A Ramara Township resident is concerned a new quarry could blast its way into the township, bringing noise pollution, dust, and habitat destruction along with it.
LCP Quarry Limited has proposed a 151-hectare site for a new quarry, including a 91.5-hectare extraction area, on lands located between Concession Roads 1 and 2 in Ramara Township.
With neighbouring lands already home to a quarry, resident Barbara Sternberg, who lives nearby, has numerous concerns about ramping up aggregate mining in the area and the township more broadly.
“We already have more than our fair share of aggregate mining in this area, and it's just destroying the whole area,” she said. “As far as I'm concerned, you have to think about the health and welfare of the citizens who live here, and tourism — if you're thinking monetarily — people don't come to a tourist area that's a big hole in the ground.”
Sternberg expressed concern about impacts of dust and noise pollution, as well as environmental destruction, highlighting the many cottages and year-round residents who live in the broader area surrounding the existing and proposed new quarry site.
“This is just adding more, and it's ridiculous. I mean, enough is enough,” Sternberg said.
“Quarries create a lot of noise with the trucks and the blasting and the digging, and they create noise pollution, and then they create air pollution with the dust that's raised up and the particulate matter,” she said. “The quarry makes a big hole where there were meadows and wetlands, and habitat for insects and birds and everything, which we need.”
At the area’s existing quarry, which is north of the proposed site for the new one, Sternberg said residents can hear when blasting takes place, and notes dust and mud become an issue along the adjoining Concession Road A.
“The trucks are going there all the time,” she said. “The whole area is impacted by it and it's already bad, so why make something that's bad worse?”
Sternberg is one of dozens who oppose the new quarry, she said, noting the members of the Concerned Lakeshore Ratepayers Group are opposed to the project.
Township officials say they are currently reviewing the application for the proposed quarry, with no date currently set for a public meeting.
Ramara Mayor Basil Clarke said the company will need to apply for a zoning amendment, as the area is currently zoned rural, although the township’s official plan designates the area prime aggregate, he said.
“When they come in for the site plan approval and the final zoning change, that's when the township gets involved. That's when we'll schedule our public meetings,” he said.
Clarke agreed that Ramara has more quarries than average, noting the township once had large swaths of land identified for aggregate mining.
“We do have more quarries because this is where the rock is. There was a time when … the province had identified over 60 per cent of this township as aggregate,” he said. “We got that reduced to a more realistic number, but that entire area where this quarry is going is zoned prime aggregate by the province of Ontario.”
Clarke said the township will primarily be involved with the site plan for the quarry, such as ensuring berms are built around the quarry site.
Although the new quarry will require a zoning amendment from the township to move forward, he noted the township recently lost a battle when it tried to oppose a new quarry.
“We did fight one … last year that was not considered prime aggregate,” he said. “We fought them at the (Ontario Land Tribunal) and we lost – they were allowed to open the quarry regardless.”
He encouraged residents to attend public meetings regarding the township’s Official Plan, which is currently under review.
“We're publicizing our Official Plan right now to open houses, and it'll be coming to public meetings. I always urge people to go to those meetings and see what's proposed in your area,” he said.
“They would have known this entire land was set aside for aggregate, so it's very important that people get involved when the Official Plan is being passed by your municipality, so that you know what's going to happen where in your neighbourhood.”
In the meantime, LCP Quarry Limited plans to hold an a public information session on Aug. 14, from 6 to 8 p.m., at 2347 Concession Road 10 in Brechin.
More information about the proposed quarry may be found on its website.
