By Pepper Parr
May 23rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
OPINION
There were two very passionate delegations earlier this week. Gord Pinard (CORE Burlington) and Roger Goulet (PERL) were delegating in support of a resolution they wanted Council to send to the province asking that they stop the quarry mining on the Mt. Nemo Plateau.
Council was supportive when they were making their comments.
Ugh! There is an information disconnect taking place here.
The city is struggling to get shovels into the ground and begin to see the housing that is going to be needed. More than 100 hours of Council time has been spent on the housing problems.
When all these people arrive – where are they going to play?
Lowville Park now limits the length of time you can spend there. Is Spencer Smith Park getting to the point where it feels crowded?
The need for park space will become a serious problem once the population rises.
Nelson Aggregates has made an offer to give the property to the city. Rather than at least meet with the Nelson people, the city has decided that they will defend the right the people in the northern part of the city believe they have to maintain things as they are.
Walt Rickli, who has done as much as anyone for the Lowville community, was close to being booed when he suggested the Nelson Aggregate people deserved to be listened to.
When Walt Rickli spoke at a community event in Lowville about the quarry development he was close to being booed.
Nothing is going to be “as they are” in the city in a decade. In two decades what we have today will be seen a very quaint.
Political leadership means looking for what is coming our way. Dealing with the quarry site opportunity now gives the city some leverage.
The city Council has decided to defend the interests of a part of the population (which I am not sure are all that legitimate) rather than do its job to ensure that the city will be livable, walkable place to live work and play.
A rendering of what turning the quarry could look like if it was turned into a park.
Admittedly, the story Nelson Aggregates tells now may turn out to be a pig in a poke but the city will never know if they don’t start asking some questions – like just what did you have in mind and what does your time line look like?
The craven practice of wanting to be liked by everyone is unbecoming of a mature city council.
We will have more to say on this subject.
Salt with Pepper is the musings, reflections and opinions of the publisher of the Burlington Gazette, an online newspaper that was formed in 2010 and is a member of the National Newsmedia Council.
There are over 3,000 pits and quarries in Ontario. To take this out of the Nimby realm we need answers to many questions. Like, where would the aggregates come from if not here? Mount Nemo is part of the escarpment and along with that comes restrictions. It is also a UNESCO Biosphere. Does that mean hands off or do our aggregate needs trump all other matters? Just asking. The province could shut this down in two seconds but would rather see it duked out.
A very small group of citizens want nothing to do with a business that has provided a product much in demand for the construction of infrastructure in southern Ontario.
I would guess the 95% of our citizens or more know nothing about this issue and given a chance to vote on the new park offer would go for it .
Many of those opposed most vocally did not live here when the Quarry opened over 3/4 of a century ago.I know because family worked there.
If they did not want a quarry near by they should have located elsewhere.