OLD STUPIDITIES ARE COMING AROUND AGAIN

Why can't bad ideas, given the boot years ago, stay dead? Ahh the answer is money. Money never rests and the opportunity to make more money blinds and deafens those so afflicted. The Woolwich Observer published a story in their Saturday December 24, 2011 edition titled "Deeming land use incompatible, Woolwich to fight proposed Union St. development." This particular bad idea was the proposed Hawk Ridge subdivision located at the apple orchard across from Sulco (Canada Colours) and very close to Chemtura Canada (now Lanxess).

Several speakers presented criticisms of the proposed subdivision to Woolwich Council four days prior to the Observer article. These included Ron Koniuch of Sulco, Ken Driedger (preacher) and myself as well. Council to their credit are not in favour of the proposed subdivision. They mention issues as far ranging as noise, odours and the chemical companies across the street namely Chemtura and Sulco.

For myself and many others the real issue is the Chemtura "Worst Case Scenario". At that time it was the potential for a devastating release of Anhydrous Ammonia. There is an actual "Kill Zone" around Chemtura which extends for hundreds of metres. This company and other chemical companies prefer to have some kind of buffers between themselves and residential neighbourhoods. Obviously a fire or explosion in the middle of the night would catch far too many people asleep in their beds and the proposed increased proximity to the company could prove fatal.

Eventually the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) ruled that the subdivision could not proceed based upon middle of the night noise from shunting trains on either the Chemtura or Sulco properties. It was a bizarre decision although it did stop the project at the time. Will it stand up to the next test for this inappropriate location for residential development?