The following is being posted with the consent of the original author ...
By the time the servicing is completed for the proposed "Fraserville Project" which includes piping water 12 km from wells in Millbrook to the Fraserville site, building a waste water treatment plant, widening of the 28 highway to 4 lanes and the usual "cost overruns" we are looking at a total in the $60 million+ range.
The plan is to recoup these costs from developments fees from the construction of 600 odd homes, supposed manufacturing plants, hotels etc. to be built over the next 20 years. Simple math would tell you that these fees will need to be enormous 10 to 15 thousand dollars.
Who will pay for the cost of this project? You the taxpayers of Cavan Monaghan Township.
So if you were looking to locate in this area and raise a family would you want to pay these outrageous development fees and property taxes, enjoy the 24 hour traffic and bright lights associated with the "Slots", hear the wonderful roar of fine tuned race car engines barreling around the track and airplane engines passsing overhead? Or would you go to near by Peterborough and pay much lower development fees in a quiet neighborhood with far more sevices?
Build It Will They Come? - I Think Not - The Cavan Monaghan Council need to rethink this foolish plan "Now"
Want to learn more about this issue? go to http://www.socm.ca/
Ed Farrow
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Planned Destruction of Prime Agricultural Land
The following is being posted with the consent of the original author ...
Hon. Leona Dombrowsky
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Dear Madam Minister,
This letter refers to a planned destruction of prime agricultural land.
Residents of Cavan-Monaghan Township (County of Peterborough) are heading for serious crisis. The Municipal Council has been pushing for a huge development in Fraserville, a small hamlet which is also a home to Kawartha Slots and Race Track. The plan is to build close to 700 residential units, another golf course (in addition to an existing one in the same location), restaurants, hotels, industry, strip malls, expand the Slots and add an Entertainment Centre etc. At the moment the area has neither services, nor infrastructure, there is no available water source and it is Class 1 – 3 agricultural land which will be destroyed and paved over in the process. At the time when the agricultural land is disappearing very quickly in Southern Ontario, this kind of development will add to overwhelming destruction which contradicts the trend of growing our food close to home. It will also irreparably affect the small, family operated farms. In addition, the near areas are the environmentally sensitive wetlands and a natural heritage corridor.
It is a typical urban sprawl which the Ontario Government is trying to stop through the Places to Growth Act.
I hope to get your attention and get your help in preserving this unique area located just 1 hour drive from Toronto.
Thank you for reading this letter
Sincerely,
Eva Hans-Bykhovsky
Hon. Leona Dombrowsky
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Dear Madam Minister,
This letter refers to a planned destruction of prime agricultural land.
Residents of Cavan-Monaghan Township (County of Peterborough) are heading for serious crisis. The Municipal Council has been pushing for a huge development in Fraserville, a small hamlet which is also a home to Kawartha Slots and Race Track. The plan is to build close to 700 residential units, another golf course (in addition to an existing one in the same location), restaurants, hotels, industry, strip malls, expand the Slots and add an Entertainment Centre etc. At the moment the area has neither services, nor infrastructure, there is no available water source and it is Class 1 – 3 agricultural land which will be destroyed and paved over in the process. At the time when the agricultural land is disappearing very quickly in Southern Ontario, this kind of development will add to overwhelming destruction which contradicts the trend of growing our food close to home. It will also irreparably affect the small, family operated farms. In addition, the near areas are the environmentally sensitive wetlands and a natural heritage corridor.
It is a typical urban sprawl which the Ontario Government is trying to stop through the Places to Growth Act.
I hope to get your attention and get your help in preserving this unique area located just 1 hour drive from Toronto.
Thank you for reading this letter
Sincerely,
Eva Hans-Bykhovsky
Monday, January 4, 2010
Questioning Fraserville Development
The following is being posted with the consent of the original author ...
How many people in the area are aware of the plans to widen Hwy 28 to four lanes just in the Fraserville area?
Why we were made to believe that the water/wastewater system needs to go to Fraserville/Kawartha Slots because there is a contract with the Township and if the services are not provided, the tax monies from OLG will be lost. When contacted, OLG responded that there are NO CONTRACTS, THE OLG OWNS THE SLOTS and there are no plans to shut down or move the Slots. Furthermore, it is the mandate of the OLG that 5% of Slots’ revenues is to be given to the township in which it is located.
