New plan that would remake Breslau
Plans for sweeping changes to the look of Breslau took form this week as the developer rolled out details of a mixed-use project that would bring 2,300 new residents and 3,330 jobs to the area.
Thomasfield Homes envisions a combination of residential (single-family, semis, townhouses and apartment buildings), commercial space, offices, retail stores, industrial uses, schools, open space, trails and wetlands extending over more than 335 acres east of the company’s current development, the
Hopewell Heights subdivision.
The site also includes a proposed GO Transit station.
A series of Official Plan amendments and zoning changes necessary to make that happen were the topic of discussion Tuesday night at a public meeting in Woolwich council chambers.
“Imagine being able to walk to work from your home; imagine a stroll along the nature trails on a beautiful fall day; imagine walking to a café or restaurant and meeting up with friends and neighbours; imagine walking to the GO station to take in a hockey game or a show in Toronto; imagine the new high tech jobs created; imagine what an exciting community this will be,” Thomasfield president Tom Krizsan said, exhorting councillors to join in his vision.
COMMUNITY FOCUS The new community centre has become a central hub in Breslau. A proposed new development to the north would provide the village with more public space.
The proposal detailed by planner Bill Green of the GSP Group is for a so-called complete community, one that integrates work, home, shopping and entertainment within walking distance of each other. The presentation put some meat on the bones of a plan Krizsan first began discussing with the township more than half a dozen years ago.
As presented this week, the development would cover two pieces of land, 226 acres immediately east of the Hopewell Heights subdivision and 109 acres east of Greenhouse Road, the site of much of the proposed industrial land. There would be 865 residential units; 53 acres of employment land; 15 acres set aside at the sound end of the western property, adjacent to the CN rail line, set aside for a GO station; and substantial amounts of protected wetlands and extensive trailways.
“This is a complete, compact, walkable community, that will also be home to Waterloo Region’s one and only suburban GO Transit station,” said Krizsan. “By the term complete, I mean a mixed-use community, one in which people can live, work, shop and play in one area; by compact, I mean that the mixed land uses are nearby and the densities represent efficient use of land, and by walkable I mean kilometres of nature trails and manmade trails, a pedestrian bridge over Hopewell Creek, and well connected street patterns giving people the opportunity to walk to work, walk to the GO station, walk to parks, cafes and restaurants and to walk to school.”
Permitting this project to go ahead would require changes to the township’s Official Plan, which currently caps the Breslau settlement area at 1,250 residential units, and to zoning in the area, which is largely designated dry industrial, manager of planning John Scarfone told councillors.
Extensive work would have to be done to provide municipal services – water and sewers – to the area, including arranging a new cross-border agreement with the City of Kitchener, which provides those services.
Nothing can be properly considered until the township completes a so-called secondary plan review, which would provide a detailed land-use plan for the entire area, not just the land involved with this project, he added. The township is currently in the process of hiring a consultant to lead that study, with work expected to be completed by the end of 2012 or early 2013.
As with this week’s planning meeting, the public will be part of the secondary review. Thomasfield Homes will certainly hope that process goes as smoothly as Tuesday’s meeting: some 20 people, many of them residents of the Thomasfield subdivision, spoke in favour of the plan, welcoming the mixed-use approach.
For Perry Grobe of neighbouring Grobe Nursery, the plan would bring proper development to the area, putting an end to illegal dumping and trespassing by off-road vehicles, a longtime complaint. In fact, many of the Hopewell Heights residents cited those issues as a reason to support the Thomasfield application.
More commonly, neighbours were encouraged by the prospect of being able to do some shopping without having to get in their cars and drive into Kitchener. The idea of a grocery store, pharmacy and restaurants, for instance, resonated with many.
The only negative comments came from a Kramp Road resident concerned about the development’s potential impact on those used to living a country lifestyle, especially the prospect of industrial uses nearby. One other delegate, representing Empire Communities, the developer of housing units in the south end of Breslau, called the project premature, arguing council should wait until the secondary plan, Waterloo Region Official Plan and new township Official Plan are completed before considering the proposal.
Familiar with the pace of development, Krizsan said in a later interview that he’s prepared to wait through the review process – he’s been calling for the secondary plan study for five years – but noted there is some urgency to getting plans in place to meet GO Transit’s plan to open a station in 2015.
