A North Bay man says the proposed location of the North Bay casino on Pinewood Park Drive could threaten a turtle species.

Greg Gray says the Blanding’s Turtle is protected through its habitat but the casino location is part of the LaVase River / Cook Creek wetland complex which the species uses.

He was asked how the species would be impacted.

“It lives right next to it. It likes to travel on land. It likes to hunt for berries. If there’s development there’s going to be asphalt and buildings,” he says.

He says he is just one person of many in the community that will look to the Ministry of Natural Resources to create setbacks to protect the Blanding’s Turtle.

He says they would need a 250-350 metre area where no building would be permitted.

Gray says he wants council to know they shouldn’t support a development that could destroy a turtle habitat.

Council last month supported the casino development.

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