreement on how we get there and what the options are.”
