While preparing to demolish an abandoned building for a new multi-housing project, developers in Magog had to interrupt their plans due to a colony of chimney swifts installed in the building’s chimneys. — Due to the presence of these birds, you will have to wait until “the chimney does not [soit] no longer considered as a chimney swift dormitory, three years after the last appearance of the bird” or as a “substitute chimney [soit] erected nearby and that it [soit] frequented by chimney swifts” for the project to continue, explained municipal councilor Jacques Laurendeau at a meeting on November 4.
Promoters have recently become aware of the presence of these birds. “The Ministry of Wildlife got involved. It is a species that is protected,” indicates the mayor of Magog, Nathalie Pelletier, who affirms that there are “more than 200 species” in the chimneys.
As the developer chose the second option, namely the construction of a new chimney, the City of Magog decided to finance 50% of the costs up to a maximum amount of $60,000.
“We said to ourselves that there was a link to be made with the Espace Saint-Luc. It’s a fresh space with lots of plants. Citizens will be able to observe the chimney swift.”
— Nathalie Pelletier, mayor of Magog
“The promoter asked the Granby Zoo to support them in this,” also says Ms. Pelletier. There is, however, no guarantee that the plan will be a success.
“It’s a risk. In Granby, it worked, but you never know what the wildlife is going to do. We hope that the birds will adopt the new home.”
“The developers will begin construction this fall. The idea is to have it ready for spring,” said the mayor about the planned replacement chimney.
The Granby Zoo has already succeeded in moving chimney swifts to a replacement chimney. (Alain Dion/La Voix de l’Est Archives)
Asked whether the real estate project could fall through if the chimney swifts do not move, Ms. Pelletier remains confident, but admits that the developer finds himself “in the unknown”.
“As long as this is not resolved with the chimney swift, he cannot move forward with his project,” she says, recalling the importance of having new housing in this neighborhood.
