IS THE GRAVEL PIT GAME RIGGED? - OF COURSE IT IS

STAFF SET THE STAGE FOR WOOLWICH COUNCIL ............................................................................................................... Last Saturday's Waterloo Region Record carried the following story written by Leah Gerber titled : "Report calls for approval of Maryhill pit". Tonite's virtual Woolwich Council meeting will discuss Woolwich staff's proposal to indeed approve the proposed (Shantz Station) above water table (for now at least) gravel pit. Lest we forget, with notable exceptions Woolwich tend to approve zoning and Official Plan amendments when they are requested by gravel pit companies. Manager of planning for Woolwich, Jeremy Vink, states that municipal, regional and provincial requirements have all been met by the proponent, Capitol Paving. Of course he also advises that under the Aggregate Resources Act, the province is ultimately responsible with reviewing and handling complaints from affected residents. Historically the province, similar to the Ontario MOE/MECP, are willfully impotent when it comes to adequately providing protection and mitigation to affected residents. .............................................................................................................................. Former councillor, Bonnie Bryant and other locals will speak to Council this evening on the matter. Additional issues include the proposed recycling of asphalt and concrete that will occur at the proposed location near the village of Maryhill. Personally I expect that crushing of concrete in particular will create lots of noise and dust. Unfortunately after sucessfully turning down the proposed pit in West Montrose (last covered bridge in Ontario) and the proposed Hunder Pit between Winterbourne and Conestogo a few years back, I see little appetite for more conflict with the province and appeal expenses by Woolwich Council. The Jigs Hollow Pit debacle is likely to become the norm at least until citizens get far more aggressive and throw out both Liberal and Conservative governments at Queen's Park over the bullying of rural Ontario courtesy of the Aggrgate Resources Act. Currently there is no "balance" of citizens' rights versus the aggregate lobby.