Why it is on the agenda to run a water pipeline from Millbrook to Fraserville through the Provincially Significant Wetland along Larmer Line where Species of Concern and Endangered Species of wildlife are present. Ontario regulation 167/06 Working Around Water from ORCA states: “Development activity in a Provincially Significant Wetlands is strictly prohibited” and the Endangered Species Act forbids any disruption of Endangered Species’ habitat. In addition to the above, the Cavan Creek PSW (along Larmer Line) is designated as ECOREGION 6E and the Provincial policy Statement declares that “Development and Site alteration shall not be permitted in significant WETLAND ECOREGION 6E and 7E”.
And there is some wonderful news that our Reeve Neil Cathcart seems to be feeling much better (he has been too ill to attend Council meetings for quite a while) and could be present at the Festival Trees in Peterborough.
Let us have peaceful and joyous Holiday Season.
Eva Hans
Cavan, ON
How many people in the area are aware of the plans to widen Hwy 28 to four lanes just in the Fraserville area?
Why we were made to believe that the water/wastewater system needs to go to Fraserville/Kawartha Slots because there is a contract with the Township and if the services are not provided, the tax monies from OLG will be lost. When contacted, OLG responded that there are NO CONTRACTS, THE OLG OWNS THE SLOTS and there are no plans to shut down or move the Slots. Furthermore, it is the mandate of the OLG that 5% of Slots’ revenues is to be given to the township in which it is located.
Why it is on the agenda to run a water pipeline from Millbrook to Fraserville through the Provincially Significant Wetland along Larmer Line where Species of Concern and Endangered Species of wildlife are present. Ontario regulation 167/06 Working Around Water from ORCA states: “Development activity in a Provincially Significant Wetlands is strictly prohibited” and the Endangered Species Act forbids any disruption of Endangered Species’ habitat. In addition to the above, the Cavan Creek PSW (along Larmer Line) is designated as ECOREGION 6E and the Provincial policy Statement declares that “Development and Site alteration shall not be permitted in significant WETLAND ECOREGION 6E and 7E”.
And there is some wonderful news that our Reeve Neil Cathcart seems to be feeling much better (he has been too ill to attend Council meetings for quite a while) and could be present at the Festival Trees in Peterborough.
Let us have peaceful and joyous Holiday Season.
Eva Hans
Cavan, ON
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Peer review of the hydrogeological component of the Fraserville Water Supply Master Plan
This is a letter originally sent to The Millbrook Times, and is reprinted here with the author's permission......
Attention : Mr. Fraser Armstrong and Ms. Paula A. Formanek
It is my understanding that your firm will be conducting a peer review of the hydrogeological component of the Fraserville Water Supply Master Plan.
I would like to impart some information that probably will not be in any of the reports from the Township hydrogeologist (Golder & Associates). During the "Pump Test" in August there was impact to artesian wells in close proximity to the pump test well site that were not monitored by the hydrogeological team. On my property which is at 18 George St. some 1000 yds directly south of the Millbrook wells is an artesin well which flows at a normal rate of 40+ liters/min., while the pump test was being conducted the flow rate dropped to less than 20 liters/min. Also an adjoining property owner at 16 Houston Street reported that their well stopped flowing entirely (this was witnessed by Nels Edgerton the Township Water/Waste Water Director).
These wells continued to exhibit the reduced flow during the entire 3 day test and did not recover until the Millbrook wells were returned to normal flow.
My concern is that the study did not comprehend the impact to local wells (artesian or dug) or to the impact on wells, ponds or spring fed spawning streams outside the Millbrook village. The consequences of long term pumping form the Millbrook well to satisfy the Fraserville Project will have a devastating effect on the local (20 mile radius) water system and environment.
Please take this into consideration during you review.
Respectfully Ed Farrow
Attention : Mr. Fraser Armstrong and Ms. Paula A. Formanek
It is my understanding that your firm will be conducting a peer review of the hydrogeological component of the Fraserville Water Supply Master Plan.
