MORE LOCAL OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED TRUCK & TRAILER PARKING LOT ON TOP OF BOLENDER PARK LANDFILL

 Today's Woolwich Observer carries a Letter To The Editor from Dr. Dan Holt regarding the strange development proposal by 39A Holdings for a tractor and trailer parking lot to be built on the immediate north side of Bolender Park and the Splash Pad. Mr. Holt lists ten serious issues that will result if the development proceeds all of which I agree with. They range from increased truck traffic in the downtown, increased diesel fumes and noise, removal of over 300 trees to potential worsening of methane gas issues on the property.                                                                                                                                                  ..........................................................................                                                                                                  None of the ten problems to be are minor and several are problems already from truck traffic that only will be worsened. Mr. Holt's comments about volunteers planting trees along the Kissing Bridge Trail beside the northern edge of this proposed development as well as about a recent urban design survey are both right on the mark. Why would we as citizens and residents of Elmira want to to encourage  activities that harm our environment and quality of life? There are better locations for these trucks and trailers than downtown Elmira.  

DOW & OTHERS: BETTER PROFITS WITH CHEMISTRY

Today's K-W Record carries the following story  titled "Pressure growing to remove PFAS from fast-food wrappers". What is PFAS you say? From memory I believe that it stands for Poly Fluoral Alkyl Substances although I'm not 100% certain. In a nutshell these are a type of water proofing material containing fluorine. I believe that Scotchguard might be one of the brand names. These substances can be used on clothing, food wrappers and dozens of other consumer goods.                                                           ................................................................................                                                                                           In the U.S. a movie was made about a lawyer who took on Dow Chemical and their dumping of PFAS substances in a landfill which horribly damaged a local farmers' cattle. Possibly the actor in the movie's lead role was Mark Ruffalo. There has not been nearly enough media about these toxic substances which can also enter water supplies and have done so. According to the newspaper article the EPA have set a VOLUNTARY health advisory level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for two PFAS chemicals in drinking water. Wow that sure seems like an inadequate response to these toxic chemicals. 

TAG PAST & FUTURE

 O.K. the "future" TAG is merely referencing the next upcoming meeting which is Thursday June 23 most likely at 6 pm. Unfortunately it too will be virtual unless changed within the next couple of weeks. My recollection from the last meeting was that no date was set for any upcoming RAC meetings.                      ......................................................................................                                                                                      The last TAG meeting was May 12/22 and one point of discussion was in regards to whether or not the Draft Risk Assessment (RA) to date is including the Stroh Drain. The concensus seemed to be that indeed it did. I've reread part of  the latest Draft RA and while obviously the Creek from Lanxess to the Grand River is part and parcel, the various sampled tributaries are less clear. Fortunately the Stroh Drain which they refer to as 6770 Line #86 is clearly included. The tributaries (Larch's, Shirt Factory Creek, Bolender Creek & Landfill Creek) which were all sampled  for soils and sediment contamination by DDT and dioxins are however all mentioned in the Draft Risk Assessment.                                                                    ........................................................................                                                                                                    I am a little concerned for the Uniroyal toxic contaminants on the Martin farm however. That farm is immediately south of the Stroh farm and includes the southern half of the Stroh Drain and it's discharge into the Canagagigiue Creek. While the Stroh Drain is included it is referred to as the drainage area at 6770 Line #86 which might be interpreted by a self-serving, ethically challenged owner of polluted land as suddenly stopping at the Martin property line which of course it does not do. Also keep in mind that the sediment samples from the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB) were both taken on the Stroh property AND on the Martin property. In fact the dioxin concentration in sediments taken on the Martin property was 30 times  higher than the federal sediment criteria for dioxins: i.e. 24.4  ppt TEQ versus .85 ppt TEQ.  ..............................................................................................                                                                              Rest assured however that might is right here in Woolwich Township (Elmira) and polluters and their friends are experts at interpreting data to their financial advantage and nobody officially appointed to be their watchdogs are going to do anything serious about it.                                                                                                               