Woolwich to maintain snow-clearing levels
When Woolwich looks to cut spending in next year’s budget, a decrease in snow-clearing levels won’t be on the table.
Following a lively debate and a split vote Tuesday night, councillors opted for the status quo, fearing a reduction in service levels might make winter driving more risky.
The discussion followed a presentation by manager of engineering Richard Sigurdson outlining possible areas for cuts. His report came in response to council’s call for all departments to find savings of five per cent across the board in preparation for setting the 2012 budget.
Sigurdson recommended no changes to plowing and sanding of rural roads, but said it would be possible to do less clearing on secondary roads in the urban settlements, where levels of service exceed the minimum standards set by the province.
He also suggested holding a public meeting prior to making any changes.
Councillors, however, had mixed feelings about both reductions and the process.
Coun. Mark Bauman, who originally raised the snow-clearing issue when cuts were first discussed, said he believes the service could be scaled back with no impact on safety. He cited the example of his own street in St. Jacobs, where the street was cleared four times over the course of 24 hours during a snowfall of about six inches last winter.
Noting that he travels throughout the region all winter, he said Woolwich roads are the best plowed in the area, “but I’m wondering if that’s where we want to be.”
He was backed by Coun. Allan Poffenroth, but the three others on council were unswayed, ultimately deciding to stay the course.
Mayor Todd Cowan, for instance, said cost savings should be found elsewhere rather than taking a chance with safety on the roads.
“Saving money is good, but not when it’s at the risk to the public.”
Added Coun. Bonnie Bryant: “We could be facing lawsuits if something happens.”
A 2-2 tie in voting was broken in favour of the status quo by Coun. Julie-Anne Herteis, who chaired this week’s committee-of-the-whole meeting.
Development could be a central public space
One of the speakers addressing council at this week’s public planning meeting had it bang on: the mixed-use development proposed for Breslau is not something untested, it’s the norm in Europe. In fact, the dense mix of homes, shops, offices and other workplaces – precisely the goal of new provincial legislation – have evolved there over centuries.
Cities that began long before the automobile and which later adopted train travel that still dominates today are models for those who would see us become far less car-centric here.
That so-called complete community model is precisely what Thomasfield Homes’ Tom Krizsan is proposing for land immediately east of Breslau. There’s certainly a long way to go – the township wants to carry out a comprehensive land-use review of the area prior to making any decisions – but if there’s going to be development in Breslau, this is the way to go.
“This is a complete, compact, walkable community, that will also be home to Waterloo Region’s one and only suburban GO Transit station,” says Krizsan. “By the term complete, I mean a mixed-use community, one in which people can live, work, shop and play in one area; by compact, I mean that the mixed land uses are nearby and the densities represent efficient use of land, and by walkable I mean kilometres of nature trails and manmade trails, a pedestrian bridge over Hopewell Creek, and well connected street patterns giving people the opportunity to walk to work, walk to the GO station, walk to parks, cafes and restaurants and to walk to school.”
He certainly paints a compelling picture of a far more relaxed, human-scale lifestyle, even if we’re never likely to match the ambience of European communities.
The inclusion of the GO station anchors the Euro-style plans. Trains are a fundamental part of most cities on that side of the pond. And a connection to Toronto will do far more to take cars off the road than the region’s ersatz attempt in the form of light rail transit, though the hope is that it, too, will encourage similar development along the route between two malls.
While there are no plans for local transit connecting Breslau, the GO train would provide connections to Toronto and the GTA, a draw for businesses looking to set up shop in Waterloo Region.
“We’re looking for something where people can get off the GO train and walk to their high-tech jobs. Or they can live in the neighbourhood and walk to their high-tech job,” says Krizsan. “GO Transit is possibly the catalyst that’s driving this development. They (GO Transit) want to be in the center of things. They don’t want to be in the middle of some empty field.”
The region has already earmarked the Breslau area, including lands around the airport, and north Cambridge for employment lands, space being at a premium elsewhere. What happens in Breslau has significance far beyond the village itself and even Woolwich Township. But there is also one big local factor to consider: Breslau has no downtown to speak of. There’s little in the way of retail or services available.
