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Acton Free Press Wednesday October Properfy owners protest building of dam By Lorraine What Is considered by James S Bauer of Waterloo the Grand Valley Authority chairman Or- of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by the Authority has provoked general concern and apprehension amongst the property owners involved Many of them are farmers whose homes and lands have been In their families for some 130 years and others who within the last or years have moved Into the area and spent considerable quantities of money building restoring and making additions on homes which they had intended to live out their lives In The meeting held recently at public school auditorium was one to which property owners were invited to discuss the future and probabilities of such a project turned out to be a cut and dried explanation of what and where Although many of those present were prepared to present opinions of dissent at the government proposal and were allowed an opportunity to vocally oppose they were given little hope that anything could intercede less than a motion by the provincial cabinet Can It be stopped All we want to know is can this plan be stopped asked one of the property owners present of chairman James Bauer Anything can be stopped Thats the kind of system we have said Mr Bauer He made reference to the Expressway but indicated that only major pressures would stand in the way of the Grand River Conservation Authoritys million Speed River dam and reservoir project which would absorb 3600 acres of some of Ontarios best farm lands located in Guelph and Townships Details of the Authoritys Water Management Project were described for property owners and Interested spectators The owners heard of negotiation procedures the Authority will follow in acquiring the land needed for the project It was a marvellously des criptive presentation of an 1100 acre reservoir which will be about two miles long and a half mile wide at its widest point The reservoir will hold acrefeet of water or about twice the acrefoot capacity of a site previously considered just above Road said the chairman The Authority plans to begin construction by late summer of The objective Is to fill the reservoir during the spring runoff A beautiful park dream with plans for reforestation areas nature trails wildlife and water fowl sanctuaries picnic and beach facilities where only sail boating and canoeing will be allowed Camping areas fishing horseback riding with provisions for an authority operated lodge or some type of summer residence that could be rented by vacationers No Those attending the meeting found little consolation in the chairman 3 descriptive visions of natural beauty Many of them had been living with such aesthetics for their entire lifetime and had mental visions of other such great engineering dam projects which supposedly would revolutionize flood control and protect valley lands and natural resources In other areas at the Aswan dam in Egypt on the Nile said one well informed University of doctor Remember the Dam in British Columbia which has changed the entire environ ment with Its delta at the north going dry The Conestoga Dam and Be II wood dams were all mentally envisioned One Pollution Probe member asked when the water was let out would there be extensions of mud flats and would the beautiful valley land become a depressed area similar to that of How can the Government Justify taking hundreds of acres of rich fertile farm land and deluge it with water for a recrea tional area said Mrs Steven lwis a resident of Highway The chairman agreed with Mrs Lewis and said to dissenters Go ahead give me hell I would do the same thing if I was in your position But Mr Bauer said that such planning should have begun years ago and today we wouldnt be having problems of pollution and water shortages Farmers holler Many residents whose land will be inundated cannot see how the water in the dam can remain constant as said one con scientious objector This year Comins and Hey its congratulations to and Gunner Allerellle Ten years of marital bliss and four children later the happy couple celebrated at the Inn on the Park on Saturday night Nice going folks were glad youre Rock- wood citizens youre great for the community also celebrated her 11th year In Canada having come here from her native Denmark So Its a double commemoration for the pretty young mother Well now Thursdays the day but the Over Sunshine Club executive requests that members attend this weeks first meeting slightly earlier than the scheduled opening as it will take tune to sign in members and give out membership cards before the program begins A singsong progressive euchre and if someone wants to bring checkers and a board checkers will be the schedule of the first fun meeting to which every eligible citizen in will be welcomed So call on President Rev on Guelph Street if it s a ride you need and go along to the Town Hall for the premiere meeting of the newest social club In town You are expected Eden House had a fun time last Thursday when members from St Johns Anglican Church were on hand along with Millie Smith and Anna Marie Bell to help celebrate the combined birthday party of two residents Mrs Robinson and Mr Harrison Heading up the committee was Betty Clark assisted by Flossie McMinn and It was bingo noise and prizes and the residents had a jolly time as well as their entertainers Happy Birthday residents and many more of the same from your friends THANKS I want to thank my workers for their efforts during the Campaign I want to thank the electors in Wellington Dufferin for their vote of confidence In the days that lie ahead I will make every effort to justify their confidence was a good year and the river running through my property was constantly high But ordinarily sometime through the summer months It la completely dry and we can walk across it without getting feet muddy or wet If they think they can let the water out only five feet as the Authority has claimed Is the least amount they will release then farmers further down stream will eventually holler and theyll have to let it out then during a dry spell there will have to be mud flats Then we will look like Consternation disapproval was balanced on the other hand by residents of nearby Guelph who are delighted at the prospect rassssw Rockwood Bowling idphitcj i or Hill a Don Archibald a il anil IB4 lo triple Gerry triple with The IE their proficiency ihe 1 pis pli The