PERHAPS I UNDERSTATED PROVINCIAL CONSERVATIVE PARTY FAILURES YESTERDAY

 I mentioned health care, gender equity, decent jobs and pay, education, and justice as areas of failure. I will be more specific in regards to health care as well as by expanding it to include seniors and nursing home grotesque failures particularly in the For Profit nursing home sector. I will also briefly mention and add environmental issues to the list.                                                                                                                ..............................................................................................                                                                       The Canadian  Forces were called in as an emergency measure to care for nursing home residents during the first year of Covid. What they found was appalling. Some residents had been confined to their beds for days at a time without proper bathroom capabilities, proper food, and even proper medication being given. Baths and clean clothing had been ignored and some of the facilities were filthy. It was a life risking affront to the residents, to human dignity and to the families of residents. No government should ever survive such a scandal much less be rewarded by being re-elected.                                                                .................................................................................................................                                                          The Doug Ford Conservative government has been a disaster for the environment. From MZO (Ministerial Zoning Orders) to proposed new highways north of Toronto that appear to be nothing more than donations to the aggregate and trucking businesses, business and the economy are given a free ride at the expense of the environment. This includes reductions in environmental oversight for development  proposals whether by environmental assessments or other processes. LPAT or Local Planning Area Tribunals have replaced the former OMB (Ontario Municipal Board)  which was roundly criticized and known to be developer biased. To date LPAT has not made a name for itself as being particularly citizen and resident friendly in their battles over gravel pits and inappropriate development such as the Hawk Ridge development at Union and First St. in Elmira. Similarly the battle is about to be joined by citizen groups opposed to a new gravel pit just outside Maryhill. Other local gravel pit battles include the proposed Hallman Pit in Wilmot.                             

THURSDAY'S PROVINCIAL ELECTION

 I am torn between the Greens and the NDP. In my wildest dreams those two parties would hold the largest number of seats in the Ontario legislature. I could even happily envision some sort of NDP/Green coalition running the province for four years. Of course all the polls and all the pundits are saying exactly the opposite. They feel that the most undeserving Conservative government in decades will carry the day with the only issue being whether as a majority or minority government. Make no mistake I love minority governments whether federal or provincial. Some of the worst government abuses can occur when one party holds a majority of seats and literally has no need to compromise or make amendments to proposed legislation.                                                                                                                                                         ......................................................................                                                                                                    I will be satisfied if the Greens increase their number of seats in the Ontario legislature and if the NDP at least hold on to their seats and Opposition status. If the NDP and Andrea Horvath do better than that is excellent. I am sorry but both the Liberal and Conservative Party have abused their power and authority over the decades. Those two parties are responsible for ALL the scandals, failures and lost opportunities whether in health care, education, justice, gender equity and decent work and wages for all not just the few. That said yes both parties have done some good things, just not enough. It is long past time to pass the torch with the knowledge that any new government will be closely scrutinized by voters long after the election.