And while the new community centre has become a focal point, public spaces don’t abound.
With this development, there’s a chance to create a central shopping and entertainment area coupled to something akin to a town square, a necessity as the village grows in leaps and bounds thanks to the thousand new homes in existing new subdivision, with more to come.
“Chances are this new community will serve as the town centre in the long run,” he says, noting residents are keen to see retail development. “There’s no place for grocery shopping or anything.”
If this project goes ahead, we can expect to see complementary development ensue. That would include plans by Smart Centres for retail stores on some 50 acres of land north of Victoria Street, just east of Ebycrest Road. The developers of power centres such as the Walmart-anchored development in St. Jacobs see great promise in the underserviced Breslau area. That land, too, will be part of the land-use study the township plans for the entire area, an attempt to come up with a comprehensive development strategy rather than dealing with applications in a piecemeal manner.
“There are a lot of things to consider for the Breslau area and the wider eastside lands,” Krizsan acknowledges. A veteran of many projects, he knows the wheels move slowly.
Still, he’s happy to see people are eager to adopt the kind of development he’s proposing. While the region currently sees much of that land as purely industrial in nature, the mixed-use proposal makes far more financial sense and is in keeping with increasingly stringent provincial regulations governing densities and live-work options.
“The public has bought into this complete community. Walk to school; walk to work; walk to shopping – everything nearby. It’s very, very attractive. All of these things make for a better lifestyle.”
Africville Stories gets things rolling
Little spot. Big sounds. As the Registry Theatre moves into its second decade, you can expect to see the kind of eclectic mix of performances that has become the hallmark of the Kitchener performance venue.
The One Night Only series, for instance, is indicative of the mix put together by director of programming Lawrence McNaught. The series opens next Friday with the premiere of Joe Sealy’s Africville Stories.
Based on the JUNO Award-winning recording Africville Suite, the musical tribute to the lost community of Africville features traditional style jazz compositions, songs and spoken word, led by Joe Sealy, the legendary Canadian jazz pianist-composer and his quartet.
Originally, author and playwright George Elliott Clarke was to do some readings, but due to a scheduling conflict the show now features Jackie Robinson, Canada’s First Lady of gospel, blues and jazz, with new songs written especially for this performance.
SEASON TAKES SHAPE Joe Sealy kicks off the Registry Theatre's One Night Only series Oct. 21 with Africville Stories. Other upcoming performances in the new season include Nota Bene Baroque, who perform Oct. 23, and pianist Gene DiNovi's I Can Hear the Music: The Great American Songbook on Nov. 20.
“We’re very lucky to have Jackie Robinson, she’s such a wonderful singer and she’ll certainly add her own flavour to this performance,” said McNaught, noting she’ll be backed by “great Canadian jazz virtuosos” Perry White on sax, Paul Novotny on bass and drummer Daniel Barnes.
“This quartet is definitely something to focus on, and certainly a must for jazz aficionados.”
Other performances in the series include jazz pianist Gene DiNovi’s I Can Hear the Music: The Great American Songbook on Nov. 20; the Kevin Ramessar Group performing Harvest: The Music of Neil Young on Feb. 24-25, 2012; Jane Bunnett & Hilario Duran Ensemble, with the Penderecki String Quartet on Mar. 17; and the John Tank Quartet playing Apr. 20, 2012 to mark the release of a live CD recorded at a sold-out 2009 performance at the Registry.
“This is definitely an eclectic mix, which is exactly what we have in mind,” said McNaught of the series.
Also on tap next weekend is the launch of the Classics at The Registry series, opening Oct. 23 with Nota Bene Baroque. Marking 10 years, Nota Bene’s artistic director and harpsichordist Borys Medicky will lead a performance of the group’s hits from past seasons.
That will be followed up Nov. 13 by Kevin Ramessar & Friends performing Guitarra Barroca: A tour of Baroque music for the guitar, featuring local guitar great Kevin Ramessar, Larry Larson on trumpet and Graham Hargrove handling the percussion.
