NO McClintock Quarry

PLEASE NOTE : AS WE ARE WAITING FOR THE APPLICANT TO MAKE A FORMAL SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND FORESTRY, WE ARE NOT FORWARDING FURTHER PETITIONS AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER THE SUMMARY BELOW IS USEFUL BACKGROUND AND YOU CAN REGISTER YOUR INTEREST ON OUR WEB SITE. ALTHOUGH THE INCUMBENTS IN SOME MINISTRY POSITIONS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE PETITION WAS INITIATED, WE HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO MAKE CONTINUOUS UPDATES. THE PETITION WILL BE FORWARDED TO THE APPROPRIATE PARTIES AS THEY EXIST FROM TIME TO TIME

What Is Happening?

John Bacher Construction Limited has applied to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry proposing to develop a new 53 acre quarry operation located on McClintock Road (formerly Fletcher Bay Road - Lots 11 and 12, Concession 2 in the Township of McClintock) – the ‘McClintock Quarry”. The development will have a direct impact on properties located on Harvey Lake, Otter Lake and UR INTEREST ON OUR WEB SITE parts of Kawagama Lake touching Fletcher Bay, including properties on Wes Clarke Drive and North Creek Drive. As well, properties further down Livingstone Lake Road will be impacted by the heavier truck traffic as they progress towards Dorset, as well as noise from blasting and crushing.
The McClintock Quarry Application is for a license for a maximum annual extraction of 280,000 tonnes of gravel and bedrock. The proposed development is not in compliance with the Official Plan of the Township especially with regard to a requirement that such operations be located at least 1 Km from a Waterfront Designation. The proponent will be applying to the Township of Algonquin Highlands to waive this requirement. In some cases the quarry edge will be within 150 metres of properties on Harvey Lake. The Application reports also suggests an additional volume of heavy trucks of 10 trips per hour (every 6 minutes) along McClintock Road and Livingstone Lake Road.

There are suggestions in the press and elsewhere that the Applicant may reduce the maximum extraction request significantly and that even at the reduced level they will only use a small fraction of the approved maximum. In the Haliburton Highlander the Applicant suggested they are applying for much more than they can use “I want this pit to be used by my son and grandchildren. The restrictions around these proposals are getting so tough, so if I can set this up now, it just helps us in the long run,” This is ridiculous logic - I’m just going to use a little bit now, but give me a lot more so my children or grandchildren can create a BIG mess.

Why Should You Care?

1.The proposed development will directly abut and have a devastating impact on the enjoyment and values of the 9 properties on pristine Harvey Lake. Almost 60% of these properties are in the hands of second-generation owners, some in the hands of fourth-generation owners. The notice of the development was dropped on these owners like a bombshell the week of July 10th and they were given only until August 7th to gather support and provide their comments to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. A classic David & Goliath fight for these owners of relatively modest properties, without an organization or resources to fight what seems a stacked deck. Many of the residents are in tears over their potential loss of value and of being forced by the development and operational noise and disruption to abandon the site of generations of family memories.

2. Massive increase in heavy truck traffic on McClintock Rd and Livingstone Lake Road. The proponent’s consultants have based disruption calculations on traffic flows of up to 10 loads per hour, utilizing a projected near term volume of 100,000 Tons/year. We believe these calculations count only full loads, so the total increase in traffic volume from return trips could double that figure.

3. Lower property values for all properties impacted by the noise and heavy increased traffic on haul route along McClintock Road and Livingstone Lake Road- (County Road 12) and County Road 8 from Kawagama Lake Road to the Hwy 35 turnoff, where many properties are within 30 metres (100 feet) of the road.

4. Heavy use from trucks will put wear and tear on our municipal roads leading to higher taxes and road delays. There is a suggestion the Township might require the proponent to pay for initial road upgrades if required, but ongoing maintenance will be paid for by all taxpayers.

5. Negative impact on traffic and safety – Livingstone Road in particular has a number of hills and curves. Existing use by sand and aggregate trucks and logging trucks already create dangerous conditions for walkers, cars entering and exiting driveways/side roads, and cyclists. This will be exacerbated.

6. Negative impact from extra noise and vibration from trucks traveling on haul route, blast zone and processing materials.

