Road Deal for Quarry

by Brad Holden

An agreement reached between the County of Simcoe, Clearview Township and Walker Aggregates that would see major changes to the road network around Duntroon has been met with skepticism from those opposed to Walker's plans to expand its quarry operation in the area.

But Clearview Township Mayor Ken Ferguson is confident the agreement is a good deal.

"The Township will benefit from up to $10.5 million dollars of roads improvements with the Township paying only $1 million," he said in a press release this week. "This is a win-win proposition."

The terms of the deal, made official on February 15 when it was approved at County Council, would see the County transfer responsibility for County Road 91 between Duntroon and the Grey/Simcoe Townline to Clearview Township. Clearview would then close the portion of the road in the vicinity of the Duntroon quarry and transfer ownership of that stretch to Walker Aggregates. The remainder of the road between the quarry and the 10th Concession would become a 40 km/h restricted access road for residents only. (See map)

Improvements would be made to County Road 91 from the 10th Concession to the outskirts of Duntroon, as well as to the 10th Concession from County Road 91 to 30/31 Sideroad. 26/27 Sideroad, currently a summer road only, would be upgraded to year-round gravel road. These upgrades, estimated to cost $10.5 million, would be paid for by Walker ($7.5 million), Simcoe County ($2 million) and Clearview ($1 million).

The agreement means that both Clearview and the County will sit in support of the quarry expansion when the issue goes before the Consolidated Hearings Board, beginning on April 12. The hearing will take place at the Creemore Community Centre and is scheduled to last eight weeks.

The roads agreement is, of course, contingent on the quarry expansion being approved.

Opposing the expansion at the Board hearing will be the Niagara Escarpment Commission and the Clearview Community Coalition, a ratepayers group who this week announced they were teaming with Toronto-based nonprofit organization Environmental Defence on the issue.

A press release from the two groups stated their discontent with the roads deal. "If a private land developer tried to close a road by secret deal, to allow for a 160-acre development, with 500 heavy trucks heading down a small street in a city, there'd be a riot on Council," said Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence. "In Simcoe County, this looks like business as usual."

Reached by the Echo, Clearview Planning Director Michael Wynia said the roads agreement would cut down on truck traffic as it would cause trucks other than those associated with Walkers to use County Road 124 when heading west from Duntroon. For that reason, 26/27 Sideroad would be left as a gravel road.

Clearview Township has twice before attempted to acquire federal and provincial funding to upgrade the 10th Concession, which sees a lot of Collingwood-bound traffic and has some serious sight-line deficiencies. Both times it has been denied.