Perennial fan favourite Larry Larson returns later as part of the Jazz Series, which this season focuses on tributes. His own show, Larry’s Jazz Guys, will perform Hot & Cool: The Trumpets of Jazz on Mar. 9. Larson pays tribute to some of his favourite trumpet heroes, including Miles Davis and Chet Baker. Part of the K-W Symphony, Larson and his guys – Kevin Muir, bass; Dave Campion, drums; Paul Shilton, piano – have become beloved regulars season after season.
The series kicking off Feb. 3, 2012 with Bernie Senensky Quartet doing Take 5: The music of Dave Brubeck.
Another mainstay of the Registy, the Dance series, sees the MOonhORsE Dance Theatre present Dances in a Small Room, an evening of work by James Kudelka and Tedd Robinson, on Nov. 19.
That’s followed Jan. 28 by In a Matter of Seconds, produced by Oliver Pavia in a co-production with JMYE emerging choreographer Amy Sproule. The performance is set to music from The Rising by Bruce Springsteen, and shows the events and aftermath of 9/11 as well as observations on the human condition.
For silent movie and music fans, the VOC Silent Film Harmonic have three performances on tap for the season, starting Nov. 24 with Robert Wiene’s Hands of Orlac, in which pianist Orlac (Conrad Veidt) loses both hands only to have those of a murderer transplanted in their place.
For more details about these and other shows in the 2011-2012 season, visit www.registrytheatre.com.
Crowds gather because the system is broken
The protestors on Wall Street get it. Those planning similar “occupations” in other cities, including Toronto, get it. Those who dismiss the efforts, well, they miss the point completely.
The Occupy Wall Street movement, itself inspired by the Canadian group Adbusters, has spawned a series of similar protests around the globe. Organizers are looking to do the same in Canadian cities, including Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto, where Bay Street is the target on Oct. 15.
You don’t have to look far to see comments dismissing these activities as the work of a bunch of misguided young people, union members and troublemaking activists. That’s certainly the response you’d expect from those within the targeted establishment group, but it extends to others who don’t see what unfettered capitalism, deregulation and concentration of wealth have done to undermine the fabric of society.
These are the same people who miss the point by focusing only on the vandalism carried out by a very few taking part in protests such as last year’s G20 summit in Toronto, or similar anti-globalization demonstrations all over the globe. Instead, they should see an increasing frustration with the inequities, as the political and economic system is skewed in favour of the few at the expense of the many. More and more of us see the intertwined political and financial systems working against the common good.
Simply put, there is a growing dissatisfaction with that most pervasive ism: corporate capitalism.
The kind of “anarchy” gaining vogue these days has less nothing to do with vandalism (though there is a certain measure of that) than it does with exposing how the current system is failing the majority.
The goal is essentially reinventing democracy. Well, really, restoring democracy to its original intent: widespread and decentralized decision-making in the public good rather than the top down, hierarchical structure prevalent today.
The Occupy Together movement that sprang to life over the last month is first and foremost about drawing attention to our worsening plight, encouraging 99 per cent of the population to take action against the greed and corruption of the other one per cent.
American actor Mark Ruffalo, in a piece that appeared this week in The Guardian, is indicative of the growing support for the occupation movement.
“It is a thing of beauty to see so many people in love with the ideal of democracy, so alive with its promise, so committed to its continuity in the face of crony capitalism and corporate rule. That should be celebrated. It should be respected and admired,” he writes.
“Their message is very clear and simple: get money out of the political process; strive for equality in taxation and equal rights for all regardless of race, gender, social status, sexual preference or age. We must stop poisoning our food, air and water for corporate greed. The people on Wall Street and in the banking industrial complex that destroyed our economy must be investigated and brought to justice under the law for what they have done by stealing people’s homes and savings.”
There are those who say these protests do nothing constructive. Why aren’t these people doing something positive? Where, they ask, are the solutions? The solutions, of course, are well known.
Prohibiting a good deal of the financial speculation that goes on daily would be a good start. Billionaire investor George Soros, who has spoken in support of the new movement, has long warned of the problems inherent in a capitalist system that has drifted far from the model that brought prosperity to the middle class.
The growth of the financial sector in a deregulated market has wrought havoc, he says, as noted in his book entitled The Crisis of Global Capitalism.
