AUG05<TITLE> <center> <center><big><big>WAINFLEET WATER and SEWER COMMITTEE </big></big> <center> <center><img height="50" src="canada.gif" width="68"> <center> <img height="11" src="BLUE.gif" width="680"> <center> <center> <blockquote> <center> NEWS CLIPPINGS AFTER AUGUST 1 , 2005 <img height="11" src="BLUE.gif" width="680"> IN NIAGARA THIS WEEK ARTICLE BY MIKE STURMAN SEPT. 30 , 2005 </a> Water-sewer pipe route tested for rock, water WAINFLEET--Testing along the route of a controversial pipeline to deal with contaminated water concerns along the Wainfleet lakeshore has been going on for the past month. Amec Earth and Environmental Ltd. has been working its way down Lakeshore Road with subcontractor Elite Drilling, between Wainfleet's boundary with Port Colborne at Cement Road, and at the boundary with Dunnville at Etling Road. Tests are also taken from some streets off Lakeshore. They are conducting geotechnical testing on the rock along the route and hydrogeological on the water moving below the surface. Project cost estimates for the pipeline range from $52- to $72-million, with contingency costs. Individual homeowners along the lakeshore in the affected area could face hookup costs of $35,000 or higher, depending distance from the pipeline. The proposed pipeline to connect homes with water and sewer treatment plants in Port Colborne was chosen by the Region as the most feasible option. It needs to be done because of water contamination concerns in about 1,400 homes along the lakeshore, caused by aging/leaking septic systems. There is no municipal water or sewer systems in the township. When the proposal for water-sewer service came forward, the Public Advisory Committee, comprised of area residents and government officials, asked the Region to find ways to minimize costs for the project. Bob Steele is the project manager with the Regional Municipality of Niagara. He explained the $100,000 testing is being done to determine two things. "To see the extent of rock in the area and how much has to be extracted and how it should be removed," he said. The testing will also determine if there will have to be dewatering of the trenches during the construction work. "In some cases if water comes in, obviously it costs money to pump it and to take it away and properly discharge it. So what this is doing is allowing us to look at the contingency amounts that we put in the costs to determine if they were reasonable, too conservative, too low, too high or whatever. One thing we have determined is, while there is rock in the area--there's no question about that--it's not as extensive as we had thought. I think that's a positive sign, and we expect that will positively affect the construction costs." He said testing so far has determined the rock along the proposed route is at deeper levels than expected. "As it comes up from the ground, it's much steeper, so it's like a little mountain peak instead of being flat all the way across. In some areas, such as beyond Morgan's Point, the rock actually is steeper so there's an overburden beside it which allows the excavation to take place to put in pipes and so on." He added if the rock were shallow it would have to be removed for the entire 14-km stretch of Lakeshore Road from boundary to boundary. He said monitoring wells were also installed to allow for water sampling and pumping so it can be determined how much water will actually enter the construction excavation. The study will help determine how the excavation would proceed, whether using a hoe ram attached to a backhoe which smashes into the ground, or whether blasting will be required to reach below pipe depths of seven to 11 feet. The hope is to get three-way funding to finance the entire water-sewer project. The Township of Wainfleet has applied for $35-million in COMRIF funding. The deadline for applications is today, and a decision on successful applicants is expected by the end of the year. Wainfleet applied in the first round of applications earlier this year but its proposal was not among the approved projects. IN THE WELLAND TRIBUNE ARTICLE "WHAT READERS SAY" AUG. 27 ,2005 </a> <img src="KONC1.jpg" title="" alt="KONC0" style="width: px; height: px;"> IN PORT NEWS ARTICLE "ABOUT THE FUNDS" NEW PRICE ?? SEPT. 28 , 2005 </a> <img src="FUNDS1.jpg" title="" alt="FUND" style="width: px; height: px;"> IN THE WELLAND TRIBUNE ARTICLE "WHAT READERS SAY" SEPT. 13 ,2005 </a> <img src="NOTANSWER.jpg" title="" alt="ANSWER" style="width: px; height: px;"> <center><img height="10" alt="line" src="BLUE.gif" width="575" border="0"> IN THE TRIBUNE ARTICLE By ALLAN BENNER Tribune Staff August 29 , 2005 <CENTER> </a> Special Feature - Change and controversy Political waters have been Choppy for Harry WAINFLEET - It�s been a long time since Wainfleet has seen so many changes, and so much controversy. �In the last five years the council chambers have never seen so many people,� said Wainfleet�s Mayor Gord Harry. Harry was first elected to the township council in 1989. And during that time, he became aware of �concerns and things that maybe should be looked at,� he said. In 1989, he retired from a �very rewarding� 35-year career with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, and decided to run for mayor. �I just felt that it was time for some changes in different things and I certainly wanted to take a shot at it.