7. Negative impact on air quality from dust pollution with this type of activity and trucking haul route. Citizens living adjacent to pits and quarries or in surrounding areas have a higher instance of bronchitis, emphysema, asthma and other respiratory illnesses. Fine dust particulates are particularly hazardous to children and the elderly.

8. Negative impact on species of special concern and rare wildlife – including two habitats of the threatened Blanding’s Turtle, which has been identified as inhabiting the site in the environmental report. The identified habitats of the Blanding’s Turtles are immediately adjacent to areas where blasting will occur. No environmental assessment has been provided concerning the impact of blasting noise and compression waves on the turtles. Quarry operations will be conducted between the two areas identified as habitats for these turtles. The operation plan seems to believe that the turtles will stay within each identified habitat. No visiting by lovelorn turtles? This seems to be an unrealistic assumption.

9. The Application proposes 24/7 operations, although the proponent has apparently informally suggested operations only Monday to Friday 7:00am to 7:00pm. However, this restriction could increase the frequency of truck trips during the operating period. Based on operations of similar aggregate quarries, more than 50% of the tonnage will be shipped from June 1st to September 30th, which would substantially increase traffic during the busy summer season

What Can You Do?

1. Sign the petition online

2. Attend the information session on the proposed quarry development being hosted by John Bacher Construction to be held on Saturday July 29th from 9-11am at the Dorset Recreation Centre, 1051 Main Street, Dorset.

3. Share with others via Facebook or email. https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=save%20harvey%20lake

3. Write a letter or call to express your opposition to the McClintock Quarry:

Township of Algonquin Highlands
1123 North Shore Road,
Algonquin Highlands, ON K0M 1J1

Mayor Carol Moffatt
1-705-489-3554
cmoffatt@algonquinhighlands.ca

Deputy Mayor Liz Danielsen
Councillor Ward 2, Stanhope
613-339-1475
Cell: 705-754-5962
ldanielsen@algonquinhighlands.ca

Councillor Marlene Kyle
Ward 3 (McClintock, Livingstone, Lawrence & Nightingale)
mkyle@algonquinhighlands.ca

Councillor Brian Lynch
Ward 1, Dorset
705-766-1148
blynch@algonquinhighlands.ca

Councillor Lisa Barry
Ward 2, Stanhope
705-754-0758
lbarry@algonquinhighlands.ca

Angie Bird, A.M.C.T., CMM III
Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk
705-489-2379
abird@algonquinhighlands.ca

Province of Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry

The Hon. Kathryn McGarry
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
minister.mnrf@ontario.ca

Joe Dickson, MPP Ajax - Pickering,
Parliamentary Assistant to Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry
j.dickson.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org

Dan Duggan
District Manager
Parry Sound District,
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
7 Bay St, Parry Sound, ON P2A 1S4
Phone: 705-773-4236
dan.duggan@ontario.ca

Jeff Schosser
Aggregate Inspector/Technical Specialist
Parry Sound District, Bracebridge Field office
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
1350 High Falls Road,
Bracebridge, ON, P1L 1W9
705-646-5526
Jeff.schosser@ontario.ca

Province of Ontario
Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change

The Honourable Glenn Murray,
Minister of The Environment and Climate Change
GMurray.MPP@liberal.ola.org

Province of Ontario
Premier

The Honourable Kathleen O Wynne
Premier of Ontario
Kwynne.mpp@liberal.ola.org
Ontario Legislature – Local MPP

Laurie Scott MPP
Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock

Constituency Office
14 Lindsay Street North
Lindsay, Ontario K9V 1T4
Phone 705-324-6654
Toll Free 1-800-424-2490
Fax 705-324-6938

laurie.scottco@pc.ola.org

Queens Park
Room 434, Main Legislative Building,
Queen's Park
Toronto, Ontario M7A 1A8
Phone 416-325-2771
Fax 416-325-2904

laurie.scott@pc.ola.org

Local Press Contacts for McClintock Quarry

Metroland Publications /Muskoka Region/Huntsville Forester

newsroom@muskokaregion.com

Huntsville Doppler

huntsville@doppleronline.ca

Haliburton Highlander

Frank@Highlandernews.com

4. Write to us at saveharveylake@gmail.com if you wish to help directly or have further questions. Copies of the Application documents are available on the web site www.nomcclintockquarry.ca