I would like to impart some information that probably will not be in any of the reports from the Township hydrogeologist (Golder & Associates). During the "Pump Test" in August there was impact to artesian wells in close proximity to the pump test well site that were not monitored by the hydrogeological team. On my property which is at 18 George St. some 1000 yds directly south of the Millbrook wells is an artesin well which flows at a normal rate of 40+ liters/min., while the pump test was being conducted the flow rate dropped to less than 20 liters/min. Also an adjoining property owner at 16 Houston Street reported that their well stopped flowing entirely (this was witnessed by Nels Edgerton the Township Water/Waste Water Director).
These wells continued to exhibit the reduced flow during the entire 3 day test and did not recover until the Millbrook wells were returned to normal flow.
My concern is that the study did not comprehend the impact to local wells (artesian or dug) or to the impact on wells, ponds or spring fed spawning streams outside the Millbrook village. The consequences of long term pumping form the Millbrook well to satisfy the Fraserville Project will have a devastating effect on the local (20 mile radius) water system and environment.
Please take this into consideration during you review.
Respectfully Ed Farrow
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Costly Demand for Millbrook Water and Questionable Township Planning
The taxpayers of Cavan Monaghan Township are paying a fortune to create a sewage and water supply for Kawartha Downs and a non existent Fraserville mega-city in a way that I think is totally environmentally and economically unsustainable.
Are residents of Cavan Monaghan aware that Kawartha Downs have received 10 % of the revenue from the slots, around $63 million to date, and that the township has taken in half that amount, or $31 million?
Providing water and sewage treatment to the Fraserville area, which only includes Kawartha Downs at this time, will cost roughly $30 million from the township with the inevitable cost overruns and interest, and $20 million in grants from the federal and provincial governments. It appears that all the money the township (we) has received from the slots is in effect being used to provide services to Kawartha Downs, which has already received $60 million?
CM Township plans build new sewage facilities and to pipe a large amount of water over 12 kilometres from existing Millbrook wells to service Fraserville. I am concerned the Millbrook and area aquifer will be adversely and permanently affected.
I wonder why Kawartha Downs is currently shipping its sewage to Millbrook and taking its water from Peterborough although it appears that they do have good wells and sewage facilities on their property. I also wonder why Peterborough, the Airport, or even the Otonabee River is not a viable water supply source for Kawartha Downs to purchase if they do not want to invest in treating the water from their own wells.
I find it interesting that Sysco Food Service of Central Ontario which is also nearby in the township, has paid for their own treatment facilities.
Cavan Monaghan council has told us that residential, commercial and industrial land development fees will repay all the money they are investing in the Fraserville mega-development infrastructure.
I wonder if this is dreaming.
Peterborough, a few minutes away, has 1,227 residential lots ready for building applications tomorrow, and has a surplus of serviced and unserviced residential, industrial and commercial lands. Its development charges are low it has all the normal services of a city.
Fraserville has none of these amenities and will have an expanded airport on its doorstep as well as a brightly lit casino and racetrack in its midst.
I wonder why anyone would choose to build in Fraserville in the next 10 or 20 years, and even if they did and huge development fees were charged, it would still be insignificant in recouping the enormous infrastructure and loan interest costs?
Lastly, I wonder if the presence of Kawartha Downs and the slots has been the catalyst for this whole developer-driven mega-planning.
In light of the way the township has used the windfall income from the slots, I wonder if we would be far better off without them and I do not implicate the horseman’s association in all this.
Unlike all other communities with slot or casino income, not one penny of the $30 million Kawartha Downs slot money has been invested in a community foundation or trust.
I was happy to see a packed Legion Hall in Millbrook recently to voice concerns over the diversion of Millbrook ground water, and to also see a big turnout for the Oct. 25 protest march.
It appears that opposition to the water and development issues and to the lack of Cavan Monaghan council support for the wishes and enrichment of the community is uniting a broad spectrum of angry township residents.
Are residents of Cavan Monaghan aware that Kawartha Downs have received 10 % of the revenue from the slots, around $63 million to date, and that the township has taken in half that amount, or $31 million?