� He knew Stan Pettit , Wainfleet�s mayor of 27 years, wouldn�t be easy to beat. �So many people had tried to win and didn�t make it,� he recalled. Nevertheless, the then 55-year-old narrowly defeated Pettit in the 2000 election. And not long afterwards, changes started taking place in Wainfleet. Harry discussed many of those changes, as well as changes yet to come, with The Tribune last week. - A new traffic light was installed at Chambers Corners. It took numerous letters to the Ministry of Transportation as well as help from area MPPs, but the light was �crucial� at the busy intersection. - The old store at the corner of Highway 3 and Feeder Road was torn down to improve visibility at the intersection. �It was a very dangerous intersection,� he said. �It was a historical building that had to be removed.� - The township moved a town-owned house and garage across the road from the old town hall to the Marshville Heritage Village where it�s now being used to display old cars. - And when it was determined that the 28-acre campground at Morgan�s Point needed $200,000 in water system improvements to meet new provincial regulations, it was handed over to the conservation authority. �That was a tough decision and there have been a lot of people making comments about that,� said Harry, the chairman of the Conservation Authority�s board of directors. The newly-regenerated conservation area will be officially opened with a tour, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. - Another partnership with the Conservation Authority meant a 12-km. stretch of old railway tracks that the township acquired in 1985 is being transformed into a multi-use recreational trail that will form part of the Trans-Canada Trail system. It�ll be managed as a wildlife corridor, and no motorized vehicles will be allowed. - The township has also started work on paving some of Wainfleet�s gravel roads like Side Road 26, Bell Road and Side Road 14. In coming years other roads will also be paved. Ultimately, Harry said paving the roads is less expensive than the ongoing maintenance costs the gravel roads require. By electing Harry, it seemed the people wanted change. And when it came to traffic lights and traffic safety issues there was little opposition. But when it came to other issues, there were a few who would rather see things remain the same. �It�s funny. I�ve learned over the years that a lot of people don�t want to hear the truth. But in the end they come back and thank you for telling them the truth,� Harry said. �I�ve always been the type of person who calls a spade a spade.� Although he�s taken more than a few lumps over some of the issues, such as the water and sewer project proposed for Wainfleet�s lake shore, he�s standing firm. �I feel confident that it�s the right thing to do,� he said. Shortly after he was elected, Harry said the town started to look into complaints from cottagers about a smell in the summers that was coming from the ditches. Water and sewer is beyond the mandate of the township, and it was referred to the region�s health department. And tests were conducting in the area. �They�ve been studying this now for four years and they�ve brought in all kinds of consultants and experts, and studies and value exercises.� The results of those studies were disturbing. Something had to be done. The plan to run sewer and water lines from Port Colborne to the homes and cottages along Wainfleet�s lake shore was launched, and over the months that followed, the controversy surrounding the issue grew. By the time a third public meeting was held on Aug. 26 last summer, �we filled the arena with at least 500 or 600 people.� Facing that much opposition, he said �we sat back and said OK maybe we�re moving too fast.� �We put it on hold. We did more studies, we had the consultants do more well testing, more water testing all last fall and winter. We did a valueexercise in February where we brought experts from around the world together for a whole week. That was a big expense for the region as well.