“The global economy is characterized not only by free trade in goods and services but even more by the free movement of capital. Interest rates, exchange rates, and stock prices in various countries are intimately interrelated, and global financial markets exert tremendous influence on economic conditions,” he writes, noting proponents of the status quo push us further away from a human-centric form of organizing to one dictated only by money.
“The functions that cannot and should not be governed purely by market forces include many of the most important things in human life, ranging from moral values to family relationships to aesthetic and intellectual achievements. Yet market fundamentalism is constantly attempting to extend its sway into these regions, in a form of ideological imperialism. According to market fundamentalism, all social activities and human interactions should be looked at as transactional, contract-based relationships and valued in terms of a single common denominator, money. Activities should be regulated, as far as possible, by nothing more intrusive than the invisible hand of profit-maximizing competition.”
By taking to the streets, those involved in the Occupy Together cause are drawing attention to just how far we’ve drifted from a political and economic systems that serve the public good. Those with wealth have power, and they use that power to buy government influence. The first step, then, is to get corporate money out of the political system, one that has become a revolving door between government insiders and lobbyists. A system that sees legislation drafted by corporations and PR firms tabled word for word by politicians.
Removing that unfair influence will take more than a few weeks of demonstrating, but by drawing attention to the problem, they hope other will join the call for a more democratic arrangement.
Woolwich rec. department budget back on track
Conservation efforts at the Woolwich Memorial Centre are paying off, lowering utility costs as the township tries to get its recreation budget back on track.
Large cost overruns last year has council keeping a close eye on the department, including regular financial statements such as the one tabled at Tuesday night’s meeting. Although over budget in some areas, such as part-time salaries at the WMC, the department’s overall budget is on target for the year, said director of finance Richard Petherick.
New lights, work on the compressors and other energy-saving tactics have lowered expenses at the WMC, with electricity consumption down more than 15 per cent and gas usage by more than 20 per cent.
In response to a question from Coun. Bonnie Bryant, Petherick noted expenditures are on track, with revenues set to pick up as the ice-rental season gets into full gear.
The scrutiny followed a troubling financial report for 2010, as the department exceeded its budget by $550,000, or 14.6 per cent, largely due to higher-than-expected costs at the new multi-use facility in Elmira.
Both salaries and utilities were major factors in the budget deviations.
Part-time salaries, for instance, were off by more than 300 per cent: budgeted at $30,000, the actual cost was $101,000. Likewise in staffing the concession stand, $38,000 became $56,000. Utilities proved much more expensive than expected, with electrical bills ringing in at $252,000 instead of the $180,000 in the budget. For heating, the numbers were $67,000 and $42,000 respectively.
Former director of recreation and facilities Larry Devitt, who retired last week, attributed the budgetary problems to low initial estimates on costs, unbudgeted items such as service contracts on equipment, and extra staffing due to sick leave and other personnel issues.
“There are still some outstanding issues – expenses are still over budget in some areas – but we’re looking at the bottom line,” said Petherick, noting he’s satisfied with the overall number.
The extra attention to the recreation department will ensure there won’t be a repeat of 2010’s
issues, he added.
“This isn’t going to happen again.”
Alot of energy goes into A Bunch of Munsch
Call it big entertainment for some little people. With A Bunch of Munsch, Listowel’s Theatre Three-Eleven has harnessed the manic energy of a beloved children’s author and put it on stage.
Anyone who has seen Robert Munsch read aloud from his books knows his stories are meant to be presented with dramatic flair – funny faces, voices and wild gesturing are commonplace in his readings. Having a group of performers run through dialogue, acting out the characters while a narrator keeps the story moving along seemed like a perfectly obvious combination
KIDDING AROUND Bobbi Stan is the Princess and Brandon Dekok the Dragon in "The Paper Bag Princess," one of Robert Munsch's stories featured in this weekend's performances at Theatre Three-Eleven.
for director Stefanie Webster.
“It’s a very high-energy show, that’s for sure,” she laughed. “Munsch is suited for this – the play is taken right from the stories, read and acted.”
Now on stage, with shows this weekend, A Bunch of Munsch presents classics such as Mud Puddle, Thomas’ Snowsuit, Mortimer and many more.
Using a simple set and a few costume changes, the five actors keep a manic pace, moving the stories along in keeping with the attention span of the young audience – last weekend’s opening saw kids ranging in age from two to 10 or 11.
