METHANE? NO WE GOT NO METHANE HERE!!!

Last evening's Woolwich Township Committee of the Whole meeting was pretty funny. I've watched the approximately 50 minute You Tube video and while they are O.K. saying the word "landfill" and maybe they even said "Bolender Landfill" but they sure as hell never said the word "methane" even once. All participants even danced around why they can not cover the former landfill with impermeable asphalt. "Oh it would alter the water balance equation" or "recycled asphalt chemicals would leak into the groundwater". Yet oddly enough both regular asphalt and recycled asphalt are used everywhere else without second thoughts including on public highways, parking lots etc. Meanwhile it was mentioned that the Region of Waterloo continue to "manage" and "monitor" the old landfill. Apparently there is unsurprisingly still a need for "long term management". ............................................................................................................................... Interestingly there seems to be a sweetener thrown in here for the Township. That is the problem with a municipal waterline running through private property that did not show up on the deed or other appropriate documentation. The new owner is offerring to give the land it is beneath to the Township. The former owner was unhappy with after the fact "conditions" imposed upon him for a waterline on his property that he had no knowledge of prior to his purchse of the site. Our local courts (Kitchener) once again disgraced themselves with "home cooking" i.e. blatant bias towards local/regional entities such as Woolwich Township. This current "deal" may be to absolve themselves decades after the fact for their stupid handling of this municipal waterline going across private property to the former Martin Feed Mill. ............................................................................................................ It was made very clear, over and over again that there will be no buildings or structures on this proposed, expanded industrial lands. Also there will be no impermeable covering (asphalt, concrete etc.). Clearly as I would expect the subsurface methane gas is still a problem. Perhaps if the Township had not cheaped out in the 70s and 80s and properly installed an excellent gas removal system, the problem would be long gone by now. No such luck. They would rather cheap out and lie later. The new owner's name I believe is mentioned (i.e. Robert Shapiro). As per usual there are lots of studies and reports all most likely giving the Township the answers required to make this zone change (Open Space to Industrial Lands) happen. Approximately 200 mature trees will be removed in the process. ........................................................................................................ Citizen delegations are concerned with increased truck traffic, noise and air degradation (diesel fumes). Likely trucks will be both moving and idling on this expanded site with very small buffers between them and long term local residents. The mixing of industrial uses along side residential land uses never ends well. Councillor Merlihan in fact asked why all of a sudden rezoning from Open Space to Industrial Lands is so easy. He had been told in the past that it rarely occurred. Jeremy Vink, Township Planner, suggested that the province does not prohibit it although he also admitted that it is not common. In my opinion, something stinks, once again in Woolwich Township.