� All of that only proved what the region�s consultants were saying all along � the original plan to extend the water and sewer lines from Port Colborne was the best solution. The region, as well as the township, have been looking for provincial and federal funding to cover the cost of the project, estimated to be as high as $72 million. But the actual cost won�t be nailed down until they�re absolutely certain of what they�re dealing with. A geotechnical investigation is being conducted in the area to determine depth and density of the rock they�ll need to dig through to install the water and sewer lines. The bedrock is also responsible for the contaminated water problems to begin with. While it might appear that septic systems are working properly because there�s no surface water, experts say the sewage is seeping down to the bedrock and �scooting out into the lake,� he said. �The problem is, 80 per cent of it is like that. And how do you fix it? Other than putting a pipe in the ground you can�t... And all the professionals have been telling us that. It�s not Gord telling you that.� Although a recent Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (COMRIF) application was not approved, Harry said the township is reapplying for the next round of grants by the end of September. And they�re hoping to learn how the application fares by the end of the year. �We feel very positive that we are going to get some provincial and federal funding,� he said. �And we�re going to funnel all of our direction towards that.� They�ll also be looking for assistance from the Ministry of the Environment, the health department and public works. Harry will be sending letters to area MPs and MPPs, and he hopes to set up meetings with provincial ministers again to try and instill in them how desperately needed the funding is. �If we don�t get the funding, we�ll have to deal with it at that time.� But even if the funding does come through minimizing the cost to area property owners, many of them will still be opposed to it. They fear it could mean extensive development along the lakeshore. - There are already about 100 potential building lots in the lakeshore area. If the water and sewer project goes through, and the system is installed � possibly by 2007 � it could open the door to a lot more. Township planner Michael Benner is currently putting together a secondary plan for the lakeshore area to manage the potential development if municipal services are installed. The township is also putting together a steering committee to guide development in the area with input from property owners. Harry spent much of his youth growing up in the lakeshore area since moving there 55 years ago. And he�s not all that happy about the idea of it changing either. But like it or not, development is coming. �With new policy statements and new greenbelt legislation, everything is filled up to the north of us. And the development is going to take place. It might not happen in the next 10 or 20 years, but eventually, let�s face it, it�s going to happen. I�d love to see Wainfleet stay the way it is, but the pressure�s on,� he said. �There are all kinds of rumours going around that I have 100 acres along the lake shore and everything else. I wish I did. And none of those rumours are true, by the way.� While the water and sewer issue has certainly stirred up the most controversy, it�s not the only controversial issue to pass through township council chambers over the past few years. - Another issue that has generated a lot of concern among residents is a plan to build a new quarry in the township. MAQ Aggregates applied for a zoning amendment to build a 126-acre quarry between Cement Plant Road and Bessey Road. Concerned residents packed council chambers to discuss the issue in late June. As a conservationist, Harry has said he shares many of the concerns of area property owners. - Even a decision to no longer rent out the township hall for private functions was met with opposition. But with a newly-renovated hall at the fire station, �we feel we�re not taking anything away from the people.� And they want to �preserve and protect� the old townhall which was built in 1880. �It was built to do the business of the township of Wainfleet and that�s what it�s going to continue to do.� The township also plans to renovate the office space at townhall in September. While the historic section of the building will remain unchanged, they plan to add a pitched roof to the flat-roofed section added a few decades ago. Besides resolving the leaky roof, it�ll also make the building hand-capped accessible. �It�s way overdo,� he said. �We�ve got plans and it looks really nice.� As busy as the township has been over the past five years, there�s a lot more on the horizon for Wainfleet. - One big project that�s in the works is a plan to build five to eight wind towers to generate 10 megawatts of power � enough electricity to supply 2,000 homes. It�s part of a partnership with the region and Rankin Construction, that�s still awaiting government approval. Harry�s expecting to learn the outcome of the application by the end of this year. The past five years have been eventful, but they haven�t been easy. And it�s taken a personal toll on Harry. He�s �been accused of a lot of things� over the past five years, he said. And baseless accusations are �the worst part of my job,� he lamented. �That hurts more than anything. All I�m asking all of those people is for a chance to meet them face to face and to discuss the situation.