A children’s show is a first for Theatre Three-Eleven, though it’s been under consideration for some time.
“We’ve had a lot of people ask us over the years to do something for the kids. It just seemed like the time was right,” said Webster.
Two half-hour sets broken up by an intermission is just the right fit for the audience, she added.
A Bunch of Munsch runs Saturday (1 and 3:30 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.). Tickets are $10, available by phoning 519-291-2033 or 1-877-455-0552 or by emailing info@theatre311.com. The theatre is located at 311 Main St. E., Listowel.
Long-term thinking absent
Not surprisingly, there’s been a decided lack of big-picture thinking on display in the provincial election, now just days away. We’ve been subjected to the usual sloganeering and sound bites. The Liberals and Conservatives, neck and neck, attempt to paint each other as the bogeyman.
Much of the debate, such as it is, centers on taxes and would-be economic fixes. The topics are the subject of short-term thinking, an affliction that’s permeated all facets of our society.
Adopting the business model that’s taken hold in the last three decades – today’s stock price, shareholder value and this quarter’s profits above all else – our political system has been shaped by constant lobbying from those who see society through only the lens of finances. It’s what’s made citizens no more than consumers.
Politicians, of course, have a built-in capacity for short-term thinking: the election cycle.
They make promises and float policies designed for immediate impact – spend for votes today. That’s problematic in and of itself, as it gives little regard to the idea that actions taken now will have impacts years, sometimes decades down the road.
Making matters much worse, however, is the equally troubling issue of taxation. The promises they make come with a price, but 30 years of neoconservative lobbying and influence have made taxes a four-letter word, meaning many politicians will try to win votes by promising to spend today while simultaneously pledging to cut taxes. That often means deficits, a situation that’s ideal for politicians intent only on re-election: the bill won’t come
due until later, when they’re off living comfortably on gold-plated government pensions.
That kind of thinking is what got us into today’s mess. That the very people who supported tax cuts to corporations even as government largesse filled their coffers are the ones leading the charge for austerity measures – not to themselves, of course – has been lost in the shuffle.
In the course of a couple of generations, we’ve undone centuries of efforts to create a society based on the common good. Much of the we’re-all-in-this-together ideals that came out of the Great Depression and the Second World War, for instance, has been replaced by relentless individualism.
Rapid urbanization whereby we no longer rely on family, friends and the broader community – indeed, we may not even know our neighbours – makes us forget just how interdependent we really are. A consumer-based society, pushed by marketing, focuses on individual pleasure. This comes at a cost to the collective ‘us,’ especially when discussing matters of financing the common good: taxes are seen as taking money away from ‘my’ enjoyment.
Increasingly, we’re encouraged to give rein to our natural tendency to look after number one. Couple that with an individual’s capacity to seek immediate gratification, and long-term planning for our collective future becomes even more difficult.
There’s nothing wrong with looking out for personal interests, but we’re in danger of forgetting that most of the middle-class gains of the postwar years stem from socially-driven ideas. In purely economic terms, the collective efforts are the rising tide that lifted all boats – some more so than others, certainly. Today, however, there’s an element that seems hell-bent on undoing precisely the conditions that allowed for the great prosperity now under attack.
Thanks to decades of concerted effort, many people have bought into a set of diminished expectations about the role of government and, more troublingly, the possibilities of shaping a better society. We’ve had democracy reduced to the occasional trip to the polls. We’ve seen government reduced to managerial functions, where debate is constrained to a few well-worn topics. We’ve seen the economy reduced to fiscal policy – deregulation’s the order of the day as the financial services industry sets the agenda. We’ve seen citizenship dumbed down to passive observation, at best.
Fewer of us bother to vote, let alone take an interest in elections. Far fewer still look past the slogans and latest complaints. But if we’re going to have a better society we need to think about the future 10, 20, 50 and 100 years down the line. The road we’ve been on for the last three decades, driven by the neoconservative corporate agenda, has diminished our quality of life. We have to look past dubious vote-buying programs, immediate tax cuts and partisanship.
