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THURSDAY, JULY 26, 2007 THE NEW TANNER 11 ROCKWOODThe Miller By Rebecca Ring Guelph/Eramosa Councillors told MPP Ted Arnott that the province needs to upload responsibilities that were downloaded by the past Conservative government, such as social services. Were paying for things that we shouldnt be, so we dont have the money to pay for what we should. Rather than a grant for a soccer fi eld, Id rather have the province pay for social services again so we could pay for this from municipal taxes and be able to maintain it, said Councillor Doug Breen. Arnott initiated the meeting with council recently to discuss these and other issues. He plans to represent the Progressive Conserva- tive Party for Wellington-Halton Hills in the upcoming provincial election. He currently represents Waterloo-Wellington, which in- cludes a small slice of the township. The new riding will encompass all of Guelph/Eramosa and Halton Hills to match the federal riding. They discussed education, health care, sports and recreation, Places to Grow and the environment. The common theme was the need to put municipal tax money back where it was intended so facilities and programs could more readily be established and maintained. Arnott asked what the current ratio is for the delegation of property taxes. Mayor Chris White said 20% goes to the municipality, 50% to the county and 30% to education. Education funding Breen said the education funding formula needs to be changed and only the province has the power to do so, We have lots of programs but not enough bricks and mortar, referring to the shortage of class space. White said the township needs a central area where kids can go, such as an outdoor arena that could serve as an ice rink in winter and roller-skating rink in the summer. Arnott asked how much this would cost. About one or one and a half million, depending on the design. We would like to build it so it could eventually be closed in, answered White. Councillor Reta Moyer spoke about the chronic shortage of long-term care facili- ties, adding, Often, family caregivers are getting stressed and the strain even results in them losing their jobs. The doctor shortage then came up, with Arnott asking how many residents dont have doctors. White said the issue is not just whether they have a doctor, but whether the doctor is local. Breen said the population of Rockwood has increased substantially with no increase in medical services available. Council agreed that development has to be managed correctly, because the township is a rural oasis, which needs to be protected. We dont want it to become Brampton or Missis- sauga, so we need fl exibility with the Places to Grow plan so its not too much too fast, said White. Dont put us in the Greenbelt, though, because we want planning control, added Breen. I am glad youre here, White told Arnott, In September, we will formulate a design committee for the community and we will de- velop a master plan. We will present this vision to our partners, like the province, GRCA, and the City of Guelph. If we dont tell you how you can help, that you dont know. Arnott said, If a municipality calls me, I call back ASAP because I want to deal with them personally. If I can help a council, them I can help a community. My door is always open and I will work with you if Im successful in the next election. By Rebecca Ring The upper dam in the Rockwood Conservation Area has been decommis- sioned which will result in the renaturalization of the river, according to Ralph Beaumont, Communications Manager for the Grand Riv- er Conservation Authority. Natural fl ow and cooler tem- peratures will reduce bacteria levels and improve cold wa- ter fi sh populations, such as trout, he says. The upper dam was origi- nally built to power the old woollen mill, the ruins of which are an attraction at the park. The dam is an historic feature in the com- munity, however it no longer provides power and has a negative environmental impact so the GRCA de- commissioned it this spring. It held back water, creating a pond and causing silt and bacteria build-up. Its bad for water quality and bad for the fish, deteriorating downstream conditions, says Beaumont. The dam is made up of concrete pillars with slots. Logs were placed in these slots to achieve the desired water level. They were nor- mally taken out in the winter, so this spring the GRCA put in fewer logs to impound less water upstream. The waterfall is still there with its esthetic value but there is no upstream pond. Well see how this works. We should have a nice clear stream instead of a pond, says Beaumont. The next step is to decide on a plan for the newly un- covered shoreline. Currently, grass has been planted, with the possibility of planting meadow plants and trees. In four or fi ve years, you wont even know a pond was there, says Beaumont. Expect improvement The GRCA expects a vast improvement in the water quality and will work with the community, angling and fi shing clubs, and other or- ganizations to improve fi sh habitat. Currently, there is a sterile pond bottom. The addition of rocks and other rehabilitation measures would provide habitat where fi sh could hide and breed. Some past success sto- ries include Taquanyah near Cayuga on the lower Grand River, which is a cold water stream. A dam was built there in the 1960s but was decom- missioned a few years ago. It is in the process of re- naturalizing and looks great, according to Beaumont. Another case is at Chillago near Hespeler. A dam with a road on it failed so rather than repair it, a bridge was built. The cold water fish population downstream has since improved. The GRCA also helped remove a private dam in Fergus, with the Min- istry of Natural Resources. The old Beattie dam failed so it was removed, allowing water fl ow and fi sh passage. Tent pads Other projects at the RCA include creating tent pads on campsites. Using a tent pad allows the unique, nat- ural area to regenerate, says Beaumont. Some sites have been closed and oth- ers opened to encourage regeneration. With the help of donations from Gilbert McIntyre Funeral Home, trails are also being built so hikers will stick to specifi c paths. With heavy use, foot traffi c can prevent the growth of trees and plants. There are 60 year old trees but no babies in some areas. Most people will stick to a trail, allowing the other areas to re- generate. A healthy forest is like a healthy town. It needs seniors, adults, teens and babies, says Beaumont. The 11 parks in the GRCA see over 1.1 million visitors each year and Rockwood is one of the busiest, averaging 75,000 visitors. Beaumont says, The very things people come to enjoy trees, water, camping must be balanced to continue. The GRCA is an environmental agency first, hence the innovative projects. There are currently no plans to change the lower dam in the park, which cre- ates the swimming area. On Thursday July 19 at about 9:37 p.m. Wellington OPP Constable Jonathan Devine was patrolling on Highway 6 of Arthur Twp monitoring traffi c. At this time the offi cer found a 1998 Chevy Blazer northbound travelling well above the posted speed limit. A 20- year-old Mount For- est man has been charged with speeding at 140 km/h in the posted 80-km/h zone. He is scheduled to appear in Guelph Court on September 5. Second Hand Shop ?????????????????????????????? ?????????? ????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????? Open Tuesday - Saturday 11-5 Sundays & Mondays By Chance CASH OR CHEQUES ONLY PLEASE. LOTS OF THE USUAL AND VERY UNUSUAL ????????????????????? ??????????? Council, Ted Arnott parley over provincial issues Decommissioning of dam to renaturalize Eramosa River Speeder of the week LET IT FLOW: The Grand River Conservation Authority decommissioned the upper dam in Rockwood this spring to renaturalize the river. Better fl ow should lower water temperatures and improve water quality. Shown here, a staff member takes photos of the river and shore to document its progress. Rebecca Ring Photo READ THE NEW TANNER