Providing water and sewage treatment to the Fraserville area, which only includes Kawartha Downs at this time, will cost roughly $30 million from the township with the inevitable cost overruns and interest, and $20 million in grants from the federal and provincial governments. It appears that all the money the township (we) has received from the slots is in effect being used to provide services to Kawartha Downs, which has already received $60 million?
CM Township plans build new sewage facilities and to pipe a large amount of water over 12 kilometres from existing Millbrook wells to service Fraserville. I am concerned the Millbrook and area aquifer will be adversely and permanently affected.
I wonder why Kawartha Downs is currently shipping its sewage to Millbrook and taking its water from Peterborough although it appears that they do have good wells and sewage facilities on their property. I also wonder why Peterborough, the Airport, or even the Otonabee River is not a viable water supply source for Kawartha Downs to purchase if they do not want to invest in treating the water from their own wells.
I find it interesting that Sysco Food Service of Central Ontario which is also nearby in the township, has paid for their own treatment facilities.
Cavan Monaghan council has told us that residential, commercial and industrial land development fees will repay all the money they are investing in the Fraserville mega-development infrastructure.
I wonder if this is dreaming.
Peterborough, a few minutes away, has 1,227 residential lots ready for building applications tomorrow, and has a surplus of serviced and unserviced residential, industrial and commercial lands. Its development charges are low it has all the normal services of a city.
Fraserville has none of these amenities and will have an expanded airport on its doorstep as well as a brightly lit casino and racetrack in its midst.
I wonder why anyone would choose to build in Fraserville in the next 10 or 20 years, and even if they did and huge development fees were charged, it would still be insignificant in recouping the enormous infrastructure and loan interest costs?
Lastly, I wonder if the presence of Kawartha Downs and the slots has been the catalyst for this whole developer-driven mega-planning.
In light of the way the township has used the windfall income from the slots, I wonder if we would be far better off without them and I do not implicate the horseman’s association in all this.
Unlike all other communities with slot or casino income, not one penny of the $30 million Kawartha Downs slot money has been invested in a community foundation or trust.
I was happy to see a packed Legion Hall in Millbrook recently to voice concerns over the diversion of Millbrook ground water, and to also see a big turnout for the Oct. 25 protest march.
It appears that opposition to the water and development issues and to the lack of Cavan Monaghan council support for the wishes and enrichment of the community is uniting a broad spectrum of angry township residents.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
The finances just aren't adding up
If the City of Peterborough currently has over 1200 ready to build residential units, why would people decide to build in the newly constructed complete community of Fraserville? Would it be their desire to live near the flight path of an expanded airport, the adrenalin rush from the noise of the car races, the brightly lit night sky, or the desire to raise ones family in the vicinity of OLG Slots? The lack of any modern recreational facilities, both indoors and out within the township certainly isn’t going to help attract new people to the township, especially when Peterborough has them all, right there.
And what’s going to make this newly serviced commercial and industrial land in Fraserville more attractive than the existing serviced lands in Peterborough that currently sit vacant? Signs indicating industrial lands for sale are visible along Hwy 115 driving past Peterborough by the Ashburnham and Parkway exits, listed at $40,000 per acre. The signs have been there for years. These lands will also be just as easily accessible to the newly expanded airport as the proposed lands in Fraserville. If there currently isn’t any buyers for these vacant lands in Peterborough, why will there suddenly be buyers lined up in Fraserville?
It’s great to forecast all the revenues that will be generated from these phantom industrial and commercial enterprises that can’t be named, and the 684 ‘to be constructed’ residential units that haven’t been sold in Fraserville, but ultimately who is going to be on the hook for any shortage of revenues that aren’t realized from a lack of commercial / industrial enterprises or homes that aren’t built. The township can’t tax or collect development charges from those that don’t come, and with stiff competition for both residential home sales and commercial / industrial tenants from Peterborough, development charges can’t simply be increased to make up the short fall. Especially when the 2009 Development Charges for Peterborough exempt Industrial developments from development charges.
