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Residents in London’s southwest who rallied against a nature trail west of Springbank Park got their wish Tuesday night.

At least for now.

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Council voted 8-5 to send the proposed Byron Valley nature trail – a short dirt and gravel path south of the Thames River near Commissioners and Halls Mill roads – back to staff for more investigation about the threat to endangered species.

“I think we owe it to the public to do that due diligence,” Coun. Tanya Park said.

Ward 9 Coun. Anna Hopkins, who represents the area, led the charge, urging her colleagues to demand more information about wildlife in the area that could be hampered by the trail.

Her solution was to refer the trail back to staff and invite the animal experts – including the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority and Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources – to present to politicians at a future planning meeting.

The rub? Both agencies already were asked to weigh in on the trail and at-risk species that could be impacted last year. They relayed no concerns.

City planner John Fleming told council, “we think the due diligence has been done,” noting a professional biologist was hired by city hall to study the environment through multiple seasons.

He later added, “We see this as not a significant or invasive trail.”