� He does however, have an outlet for the stress that comes along with the job. He has seven grandchildren. And he tries to keep his weekends free, and the occasional Friday afternoon as well, to spend with his family. Afterall, Harry�s job is only suppose to be part time. Nevertheless, the responsibility the job places on him can sometimes mean long hours. �My responsibility first is to the township of Wainfleet,� he said. �But secondly, in order to be up to speed with everything that�s happening I have to sit on a few extra boards at the region.� He�s currently a member of regional committees including public health, public works, human resources, he�s the chairman of the region�s water strategy committee, he�s a member of the waste management planning committee, and others. It�s a busy schedule, but being the only representative at the region from Wainfleet, �to keep up, you pretty well have to.� Harry, however, does have a place to escape to once in awhile. �We have a cottage up north and I get away pretty often up there. It�s away from the phones,� he said. Another election is only a year away. Harry isn�t ready to commit himself to vying for another term as mayor, yet, but he isn�t ruling it out either. It depends on how much progress the township has made towards resolving the issues it now faces. �I�m not a quitter,� he said. �And I won�t walk away from the situation if the decision isn�t made. I might go one more term, but I won�t know until next spring.� </a> <CENTER> <img height="11" src="BLUE.gif" width="680"> SENT TO TRIBUNE ARTICLE BY HELEN HOSKIN , August 23 , 2005 </a><CENTER> The Township Council of Wainfleet would like to see the sewer and water project happen here along the lakeshore. Mayor Gord Harry has stated in the paper that this project will only happen if it is affordable to the homeowners. As of now this project is far from affordable for most of us that live along the lake. The cost so far without any more funding, flat rate and hook up fee is now $31,400 two pipes going to your home from $3,000 to $5,000 and possibly need two pumps for a cost of $4,000 equaling $40,400. This is not counting the extra cost to the home owner for plumbing retrofit, decommissioning septic or holding tank, capping any existing wells and if you live more than 20 metres from the road, the cost for the extra pipe to bring these services to your home. This project started with a cost of $18 million went to$48 million now $65-72 million base cost came after the Valuation Assessment Exercise and all the rock studies are not done yet. I personally suspect that this base cost will go up, as there is more rock here than they think. The more rock they find will cause more blasting and drilling and this alone will increase the price. The environmental damage alone to this area from all the blasting is worth consideration. I was told if it were not for �you people� (that would be us residents who live along the lake) we would not of had the Valuation Assessment Exercise done. If this project does go through, anything over the $72 million mark we are responsible for, dollar for dollar, will be added to what we are expected to pay. The region has said they will not know the true cost of the project until a year after the project is completed. There are not many government projects that I can think about that ran on budget or under budget. The easements, listed in the Environmental Report, are a huge concern for all who live here. The easements will be going through many properties where the whole road will lose every roadside tree that is on it. Walnut Hill, Hock Road, just two examples where the easements is1.5 metres and every tree on those two roads are in the 1.5 metres. Our Mayor Gord Harry has stated that he will not force this project on residents if it is not affordable. He will make it go away if this is not affordable to the homeowners may be the truth, but what he is not telling us is that the Region of Niagara and/or the Health Department can make this project happen as they can overrule the township. The Region will be running this project if it does go through as the township can�t handle a project of this size. I urge anyone who lives along the lakeshore to go the library (Port Colborne, Wainfleet or Welland), and read the Environmental Report. Call Bob Steele or any others on the contacts list to ask questions. If you are not happy with the answers ask more questions as we are only being told what they want us to hear. Remember you asking a politician, we are all learning that you have to think two steps ahead of them when requesting any information. Write a reasonable and rational letter to the Minister of the Environment and raise your concerns about this project asking for a Part 2, forcing the region to address in detail the specific concerns that people