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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2013-03-06, Page 6Wednesda , March 6, 2013 • Lakeshore Advance 5 Can nity letters to the editor CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 4 So let me put this into perspec- tive - London which is just 45 min- utes down the road has 11111 events, it allows beer at some of those and that number is growing - they allow live bands in close proximity to downtown, they close off busy arteries and the end result is people interact, people conte' together, people have fun, and the economy and the community benefits greittly? t in (;rand Bent it town 1 love ( one that I like to think is very creative as well - we easily say goodbye to a great Volleyball tour- nament, question the construction of a few volley courts on the. beach and have' a moratorium (1n1 events during the only tinge that they actu- ally make financial sense. 'lids then negatively affects the revenues from tourism which are the life blood of the town - and in turn by not allow- ing these events it inhibits this community to become engaging and for people to interact? 1 could just never understand this thought process. 1 live in London and Grand Bend and absolutely there are those in London that are not in favor of these events. But speaking to the councilors and others that are involved they are a small minority. 'Ihe difference between (he com- munities as 1 see it is that London for all its Issues somehow does not cow down to this vocal minority - but understands that what is good for London as a whole s good for most. Or as my father used to say "I ligh'I'ide rises all Ships" If only we could adopt this thought process then I really Leve our community would he aced more vibrant, prosperous and enjoyable. Or maybe Mr Coxhead the Lon- don head of parks and recreation may want to move to a nice small community on the lake because I think we need more people with his mindset! Regards, Jim Archibald Reader dismayed regarding wind info To Me editor: ant dismayed by the misinfor- mation on Industrial Wind Hews and how the Green Energy Act removed the ability to enact municipal zoning regulations. Please, we must put aside the emo- tion and get the facts. IW is are big business, don't believe the market- ing material. (yet the facts. The old adage of 'if it sounds too good to be true it probably isn't true' fits here. (yet the facts. Wind energy isn't the 'greets' solution and doesn't justify the government subsidy of more than $1 billion a year. Everyone will be impacted by the planned 51 story Industrial Wind Turbines. Energy costs will Increase & jobs will be lost Energy costs will jump by more than 40% by 2015 and more than half of that will be due solely to new renewable power being brought online. 'this will mean more busi- ness layoffs or shutdowns. It will mean less disposable income for all, and it will damage the vitality of our local econonmy.'1he 201 1 Audi- tor General's report on renewable energy initiatives also indicated that they didn't buy the Liberals estimate of new jobs and instead pointed to a 2011 survey that showed 111 the tinned Kingdon( 4 jobs were lost elsewhere 111 the economy for every on' new job in the renewable energy sector, pri- marily because of higher electricity prices. Ontario already has more energy than we need. Read the 2012 Ontario Society of Professional Engineers report on IW'I:s that outlines in 201 1 we spent $15 million to export surplus energy. Ontario's energy supply was already 75% free of Green I louse (uses in 2009. Ontario uses very little coal and coal is being replaced by gas not by IW'I's. And coal will be phased out by 2014. Adding the planned IW I's will even Increase Green House (uses because wind in Ontario is incon- sistent and IW'I's must have gas energy as at backup. Neighbours will be put at risk. People are being forced from their homes because they can't live near IW'I's. A recent survey in Waterloo, Australia showed 39 per cent of respondents reported sleep disturbance up to 5km from the wind turbines. At l0km away, 29 per cent of respondents reported sleep disturbance. Environmental Protection Authority science and assessment director Peter Dolan says a noise monitoring programs will start in April 201 and con- tinue uninterrupted for two months. "Something is happening and we are trying our hest to figure out what it is," 1 says. "1 certainly believe people are affected by something. "'There are some theo- ries around that it is not infrasound but low -frequency noise, but something is affecting people for certain. 