The federal and provincial governments have each earmarked $9.8 million in the form of Infrastructure grants towards the completion of the water and wastewater treatment facilities. As a condition of the grants, if the entire project isn’t completed by March 2011, the township won’t be receiving all of those monies. With an estimated project value of $30 million, the township would be on the hook for the remaining funds, including any cost over runs. The recent construction of the shelter at Maple Leaf Park was an example of a township project over budget. Considering this project is budgeted at around $30 million, why should we believe it’s not going to run over budget as well, only this time, given the magnitude of the project, the results could be financially devastating for our township.
In a 2007 article from the Ontario Good Roads Association, it was reported that the cost of the Cavan Monaghan water and wastewater project would be $30 million plus land acquisition but would not in any case exceed $40 million. Add in inflation since 2007, and those numbers are very concerning.
While these 684 residential units are built over the course of the next 20 years, on a $10 million loan at 5% over 20 years, the interest portion alone according to my calculations is over $5.7 million. If the plan is to charge $10,000 for development charges to each new residential unit, that’s only going to generate $6.84 million dollars, just exceeding the expense of the interest portion alone. If the townships final bill were to come in at $20 million, that same interest portion alone would sky rocket to over $11 million based on a 5% interest rate, almost double what the township would bring in from residential development charges for the 684 units. Add to that the ongoing maintenance of the new water and wastewater treatment infrastructure, and the costs continue to mount … for whom? On the backs of the few residents and commercial enterprises that initially come to Fraserville, or all the existing residents of the township?
Spending $30 million by March 2011 to get water and sewer to Fraserville, in order to receive the grants is one expense, but what about the actual individual servicing of these new 684 homes and businesses? How is that going to be paid for? The proposed subdivisions with 684 homes and commercial enterprises are not all going to be in place by March 2011, and the development charges are said to be making up the $10 million that the township has to put in to receive the full grants. If that's the case, where's the money coming from to actually service these new homes and businesses when those arrive after March 2011? I would really like to see the math showing how our tax dollars and OUR reserves are not going to be required to complete this project? What about the costs associated with providing additional services such as police, fire, and schooling to these new residents?
Are we creating a huge financial burden for all citizens of Cavan Monaghan? Second question, why are we risking this?
Be sure to complete the online petitions at www.socm.ca
I believe it’s time that such major decisions affecting the future of this township are made based on the wishes of a majority of people in this township, and not just a select ‘few’. Put this decision to a referendum vote, and let democracy set the course for the future of this township.
And what’s going to make this newly serviced commercial and industrial land in Fraserville more attractive than the existing serviced lands in Peterborough that currently sit vacant? Signs indicating industrial lands for sale are visible along Hwy 115 driving past Peterborough by the Ashburnham and Parkway exits, listed at $40,000 per acre. The signs have been there for years. These lands will also be just as easily accessible to the newly expanded airport as the proposed lands in Fraserville. If there currently isn’t any buyers for these vacant lands in Peterborough, why will there suddenly be buyers lined up in Fraserville?
It’s great to forecast all the revenues that will be generated from these phantom industrial and commercial enterprises that can’t be named, and the 684 ‘to be constructed’ residential units that haven’t been sold in Fraserville, but ultimately who is going to be on the hook for any shortage of revenues that aren’t realized from a lack of commercial / industrial enterprises or homes that aren’t built. The township can’t tax or collect development charges from those that don’t come, and with stiff competition for both residential home sales and commercial / industrial tenants from Peterborough, development charges can’t simply be increased to make up the short fall. Especially when the 2009 Development Charges for Peterborough exempt Industrial developments from development charges.
The federal and provincial governments have each earmarked $9.8 million in the form of Infrastructure grants towards the completion of the water and wastewater treatment facilities. As a condition of the grants, if the entire project isn’t completed by March 2011, the township won’t be receiving all of those monies. With an estimated project value of $30 million, the township would be on the hook for the remaining funds, including any cost over runs. The recent construction of the shelter at Maple Leaf Park was an example of a township project over budget. Considering this project is budgeted at around $30 million, why should we believe it’s not going to run over budget as well, only this time, given the magnitude of the project, the results could be financially devastating for our township.
In a 2007 article from the Ontario Good Roads Association, it was reported that the cost of the Cavan Monaghan water and wastewater project would be $30 million plus land acquisition but would not in any case exceed $40 million. Add in inflation since 2007, and those numbers are very concerning.