Carneys Ilumbim This held by teams the Neighbour Pour Corners and Mm ton all with 19 pis position it held by the Im- its with 17 pts The Misfits 15 Nortons Bluebirds 14 Alley rati IS pts and 10th are the I Irene bowled In and last Tuesday for the Bluebirds as team mates Nightingale made at single and Alice Johnson a and The down the pulled a single Bob a Burnett a Ingle and Dave Burnett bowled in and JOS tingles Winnie hits was a leading light or the team and single John made a single single and Doris with a facers made points the Hovers points and Doug roll ran up a and set of Ann and of a new park which will attract tourists and visitors for miles The provincial government has sanctioned the project and has already released some money with a commitment of which will pay about percent of the preliminary estimated cost of million Some of homes which have been built during the past ten yearn were built wltli the under- that they would not be affected by the proposed project In Home homes will be pulled down and which hilt Inn the home owners dream and lifetime plans will also hit the taxpayer when he has to pay for buying back and purchasing an ex pensive building const ruction which should have been deterred in the first place Then when the entire project Is completed they must pay back the Authority by entrance fees into the park for the privilege of a recreation area which he bought in the Huge trees Common sense Hie area which Authority is planning to use has on some of its lis hinds trees which ore two and a half feet in diameter Pines maples oaks a paradise of recreation area they stand today Many of these trees will be cut down and new ones planted us a reus It takes years to a tree to any sizable said one farmer yet these are moving in to pull down some our most beautiful ones If thats profii ess well Id hate lo see what they call regression Some farmers who have lived in the vicinity on family homesteads recognize necessity of conservation and feel that they dont want to stand in the way of process if thats what is required Having tramped over their own properly for years however they feel that It Is already recreational urea land which doesnt need improving Why not a series of damn said one resident Instead of one lake why not a number of swimming areas which would go with the theme of nature and horseback riding trails with perfect and picnicking conditions According to the chairman at the Marden meeting the project plans have been reviewed by the Executive Committee and its water conservation advisory board The councils of and townships have also been advised with additional public meetings to be held If required The project is only one of purpose dams and reservoirs the author ity feels should be built throughout the Grand River Valley In February an Interim report of a provincial water management study of valley priority be given the project Planning of oUier darns will depend on what Is revealed in the completed provincial study which is to be released on November Surprise The site situated Just of Victoria ltd at the Concession mid stretches cast to Just beyond the Guelph Township line came as a surprise to most of property owners located upstream of dam site since it had been assumed for many years a dam on the Speed would be located ltd General Manager admits that shifting the dam site about a mile upstream from city was first considered only about a month ago Hie decision to go wiUi Victoria ltd location he said was based on Kilborn study which estimated Unit a reservoir located between Victoria ltd and Township Line could hold double the volume in about the same surface area as a dam built across flutter toixigraphy immediately north Woodhiwn Home and farm lgss plus Sues Ion able necessity of possible environment repercussions of the acre reservoir creation These are mental and vocal concerns of the approximately property owners Involved and the feeling that other should have been more thoroughly Investigated I believe that the simply put an advertisement in paper and asked for an said one resident The engineer moved in on the Job drew up his plans and didnt stop to consider environmental or whether other areas would be more appropriate There is a general hope that when the new governmental Pollution Control and Department gets Into operation they will investigate feasibility of the present project Meantime Chairman James Bauer confirmed that negotiations cannot halt dam and reservoir building and that property owner will be considered individually with only their special problems possibly altering the boundaries of land required Approximately 12S signed letters outlining resident concerns and objections to Uie Grand Itiver Conservation Authoritys proposed dam has been sent lo local political representatives and George Kerr as the one step to take at this stage property owner linn single the Brian Hone Clarence Hill single the a single Lois a Doug Carney a single an Nightingale a IBB single The Newcomers came through I great sly le to rapture points from the Optimists as Dose made a JH single and Martin ISA single single si Neighbour It was dining tune for guests of Mr and Mrs Max Milne of Street last weekend when Mr and Mrs Robert visited from and Mr and Mrs John Milne came up from Moffat Mrs Alex received great laud and ovation after her Sundays performance at Uie Presbyterian Church when she gave an account of her attendance at Congress last July Humorously and with natural assurance she presented her findings on what Christianity really is about and how it can be attained without too much ceremony Her talk was on Sunday telephones buzzed on Monday and probably by Friday if vocal reports are indicative shell be most popular guest speaker in this winter Nice Continued on bowled of and a 204 a a a lie The en Elliott a Ingle righ a single Hied bally Die triple di scdi in and Continued on Page RENT A CASCADE hot water heater JuM 1 AT ACTON HYDRO ALICE STREET EVERGREENS SHRUBS TREES HEDGES PERENNIALS PEAT MOSS FALL PLANTING BULBS GASH CARRY SPECIU sweetheart roses Open Days a Til Dark Phono HI WE WIRE FLOWERS Caroline Flower Garden Shop TODAY EVERY DAY EVERYWHERE Weve Got The BEST REMEDY For The Old Car Blues A GOOD PREOWNED MODEL GREAT BUYS THIS WEEK USED CARS 1970 Otdsmobile F85 door left on factory automatic power steering power brake J and radio Lie 279500 1969 Impala Custom radio Lie No 1968 Pontiac Convertible 1967 Chevrolet Convertible and power 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