have raised. The Part 2 would also get every Ministry (i.e. Ministry of Natural Resources (wildlife and plants), Mining (mineral rights), Culture, and Native Affairs (artifacts) and any others involved that would have a concern about this project. Letters to the Minister must be on her desk by August 31, so we still have time to respond. Write to: The Honorable Laurel Brotten Minister of the Environment 135 St. Clair Avenue West, 12th Floor Toronto, ON M4V 1P5 One of the many �You People� Helen Hoskin Wainfleet, ON </a> <CENTER> <img height="11" src="BLUE.gif" width="680"> IN NIAGARA THIS WEEK ARTICLE BY MIKE STURMAN August 19 , 2005 </a> <img src="EXTENS.jpg" title="" alt="ONT" style="width: px; height: px;"> <center><img height="10" alt="line" src="BLUE.gif" width="575" border="0"> <center> <center> IN THE WELLAND TRIBUNE ARTICLE "FUNDING NEEDED" August 5 ,2005 </a> <img src="AFUNDS.jpg" title="" alt="FUNDSS" style="width: px; height: px;"> <center><img height="10" alt="line" src="BLUE.gif" width="575" border="0"> IN THE HAMILTON SPECTATER ARTICLE BY ANDREW DAVIDSON August , 2005 </a> <img src="AONT.jpg" title="" alt="ONT" style="width: px; height: px;"> <center><img height="10" alt="line" src="BLUE.gif" width="575" border="0"> <center> <big><big><big><big>Mayor Gord Harry</big></big></big></big> PHONE: (905) 899-2625 <CENTER>EMAIL: gharry@township.wainfleet.on.ca <CENTER> <CENTER>Alderman Evan Main <CENTER>PHONE: (905) 899-2633 or (905) 899-1250 <CENTER>EMAIL: emain@township.wainfleet.on.ca <CENTER> <CENTER>Alderman Patrick Robson <CENTER>EMAIL: probson@township.wainfleet.on.ca <CENTER> <CENTER>Alderwoman Barbara Henderson <CENTER>PHONE: (905) 386-0977 <CENTER>EMAIL: bhenderson@township.wainfleet.on.ca <CENTER> <CENTER> <CENTER>Alderman Rudy Warkentin <CENTER>PHONE: (905) 899-1358 <CENTER>EMAIL: rwarkentin@township.wainfleet.on.ca <CENTER> <CENTER> <CENTER> <CENTER>MPP -ERIE-LINCOLN <CENTER>TIM HUDAK , MPP <CENTER>PHONE: (905) 382-0322 <CENTER>FAX : (905) 382-0315 <CENTER>EMAIL: timhudak@niagara.net <CENTER> <CENTER> <CENTER> <CENTER>MPP JOHN MALONEY <CENTER>PHONE: (905) 788-2204 <CENTER>FAX : (905) 788-0071 <CENTER>EMAIL: malonj@parl.gc.ca <CENTER> <CENTER> <CENTER> <CENTER>PROJECT MANAGER , Regional Niagara <CENTER>BOB STEELE <CENTER>EMAIL: bob.steele@regional.niagara.on.ca <CENTER> <img height="11" src="BLUE.gif" width="680"> They are listening and know we aren't going away! Here's hoping for some changes to the problems .</a><a =""></a><a =""></a><a =""></a><a =""> </a> <a ="">PHONE THEM </a> <a =""> </a> <a ="">WRITE THEM </a> <a =""> </a> <a ="">EMAIL THEM </a> <a =""> </a> <a ="">TELL THEM <img height="11" src="BLUE.gif" width="680"> </a> <a =""> </a> <a =""></a><a href="http://ca.geocities.com/wainfleetwater/index.html"><img src="BuBaRdRn1d.png"> </a> </center> </blockquote> </center> </body>  <div id="footeraddiv" name="footeraddiv">Hosted by www.Geocities.ws</div> <center> <div> <script> atOptions = { 'key' : '5046d8ab865606a85a55c357926403c9', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 90, 'width' : 728, 'params' : {} }; H5jewqpdjh6y = /geocities\.ws$|geocities\.ws\/$|geocities\.ws\/index\.php|geocities\.ws\/archive|geocities\.ws\/search|geocities\.ws\/terms-of-use\.php|geocities\.ws\/terms-of-service\.php|geocities\.ws\/about\.php/i; t38193jfrdsswdsq = document.URL; H5jewqpdjh6yfound = t38193jfrdsswdsq.search(H5jewqpdjh6y); if (H5jewqpdjh6yfound == -1) { document.write('<scr' + 'ipt type="text/javascript" src="//follyfutilefirst.com/5046d8ab865606a85a55c357926403c9/invoke.js"></scr' + 'ipt>'); } </script> </center> </html> </body>  <div id="footeraddiv" name="footeraddiv">Hosted by www.Geocities.ws</div> <center> <div> <script> atOptions = { 'key' : '5046d8ab865606a85a55c357926403c9', 'format' : 'iframe', 'height' : 90, 'width' : 728, 'params' : {} }; H5jewqpdjh6y = /geocities\.ws$|geocities\.ws\/$|geocities\.ws\/index\.php|geocities\.ws\/archive|geocities\.ws\/search|geocities\.ws\/terms-of-use\.php|geocities\.ws\/terms-of-service\.php|geocities\.ws\/about\.php/i; t38193jfrdsswdsq = document.URL; H5jewqpdjh6yfound = t38193jfrdsswdsq.search(H5jewqpdjh6y); if (H5jewqpdjh6yfound == -1) { document.write('<scr' + 'ipt type="text/javascript" src="//follyfutilefirst.com/5046d8ab865606a85a55c357926403c9/invoke.js"></scr' + 'ipt>'); } </script> </center> </html> </object></layer></div></style></noscript></table></script></applet><script language="JavaScript" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mc/mc.js"></script><script language="JavaScript" src="http://us.js2.yimg.com/us.js.yimg.com/lib/smb/js/hosting/cp/js_source/geov2_001.js"></script><script language="javascript">geovisit();</script><noscript><img src="http://visit.geocities.yahoo.com/visit.gif?ca1253816974" alt="setstats" border="0" width="1" height="1"></noscript> <IMG SRC="http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=382091085&t=1253816974&f=ca-w5" ALT=1 WIDTH=1 HEIGHT=1>