Thirty minutes

Depending how much snow falls in winter, we may move a lot or a little  from  Yonge Street between Wellington and Mosely.

We didn't used to. I  re-call getting an occasional  boot full making my way from  car to  sidewalk.

For as long as can be remembered, the snow was taken to a location currently the site of  the community gardens.  Now flourishing, despite contamination from salt that may or may not have  been present. If  evidence of our eyes is to be depended upon. there was no salt.

It is currently dumped, and  has been for several years on a gravel parking lot in the vicinity of Lambert Willson Park.Similarly, no visible signs of salt damage to surrounding vegetation.

The proposal is to pave the parking lot, build a curb around it to  contain  melting snow, pave the driveway leading to it and build a treatment facility  that separates everything  except  salt.

Silt  and oil referred to in the report, remains on the surface  after the snow has melted  with no help from an elaborate treatment facility, designed at a cost of $123Ks.

Cost of the project is  estimated and included in  the town's capital construction budget increased to $800Ks. $500Ks  has been there since 2007, with the above amount already spent for  design.

Ar  the time of budget discussions, I argued against the recommendation, strictly on the basis that  salt dissolves in water.  It can't be  removed. The premise the project would reduce contamination from salt in the environment is not valid.

Council deferred approval of that project and others. 

Last week, a second report was submitted to  Council  acknowledging "soluble" salt is not removed by the process.

Salt is salt. Wrapped around aggregate or whatever, it is still soluble.Brine is salt in a soluble state.

The new report claims the project is a requirement of the Minister of the Environment.No cited regulation accompanies that claim.It cannot be  accepted. 

As they did at budget time, council deferred the decision until after the Minister of Environment has approved the plan.

I contend Council should exercise its  own mandate and reject the recommendation.

I voted for the deferral. Beggars can't be choosers.

If a town can be embarrassed, I think our town should be, to forward this cockamamie scheme to the  Honorable Minister for approval.

It does nothing for our image.

The recommendation the project should be paid for with money collected from new homeowners on the pretext the work is required because of growth is a glaring misrepresentation of  facts.

It cannot be countenanced.