MY TOPIC IS SHIFTING TODAY

 Climate change, contaminated groundwater, the Ukraine, cancer rates or politics. It's none of those albeit they are all serious and life threatening. I believe that more Canadians and Americans die per year via traffic accidents then by cancer, shootings (even in the U.S.), smoking etc.                                           ..............................................................................................                                                                              This will be short. Two incidents, both thankfully minor, in the last week. I was driving down a two way street  with multiple cars parked on the road in my lane albeit close to an upcoming stop sign. As there was no oncoming traffic I moved over to the middle of the road to go by the multiple parked cars  An old man  (very) from in front of me made a right hand turn onto the street I was on.  The parked cars were neither bumper to bumper nor far enough apart to quickly and easily duck in between them to let the oncoming car go by. I slowed down and moved as far to the right as possible without hitting any of the parked cars. The now oncoming car had slowly accelerated up to the speed limit (50 km/hr) and was between four and five feet away from his right hand curb. And still coming and NOT moving even a single inch to his right. What the hell. I'm now on the brakes firmly AND on the horn Very loudly! Impact was imminent and I'm doublechecking whether I've got even a few more inches to spare on my right but I don't. I'm almost at a dead stop. I see no moving to the right from the oncoming car and BANG our side mirrors hit each other. Frankly I expected worse and now suspect that he either finally saw me or heard my horn  and swerved to the right at the last second.                                                         ..........................................................................                                                                                                  Damages were minimal and we both got out, chatted and picked up the various pieces of our side mirrors from the roadway. When I got out I was of course pissed but quickly saw that I was dealing with perhaps an 85 year old or older?? To replace my broken mirror only (the housing was unbroken) cost me less than $200.  My expectation is that he may have a string of incidents in his background based upon his failure to react at all until possibly the very last second.                                                        ...........................................................                                                                                                                This morning a second incident and although more minor than the previous is troubling as it is an indication of the quality (Ha) of drivers on our streets. The Round About at St. Jacobs is two lanes going into the roundabout, two lanes leaving the roundabout and I would estimate the two lanes going into it run for at least three hundred metres possibly more. The two lanes going out from the Round About northward I'm sure are a good 400 metres or more before reducing to one lane. Therefore it should be a no brainer that the purpose of two lanes into, two lanes in the Round About and two lanes going out for a serious distance are to allow TWO lanes of traffic simultaneously hence at least in theory to double the volume of traffic that the Round About can handle. Well apparently not so for some drivers. Now of course this does NOT apply when it is a tractor trailer in the St. Jacobs Round About. While the lanes are ample width for cars and light trucks there is virtually no way that a tractor trailer can stay in one lane because the radius of the traffic circle is so tight for them.                                            ......................................................                                                                                                                      So as usual when there are cars ahead of me going into the Round About (traffic circle) and one of the lanes is empty I move into the empty lane. Sure enough, not at all unusually, the first car has slowed down dramatically and his brake lights are on even after he's come to a full stop. The second car behind him comes to a full stop. My view is totally unobstructed (just like their's) and I can see that the traffic circle is not only empty but there are no other cars entering the traffic circle. Hence I slowly coast by the two stopped cars and drive through the traffic circle and continue on my way.  Well you would think that I had yelled, given the finger or done something reprehensible as one of the two stopped cars (number #2?) was all over his horn as I went by. Now in hindsight could it be possible that if it was car #2 honking that he was actually honking at car #1 that had come to a full stop unnecessarily?  Hmm I guess it's possible although I'm doubtful. The point is that one driver obviously believes it's impossible to look around for possible oncoming traffic unless one is at a dead stop which is stupid or the second car feels that two lanes are NEVER to be used for "passing" even when the other cars are at a dead stop. Either way it is typically poor driving and that over the decades has become par for the course.                                                                                                                          

LOCAL WOOLWICH POLITICS

 My understanding is that nominations have been open since May 9/22 for the Mayor's position as well as five councillors (in three wards). To date as per the Township's website and involving a difficult search (for me at least) it does seem clear that the only registered candidate to date is Patrick Merlihan for the Mayor's position. Well, well, well. I'm not sure what is going on and indeed as the deadline for nominations is still well down the road in August there may be absolutely nothing going on.                        ...................................................................................................                                                                        However it would seem to me that as incumbents have an advantage over new candidates, that the incumbents planning on running  would throw their names into the mix quickly and possibly discourage some potential candidates. Is it actually possible that either all or the majority of our sitting councillors have had enough? Certainly for very long term councillors namely Murray Martin that is extremely understandable. Murray has been a councillor and worked with I'm guessing at least three or four different Mayors.                                                                                                                                                              ................................................................                                                                                                            Recently Councillor Merlihan did call out his fellow councillors for some of their lack of preparation and dedication in regards to them doing their homework for Woolwich's annual budget.  I and I'm sure many others were somewhat surprised by this lack of diplomacy however it is indeed an election year so perhaps everything is on the table when one is trying to get either re-elected or promoted  to Mayor. Stay tuned and let's see if this lack of nominations trend continues or not.