Proponents release details of grain terminal

It’s not often that someone packing for a trip includes 1,000 pairs of underwear in their luggage, but that’s what an Ault Island couple did as they prepared to leave for Africa this week.

Gail Hamilton and Brian Barkley left on a mission to a Kenyan orphanage, October 8.

This is the second time Hamilton has made the journey and Barkley’s first.

Eight people are making the trip to the orphanage, the Ebenezer Life Centre in Ahero, Kenya.

The orphanage, run by Bishop Winnie Owiti, is not government supported. It relies on sponsors to cover the day to day needs of the 800 children who live there. 

Owiti’s last visit to Canada, when she was here in Morrisburg, is the reason that Hamilton and Barkley decided to pack the 1,000 pairs of underwear.

“When she was here, she bought a bunch of underwear for the children at the orphanage; it was something they needed,” said Barkley. “She packed it in her luggage, and her luggage got lost, never to be found again.”

After hearing the story, Hamilton and Barkley set a goal to take 1,000 new pairs of underwear with them to the orphanage when they made the trip. 

“We met and exceeded our goal,” said Hamilton.

They purchased most of the underwear themselves, taking advantage of various close out sales at discount stores, and friends made some donations.

In addition to the approximately $800 spent on underwear, Hamilton and Barkley each raised $2,000 for the orphanage.

While at the orphanage they plan to host a Canada Day event for the children, which will feature fun activities, sports and a special meal.

Hamilton got involved with the orphanage project through her cousin Lorraine Casselman, founder and executive director for the Canadians For the Children of Africa, a non-profit agency.

That was the reason for the first visit for Hamilton. 

The reason for the second visit is the children of the orphanage. 

“The children made me want to go back. Children here have everything; children there have nothing. The only thing they have is their smiles. They look at life differently.”

Barkley sees this trip as a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

Though he is looking forward to the trip he is a unsure of how the experience will affect him. 

Hamilton though, is very sure of how Barkley will be affected by the mission. 

“His heart, that is already big, will open up even more. It really will. It happens when you get the opportunity to spend time with these children.”

[…]

Things are moving steadily forward for the South Branch Wind Farm project. Submitting the final report to the Ministry of Environment (MOE) is Prowind Canada’s next step.

On March 13th, Rochelle Rumney, Environmental Coordinator for Prowind, reported that while the company had expected to have the final report submitted by early March, “it will be closer to the end of the month.”

Rumney gave a brief explanation of the process following submission of the final report for the South Branch Wind Farm: “The MOE will review the application within 40 days of our submission and determine if it is ‘complete’. Once that has been established, it will be posted on the EBR (environmental registry) and the 30 day review period begins.”

Tracking the progress of the final report can be done by going to www.ebr.gov.on.ca. The public can submit comments and opinions about the report to the MOE once the 30 day review period has begun.

According to Rumney, “we will notify the public by way of newspaper ad once that review period begins.”

[…]

A September 16 letter distributed to residents in the vicinity of the Universal dock indicates that changes have been made to the proposal to build an export grain terminal at the UTI site.

The proposal has been modified to locate the proposed 105’ diameter by 90’ tall grain bins, that were met with much disapproval from area residents, on UTI property, north of County Road 4 (Lakeshore Drive), rather than on the south side as originally proposed.

According to the letter, the proposed location is on the east side of the property approximately 120 meters east of the north/south internal access road that exists on the UTI site today.

“The grain bins will be aligned in a south to north configuration so that only lone bin is located close to Lakeshore and the second and possible expansion of bins are located to the north of the first bin,” say project proponents Tom Kaneb and Ben Currelly.

The proposal includes an enclosed conveyor over Lakeshore Drive to move grain from the bins on the north of the road to the south east end of the dock. A portable conveyor and ship loading stacker will be used when ships are loaded or unloaded.

According to Kaneb, “We have proposed locating the grain bins and truck area on the north side of Lakeshore to minimize the impact on the view of the St. Lawrence River from Lakeshore Road, to minimize the impact on the view of the neighbours, and to not have trucks cross Lakeshore.”

“Ontario farmers are expecting another bumper crop of soy beans and corn, emphasizing the need for an export terminal that will enable area farmers to access global markets effectively,” said Kaneb.

“Construction must await the acquisition of the required permits,” he added. “We are in the midst of that process now.”

Asked what these changes mean to the concerned citizens group opposed to this project, Gerben Schaillee, a member of the group says, “It really changes nothing. The zoning is incorrect.”

Lesley Rowntree, who is also part of the concerned citizens group, said the group has discussed the recent changes to the proposal. “The consensus is, it doesn’t change the illegality of putting a grain terminal on land that is zoned for light industrial use.” She said that though the changes would be better, visually for the area, any discussion of the impact is purely hypothetical. 

“Yes, if the proposal was legal, it would be marginally better,” said Rowntree. 

According to Rowntree, this project, if allowed to go ahead, would negatively impact more than just residents in the vicinity of the dock. She mentioned the Lakeshore Drive is part of the Waterfront Trail, which brings those in the booming cycling tourism industry to the area. She also said that the impact of increased truck traffic would be felt much farther out than the immediate area of the UTI property.

“This whole scheme is of little advantage to anyone in South Dundas,” according to Rowntree. “It would only result in a couple of jobs, the Waterfront Trail would be ruined and noisy trucks would be travelling through our rural towns. This transforms the entire nature of the area.”

She concedes that farmers may benefit, but sees expansion of the port at Prescott, as a more appropriate alternative, since the government has already subsidized that port with Canadian tax dollars.

Should South Dundas choose to issue a building permit for the proposed development in its new location, the threat of litigation by the concerned citizens group still stands.

Despite her opposition to the project, Rowntree is thankful that Kaneb has been so open with area residents about the details of this proposed project.

Grain terminal proponents have been in contact with the municipality regarding the new site plan. “They still have to satisfy applicable law to obtain a building permit,” said South Dundas chief administrative officer Steve McDonald. He is unsure of the current status of the application for this new location.

[…]