2018 - Beneath Our Feet - SHERIDAN BFTV CORE 1 DOCS

Beneath Our Feet

A new housing development falling within the boundaries of the Oak Ridges Moraine is heavily debated about by local residents and will undoubtedly change the community forever.

In the hamlet of Claremont, north of Pickering, a housing development is being proposed on agricultural lands. This is nothing new for the community. By being part of the Oak Ridges Moraine and the Greenbelt, it is protected from most development. Twelve hundred residents of the community will undoubtedly be affected if the development occurs.

There are seventy homes to be built on the site, increasing the population with approximately three-hundred new residents. What residents are concerned about is land use and water. What should be done? Should it continue being farmed or would a development be beneficial?

Claremont, ON

Claremont Residents (Coming Soon!)

Andre Kern
Small Business Owner

"Claremont is a very old … hamlet that the city has not taken care of. They claim that if we don’t allow the development then we’re going to be paying twice as much in property taxes …, but I don’t see it as a developer’s problem, I see it as the city’s problem or the region’s problem for that matter."

Brian Welsh
Private Consultant

"No level of government has stepped up to solve that problem. The only people who have stepped up to solve the problem is the developer who owns the land. And they’re going to spend about five million dollars of their money to solve the problem, and lose lots."

Teegan Mannion
Chocolatier

"It’s a real shame that there’s not more of a respect and
appreciation for the natural
world and for the land that
sustains us.

News Updates

Click to read full article online.

Behind the Scenes

The Team

Samantha Tong
Producer/Director/Writer
Since as long as I could remember I have always loved and respected the outdoors, especially where I call home. I have created this project to draw attention to the community I grew up in and to bring awareness to the significance of that land.

Dennis Rankin
Cinematographer
Water is our life source and if we discard our care for it, nature will not treat us kindly back. I am proud to be a part of this project to bring awareness to this threat and showcase the beauty that this country has to offer.

Monica Meng
Producer
I'm a camera kid taking on the producer role. I guess that just shows how attractive this project is in nature. Though I've never had a special liking for documentaries, I always came to love works of Errol Morris. In a way this project reminds me of his works; we are continuously discovering new pieces of evidence while being reminded of how realistic the issue truly is.

Declan Ralph
Production Sound
As a film student specializing in camera and sound, my favourite sound is rain fall during a storm. I grew up in a small rural town in Ontario and love the community in my small town. I am also a life long fan of the Leafs and a soccer maniac. I love to work on projects that I believe in and passionate about.

Taya Tummon
Writer/BTS Photographer
Although environmental documentaries aren’t my first choice, I do feel a connection to this one. I couldn’t imagine losing my childhood memories to a development. I feel like this story isn't told enough and not everyone knows the extent of this situation. That is why I think it is important to be a part of something that is happy to help spread this message.

Jesse Koehnen
Post Sound
As a film student pursuing the world of audio, I am very excited to help bring this story to life through rich, natural soundscapes while conveying the beauty and detail of the environment.