While these 684 residential units are built over the course of the next 20 years, on a $10 million loan at 5% over 20 years, the interest portion alone according to my calculations is over $5.7 million. If the plan is to charge $10,000 for development charges to each new residential unit, that’s only going to generate $6.84 million dollars, just exceeding the expense of the interest portion alone. If the townships final bill were to come in at $20 million, that same interest portion alone would sky rocket to over $11 million based on a 5% interest rate, almost double what the township would bring in from residential development charges for the 684 units. Add to that the ongoing maintenance of the new water and wastewater treatment infrastructure, and the costs continue to mount … for whom? On the backs of the few residents and commercial enterprises that initially come to Fraserville, or all the existing residents of the township?
Spending $30 million by March 2011 to get water and sewer to Fraserville, in order to receive the grants is one expense, but what about the actual individual servicing of these new 684 homes and businesses? How is that going to be paid for? The proposed subdivisions with 684 homes and commercial enterprises are not all going to be in place by March 2011, and the development charges are said to be making up the $10 million that the township has to put in to receive the full grants. If that's the case, where's the money coming from to actually service these new homes and businesses when those arrive after March 2011? I would really like to see the math showing how our tax dollars and OUR reserves are not going to be required to complete this project? What about the costs associated with providing additional services such as police, fire, and schooling to these new residents?
Are we creating a huge financial burden for all citizens of Cavan Monaghan? Second question, why are we risking this?
Be sure to complete the online petitions at www.socm.ca
I believe it’s time that such major decisions affecting the future of this township are made based on the wishes of a majority of people in this township, and not just a select ‘few’. Put this decision to a referendum vote, and let democracy set the course for the future of this township.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Tritium
I have done extensive research on the issue of radioactive tritium pollution released from the Shield Source Inc. facility, which is located at the Peterborough Airport. I believe this is relevant to the proposal to develop the Fraserville area, as well it is a major concern regarding water quality in Cavan Monaghan Township and beyond.
Tritium is radioactive hydrogen and is released continuously in massive amounts as part of routine operations at Shield Source. Tritium combines with oxygen in the environment to create radioactive water. Once inside the body it delivers an internal dose of beta radiation that can result in genetic damage, birth defects and cancer. Any exposure increases the risk of health effects.
Tritium occurs naturally at the level of one radioactive disintegration per second, per liter, in fresh water. Scientifically this is described as one Becquerel per liter (Bq/L). Releases from Shield Source have dramatically elevated tritium concentrations at and around the airport. In 2007 tritium in soil near the Shield Source stack reached 1.5 million Bq/L and continually averages in the several hundred thousands of Bq/L. In 2008 apples sampled 220 meters away measured 5540 Bq/L. Water samples 170 meters away averaged 1904 Bq/L with a max of 2980 Bq/L. Sixteen kilometers downwind tritium levels in water were found to average 65 Bq/L in 2008. Tap water at the airport was measured at an average 55 Bq/L. (2008) . Any reading above about 1 Bq/L is man made. In our location, any reading above 5-6 Bq/L is above and beyond releases from nuclear stations and is attributed to tritium released from Shield Source Inc.
Ontario's newly proposed guideline for tritium in drinking water is an annual average of 20 Bq/L. If this proposal is adopted by the provincial government then the water at the Peterborough Airport could be the first test case for the new guideline.
Tritium can not be filtered out of a water supply. It literally becomes the "H" in H20. According to official documents, at a tritium sampling site designated as W15, (at Fraserville access to Otonabee River, 2500 meters south of the Shield Source Inc. stack), tritium levels averaged 50 Becquerels per liter in 2007. Maximum readings in 2004 were 2768 Becquerels per liter. Also, at the sampling site designated as W9 (Cavan Creek, 1500 meters southwest of the Shield Source stack) tritium levels averaged 82 Becquerels per liter in 2007.
One of many tritium concerns I have is the impact of tritium fallout on the proposed water reservoir for the development in Fraserville. Tritium must be considered in any decision regarding water supply in Cavan Monaghan and for communities downwind and downstream from the Peterborough Airport.
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