HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2015-07-29, Page 5Wednesday, July 29, 2015 • News Record 5
Landowners continue to feel in the dark regarding G2G Trail
Dave Flaherty
Postmedia Network
Adjacent landowners to
the Goderich to Guelph
(G2G) Trail are still looking
for answers.
County council chambers
was packed with landowners
at the July 8 meeting.
Representatives of the
landowners said they had
brought their concerns to
council over a year ago and
feel they still have not been
addressed.
"Why have landowners
not received information,"
asked resident Neil Mitchell.
The landowners brought a
lengthy list of concerns
including but not limited to
safety, liability and protection
of their business interests.
They told council that the
trail could lead to impacts
such as the loss of contracts
or damage to personal prop-
erty or land, claiming that
several farmers in Huron
County had already received
notice that they would have
to increase their liability
insurance due to the public
access the trail would create.
Mitchell questioned how
trail users would be pro-
tected from wild animals or
other dangers on the trail.
He also questioned
whether the organization
behind the trail, G2G Inc.,
actually has the resources to
make the trail come to
fruition.
He claimed when land-
owners have requested the
financial statements or poli-
cies of G2G Inc., they have
used "delay" tactics.
Paul Vander Molen,
Huron County representa-
tive for G2G Inc., said they
have never been asked to
provide their financial infor-
mation and "we've never
used any delay tactics:'
Currently, the County of
Huron has no formal role
with the G2G Trail,
although it is expected they
will be asked to take on the
lease of lands within the
municipality in the future.
However, Mitchell said it is
imperative for the county's
role to be determined before
the trail moves forward.
Scott Tousaw, director of
planning and development
for the county, said land-
owners have been engaged
in meetings with the coun-
ty's working group for the
trail.
However, one landowner,
who claimed she is part of
that group, said she has con-
stantly left the meetings ask-
ing herself why she even
attended.
"They are not listening to
the landowners," she said.
"People on the working
group have a vested interest
in the trail:'
Vander Molen said they
have attempted to work with
the adjacent landowners to
address their concerns.
"I think they have brought
their concerns to the working
group and we have dealt with
most of them, Vander Molen
said. "We feel that we have
been very forward with every-
thing we've been doing."
Despite this, Vander
Molen did acknowledge the
idea of the G2G Trail has not
been received very well by
that specific group of adja-
cent landowners.
Vander Molen pointed out
that there are landowners
who have voiced their
approval of the trail.
He explained there are
"already systems in place to
deal with most of the
concerns."
"We are trying to take a
real positive look at it," he
continued. "We believe it's
just an unbelievable eco-
nomic development
opportunity."
Tousaw said the last meet-
ing held by the working
group focused on improving
communication.
Goderich Mayor Kevin
Morrison asked if the meet-
ings are actually advertised,
drawing cheers and claps
from the gallery.
Tousaw noted when the
working group convenes it is
technically not a public
meeting, but a "meeting that
is open to the public:'
Warden Paul Gowing
noted that it was county
council who gave direction
for the working group to
been created.
In April, G2G Inc. sent out
a press release that stated
that G2G Trail would be offi-
cially opened on July 1.
Huron East Mayor Bernie
MacLellan said the wording
of the press release confused
many landowners and
fuelled their feelings that
their concerns were not
being addressed.
MacLellan told his fellow
council members that G2G
Inc. representatives had
come to the July 7 Huron
East council meeting and
admitted the wording of the
press release was incorrect.
He later told The Signal
Star that while it is an appro-
priate first step for G2G Inc.
to acknowledge their mis-
take, the concerns of land-
owners remain.
Vander Molen said the
intent of the April press
release was to get out news
that the trail would be mov-
ing forward.
"At this point in time, the
trail is closed and we are
going to be posting signage
on the sections that we have
leased," he said.
"There seems to be some
confusion. We can't tell
landowners what is going
on," he said.
MacLellan said he
believes it would be benefi-
cial if information from the
working group meetings are
forwarded to lower -tier
municipalities.
He also put forth a motion,
which was passed, request-
ing that G2G Inc. be asked to
address county council at
their earliest convenience.
North Huron Reeve Neil
Vincent said the G2G trail
could have an impact on the
ability of adjacent landown-
ers "to make an income."
"This group is talking
about their way of life," he
said.
He further criticized G2G
Inc. as being very "wishy
washy" when it comes to
their regulations and that the
trail shouldn't be pushed
ahead for the gain of one
group against the detriment
of another.
Art Versteeg, Reeve of
Howick Township, said
council should have made
its decision on whether it
wanted to be involved last
year and he feels it is unlikely
the county will play much of
an important role in the
future of the trail.
He told The Signal Star he
feels the trail is a good idea
but wants to see that land-
owners' concerns are dealt
with in a "reasonable
fashion:'
FROM THE ARCHIVES
15 years ago...
• Three national judges of the Com-
munities in Bloom organization
stopped in Clinton for a tour of the
town. The town received a top provin-
cial ranking in its first year in the
program.
• "Clinton is one of the 11 best towns
this size in the country," said national
judge, Marjorie Willison.
• Four Goderich drinking water treat-
ment facilities were ordered by the
Ministry of Environment to shape up
by August 2, 2000 or face potential
prosecution. The orders by the ministry
required that the township have a certi-
fied operator for all of the facilities and
install chlorination systems for the two
of the four facilities. The township
faced several logistical challenges that
made it difficult to conform to the
orders. To certify an operator it takes
years of training. As a result, the town-
ship had to turn to other means of fill-
ing the position.
• A stagnant Jetstream was blamed
for the summer's cooler temperatures
and record rainfall.
• "It shouldn't be here," said David
Phillips, senior climatologist for Envi-
ronment Canada. "If the jet stream
could bump itself up and get home
we'd be into more of a summer."
25 years ago...
• The Clinton Horticultural Society
celebrated its 100th anniversary. Huron
MPP at the time, Jack Riddell, pre-
sented then president Margaret Mid-
dleton with a plaque from Premier
David Peterson.
• A group of Holmesville residents,
opposed to the expansion of the Mid -
Huron Landfill site, argued that there is
natural water on the site. Guidelines in
the Environmental Protection Act said
that there should be no direct drainage
from a landfill to a water course and
that a site should be at least 100 feet
from a watercourse, lake or pond.
• Clinton police officer, Brenda Nes-
bitt, made a big splash in the water
when she took her turn in the dunk
tank. The dunk tank was held in con-
junction with the Clinton BIA's side-
walk sale. Proceeds from the event
went to Crime Stoppers.
35 years ago...
• Farmers in the central part of the
county were complaining because of
the dry conditions and were hoping for
a few good showers, while their peers
in the north and south sections of the
county were praying for dry weather.
After a weekend of heavy rain that saw
at least 50 millimetres of rain dumped
on all of the county.
• "It may seem like we're never satis-
fied," said Huron's agricultural repre-
sentative Don Pullen.
• Rabies, the disease that attacks the
nervous system was on the increase in
the Clinton area. There were 27
reported cases of rabies that year, up
from only nine cases reported at that
time a year previous.
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