Long-term thinking is not just for issues such as climate change, though we’re not prepared to tackle even that issue, despite the consequences. No, it’s all about living for today. But long-term planning is crucial for a host of issues that clearly part of today’s political reality, encompassing all levels: long-term resource consumption, human migration, transportation demands, retirement and pensions and the like. Our failure to do so has led to rampant consumerism, environmental crises, unchecked immigration, urban sprawl, financial speculation and a host of other ills that plague our economic, political and social systems.
It’s those issues we should be mindful of in making a decision Oct. 6, even if no one is talking about them out on the hustings.
Farm-based fertilizer company cleared for expansion
An on-farm fertilizer business looking to expand in Woolwich’s north end got the green light this week from township council.
The decision reclassifies the Wellington Fertilizer operation as “farm-related use” from the current “on-farm business” designation. The zone change approved Tuesday night allows farm owner Robert
Brubacher to build a new warehouse on his 56-acre farm property at 7021 Sideroad 5 W.
He plans to add a 1,367-square-metre warehouse to a site that’s now home to a 330-sq.-m. building and a 71-sq.-m. office. The company brings in raw ingredients such as potassium sulphate, potash, copper sulphate and gypsum, mixing them to create various fertilizers that are then sold to farm customers.
In recommending the plan, however, director of engineering and planning Dan Kennaley said his staff has taken into consideration concerns raised by neighbours since a public meeting last October. The township requires a site plan that deals with issues of dust, noise, garbage and truck traffic, with the proposed new layout dealing with many of the current problems.
Plans to move the loading and bagging areas away from the front of the property and into an enclosed area will deal with noise and odour complaints, for instance, he suggested.
Likewise, Brubacher noted the new building will be set up to allow trucks to drive through, with room on the site to permit trucks to turn prior to exiting, eliminating the sound of back-up beepers and keeping trucks from having to back in off of the road.
For neighbour Darren MacMillan, whose house is just 90 metres from the existing operation, growth at Wellington Fertilizer runs the risk of making current problems worse. He pressed councillors for assurances there would be no negative impacts on his property.
He rattled off a list of concerns – noise, hours of operation, potential health impacts of fertilizer dust, possible contamination of his well – related to watching the property across the road move away from farming and towards a “fertilizer industry.”
“I just want to make sure my family’s personal health and my investment in my property are both taken care of – that’s my main concern.”
His comments drew a sympathetic response from Coun. Mark Bauman, who said the neighbours have a right not to be impacted by particulate leaving the Wellington Fertilizer site.
“I am very concerned about any particulate leaving the property. Your property should not be subject to any airborne particulate,” he said.
“I don’t think that any of the neighbours should expect any fertilizer dust.”
Farm equipment manufacturer will move to Woolwich site
Eggs. Lumber. And now balers. A vacant industrial site west of Elmira will have a new use as home to Tube-Line Manufacturing.
Woolwich council this week cleared the way for the company to move, approving the necessary changes to the township’s zoning bylaw. Currently located near Wallenstein in Wellesley Township, the company has outgrown the space. The new site allows it room to grow.
Tube-Line, which makes bale-wrappers and loaders for farm use, will bring some 40 jobs with it.
The manufacturing operation is the latest incarnation for the 18-acre site at 6455 Reid Woods Dr. It was previously home to Elmira Wood Products. Prior to that, the site was used for an egg-grading operation.
Dan Kennaley, Woolwich’s director of engineering and planning, told councillors meeting Tuesday night that Tube-Line’s farm-related use makes the business suitable for land in an agriculture zone. The biggest issue is potential noise impacts on some of the nearby residences, which has been addresses satisfactorily by the company following a noise study, he added.
Coun. Allan Poffenroth, however, remained skeptical, pushing for assurances neighbours would not suffer adverse effects.
“I don’t want to see noise problems develop,” he said, pointing to longstanding complaints about some industrial operations in Elmira. “I’m concerned about a potential future problem.”
Under the bylaw allowing the use, outdoor equipment using back-up beepers, for instance, will be limited to between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the week, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
Sam Head, a planning consultant for Tube-Line, said the hours of operation would fall between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., with no heavy presses or other noisy equipment involved in the process. Renovations to the existing structures would include soundproofing. As well, where the wood-processing business saw 15 trucks a day accessing the site, the new use would require only four or five.
