GRAVEL PITS AND THE ONTARIO MUNICIPAL BOARD

I remember years ago stating that I knew a toxicologist who seemed to feel that each and every toxic chemical had some socially redeeming value. Similarily I had been told a few years back that the Ontario Municipal Board had never met a gravel pit that they didn't like. Shortly after I heard of a breakthrough whereby a proposed gravel pit in Puslinch Township got turned down by the O.M.B.. Since that time we've had a proliferation of gravel pit applications here in Woolwich Township. The proposed Capitol Paving Pit in West Montrose near the Covered Bridge seems to be defunct. Whether another beside it just downriver will sprout up may still be up in the air. Woolwich Township's CHL (Cultural Heritage Landscape) designation seems to have been the last straw for the West Montrose proponent.

I've just attended four days of hearings with lots more scheduled starting back next Tuesday at 10 am. in Woolwich Council Chambers in Elmira. These are for yesterday's mentioned proposed Hunder Pit. I am in awe of the time and money being spent on lawyers and technical experts. So far we've had experts on Noise and Traffic examined as well as cross-examined. Not only are these experts extremely knowledgeable but I also get the feeling that they are true believers. When it comes to defending their positions/opinions or defending their clients aspirations for a new gravel pit; these folks are not shrinking violets. On a couple of occasions I've seen the cross-examining lawyer get quite peeved with a witness for the proponent appearing to stick handle around a pretty straight up yes or no question.

Engineers can be specific to the point of nit picking. They also sometimes seem quite convinced that there isn't a technical problem or challenge that cannot be overcome. The money involved in either promoting or defending one of these pits is quite onerous. My understanding is that the bias for decades has been to approve pits while gradually conditions to mitigate the worst of their effects upon neighbours have been increasing. While I certainly don't know the outcome yet I can say that despite the optimism of the Noise and Traffic experts; there are major difficulties for the proponent to overcome.