I am a neighbour across the…

I am a neighbour across the road from a property they have purchased to expand the site.

I have been fortunate enough to have George Kirchmair come to my house and we had a nice discussion.

The concept of what he is proposing is something that I feel would be a good thing to have in Ontario. The problem is the site, both from an environmental aspect and from a truck logistics standpoint.

Environmentally, the site sits on a property that is majority floodplain that should make it exempt from these types of activities. The previous approvals were given during an era where environmental concerns and outcomes were not as known or studied as they are today. All of the surrounding homes are on water wells that are only 40' deep in many cases, even though there is a clay layer there are several local examples of water well contamination over the years. History has shown many cases where engineers and experts say water wells are fine only for years later to show water wells were not safe. In our area like much of Ontario we have seen weather patterns of fewer but far more severe storms that have led to drainage schemes to be overran and water contamination to occur. Running water lines to the homes is not something the local rural people can afford. There are proposed water lines south of town that are over $100,000 per hookup. Many of these homes are worth less than $250,000 and would be worth far less with this facility operating even with the municipal water hookup.

Also, the site sits directly with a creek running through it that drains immediately into the Sydenham River and would pose huge risk for all sorts of environmental damage to occur.

Logistically this site is even worse that it is environmentally. I run a business that works in high volumes of trucks and understand logistic challenges better than most. 6000mt per day in and out as stated would occur by George Kirchmair when we met is not something the roads around here would be able to safely add. The only year round full load road runs directly through downtown Dresden meaning that when half load axle restrictions are on the trucks will have no choice. This type of facility should be built directly adjacent to a 400 series highway or other high volume provincial road that won't have trucks running directly through tight and small down town corridors.

I am a person that believes in infrastructure and business expansion in rural areas, I believe I have considered this project, spoke to George Kirschmair and other employees or agents of York1 and it is my belief that although this project has merits this site is not ideal for these operations.