'they are not slaking it up." Ontario provincial field repre- sentatives confirmed adverse health effects from !WI' noise as far back as 2009 hut the Ontario Liber- als continue to misrepresent the risks of Government Ministers, Minis- tries, Agencies and Municipalities have an ethical duty and legal obli- gation to protect the health, safety, quality of life and well being of all their citizens and their properties. It's time to stand up and say N( ) to Industrial Wind Turbines on Ontario's West (;oast. We will not he bought by Big Business Wind companies. We will not put our neighbours at risk. We will protect our duality of lift', our natural landscape and our wildlife. Karen Kelly -White, Proud Grand Bend Resident Open letter to Premier Wynne 'lb the editor: I am contacting you regarding thee issue of Industrial WI 11(1 I'ur- l)bIles 111 rural Ontario that Inas been implemented by your government over these past four or five years. You must be well aware of the problems that have arisen due to how Industrial Wind'l'(nehmen and the (;reen k11('lgy Act (save been arbitrarily forced on our rural soci- ety.'Ihe backlash continues to increase and I am afraid will grow ugly as extremists on both sides of this issue become frustrated and illegal and stupid actions begin to occur. I have been studying this issue' for four years now and at11 amazed that your party 111 particular r under the leadership of Dalton McGuinty, has blindly clung to the sante view- point dismissing all credible oppo- sition to the proliferation of IW'I's throughout the province. I recently researched informa- tion on the number of grass roots type organizations that are funded by ordinary citizens who believe 111 this issue and are concerned about the impact of this fortn of renewa- ble energy on their well being and quality of life. This is what is apparent: Pro -Wind Advocacy groups: • I could find very few if any that did not have ties to Wind Developers or Environmental organizations that received funding from the wind industry or receive government grants. In other words they seem to have a vested economic or political interest. Anti -Wind Advocacy groups: • There appear to be over 500 groups worldwide representing 27 countries. ( USA has over 200 groups representing 36 states and Canada has close to 60 groups from 4 provinces with Ontario having close to 50) • Groups like 'National Wind Watch' (www.wind-watch.org ) from the US as an example includes a multitude of credible facts and information regarding all aspects of this issue, be it health related, economic viability, environmental viability and on and on. All of this data which has been repeatedly presented to your government, appears to have been summarily dismissed by your ministries without proper analysis and debate. My point in all of this is that there are untold thousands of peo- ple worldwide with many of them highly educated professionals, who question the wisdom of 'wind' as we know it being a viable renewa- ble' energy source since it has so many negative side effects. Surely you must acknowledge that we trust exercise caution and he sure of what we are doing before install- ing one more turbine in Ontario. 1 winter in Florida and when reading an article in a local south- ern Magazine where the subject was the polarized political right wing and left wing politics of the day, it said: "1,111 talking about highly educated and successful people who have just made up their minds a11(1 choose not to he con- fused with new facts or perspec- tives.'Ihev have their heads buried in the sand" 1 fear that this may apply to many 011 our sill(' of the border as well. Let this comment he a good lesson for all of us. As the new premier of Ontario you have the opportunity to put politics aside and do what is right and not be influenced by the lobby- ists and political opportunists. Have your expert professionals stop and tvitll an open mind look at these 'new facts or perspectives' to deter- mine absolute truth 111 this platter. If these 'new facts or perspectives' are false they must be proven to be false not just claimed to he false. So far the pro wind rhetoric fails to conte close to doing that. Roy Merkley lakatare Advance Port Franks volunteer joins Rotary The Rotary Cub of Grand Bend continues to attractmew members of high caliber. Elizabeth Place of Port Franks seen here with Acting President Peter Phillips was recently Inducted Into the fellowship of Rotary at their last regular meeting held at the Colonial Hotel. Elizabeth has a long record of volunteerism within her community and we wish her the very best In her support of Rotary. Anyone interested In following Elizabeth's lead and would like to find out more about Rotary and membership are encouraged to call Jim at 519 238 8800. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Lakeshore Advance welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must include the writer's full name, address, (laytime phone number and signature (for verification. Anonymous letters will not be pub- lished. We reserve the right to edit all editorial submissions including letters for clarification, style and length. Letters must be signed and he in good taste and follow the laws of libel and slander.