Williamsburg fire station gets updates

The lead up to the July 16 South Dundas Council meeting foreshadowed of lively debate and potential conflict, but the end result was quite the opposite.

Those opposed to the potential grain terminals at the Universal dock along Lakeshore Drive, the owner of the dock, the Grain Farmers of Ontario, and South Dundas’ planning department, were all on the agenda for the meeting, to make presentations, but a lawyer’s letter presented to council by the initial delegation of concerned citizens put an end to any potential council or staff input, feedback or questions.

So, each group was given about 10 minutes to make their planned presentation, and did so. 

An estimated crowd of about 150 had gathered to watch the proceedings.

Chris Rowntree, spoke on behalf of the citizens group, saying that allowing the grain terminal to be built on this land does not conform with its light industrial zoning. And that allowing it under the guise of calling it a warehouse is indefensible in a court of law.

He then had Gerben Schaillee, who is part of the concerned citizens group, read aloud a letter from the group’s lawyer, Donald R. Good of AGB Lawyers in Ottawa.

Good maintains that classifying a grain terminal as a grain warehouse is erroneous.

“This appears to be a deliberate misuse of the word ‘warehouse’ to simply avoid  the proper re-zoning process which would allow public input into the addition of this new permitted use in the M1 zone,” said Good.

“To proceed to issue a building permit, will subject the Township to potentially expensive litigation,” said Good. “I encourage the Township to reconsider its position and not issue a building permit until the property has been properly vetted through the re-zoning process.”

Following Rowntree and Schaillee, Tom Kaneb, owner of UTI made a presentation. 

He noted that  these lands have been industrial since prior to 1967, pre-dating some of the neighbouring homes and many of their current owners. 

“The tension that we have here is often felt when residential areas expand close to older industrial areas,” said Kaneb. “We know that we need to try and reach an accommodation.”

“We are designing into the project modern dust controls and low noise aeration fans to minimize dust and noise,” he added.

Kaneb spoke of the local economic benefit to farmers and to South Dundas and to the support that the project has from area farmers.

“We intend to proceed with the support of the community and will do our best to meet all laws, regulations and zoning requirements,” said Kaneb.

Again, because of the legal involvement brought on by the concerned citizens group, council did not question or comment on the matter.

Following Kaneb’s presentation, Grain Farmers of Ontario delegate Warren Schneckenburger, told of the need and importance of this new terminal in South Dundas.

“We are fortunate here to have two end users, Ingredion (formerly Casco) and Greenfield Ethanol, but their maximum capacity has been realized,” said Schneckenburger. He explained that the result is a reliance on the Port of Prescott, which fills very rapidly in the fall.

“This issue is bigger than South Dundas,” said Schneckenburger, pointing out that grain regularly flows to this area from a much larger region regularly coming from about 5,200 producers.

Once again, South Dundas council refrained from questioning or commenting on the presentation.

Included in council’s information package was a key information report from Donald Lewis, manager of planing and enforcement, regarding the status of the status of the project.

Council did not allow Lewis to speak to the report.

According to the report, a peer review with planning consultants has confirmed that the grain terminal proposal meets zoning requirements and currently staff are in the process of determining if all applicable laws have been satisfied.

The proponent has secured the required County Road setback permit, and have sufficiently addressed truck traffic concerns. 

In its current form, the proposal does not require any South Nation Conservation permits. 

Ministry of the Environment staff are in the process of reviewing the application.

[…]

MPP Jim McDonell is urging all local municipalities and seniors’ non-profits to apply for the new Ontario Seniors Community Grant Program. 

The grant is available to municipalities, senior-focused non-profits, local service boards and aboriginal groups for projects that provide seniors with opportunities to network, volunteer, learn and be otherwise active in their community.

“Our seniors built a community and province they can be proud of, and they are dedicated to sharing their experience and abilities” MPP McDonell commented. “This grant will provide $1,000,000 across the province to local services organizations who want to bring more senior clients together and offer them a greater variety of activities.” Individual grant amounts are expected to range from $500 to $8,000.

“Having our seniors as active participants in our community sharing their wealth of knowledge and wisdom is an essential step in maintaining their quality of life and both physical and mental health,” MPP McDonell said. 

“I encourage all local service organizations to identify projects that would help enhance our seniors’ quality of life and apply for the grant by the March 27th deadline.” Program guidelines and application forms are available at www.ontario.ca/seniors

[…]

Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS), the world’s largest manufacturer of corrugated plastic pipe, has opened its newest product distribution site in Morrisburg. 

ADS is headquartered in Hilliard, Ohio.

The yard, located on County Road 31 (beside the flea market) has already increased the local availability of the company’s products in and around Ottawa and Southeastern Ontario. 

Supply for the yard comes from the company’s manufacturing plants including Heidelberg, Ontario and St. Germain, Quebec.

“The reason for this expansion,” said Ewout Leeuwenburg, ADS Senior Vice President of International Operations, “is because of the strong demand for our agricultural water management pipe products and our other products used in storm water and sanitary sewer systems.  Not only will we be shipping from this site using our trucks, but contractors can also pick up what they need, when they need it.”

ADS products are found in farms, sports stadiums, golf courses, highways, building complexes, housing developments, industrial parks, airports and the infrastructure of cities and towns throughout Canada and the world.

The new Morrisburg yard is part of ADS’ on-going multi-million dollar capital investment program announced in 2011 to add pipe production and inventory capacity. ADS has a network of 56 manufacturing locations worldwide, and 28 stocking service yards.

[…]