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St. Marys Quarry STOPPED
Flamborough Quarry VICTORY Announcement
Hamilton City Council
April 14, 2010
Click
Here for a Video Clip of Councillor Margaret McCarthy Advising Council
and the Citizens of Hamilton of the Province's Announcement (note: video may take a minute to download)
April
13, 2010
Our
fight
against
the St. Mary's Cement quarry
is
finally over
…..we
won!!!
Province
intervenes to prevent quarry development, responds to community
concern for groundwater conservation
Today
the Minister
of Municipal Affairs and Housing issued a Ministerial Zoning Order
(MZO) under
Section 47 of the Planning Act
to freeze the zoning of 154 hectares of land in the former Town of
Flamborough. As
a result, St. Mary's Cement Inc. is prohibited from using these lands
for a proposed major quarry development.
The MZO
comes after concerns about the potential impact on groundwater raised
by Hamilton City Council, the Halton Regional Council, local Medical
officers of Health and countless citizens potentially impacted by the
development.
"Today
is a watershed day for our community and a fitting tribute to the
enormous community-based leadership that articulated the case against
the proposed St. Mary's Quarry so very well," said MPP Ted
McMeekin."
With the
MZO, the zoning on the land shall remain 'Rural and Conservation
Management' in perpetuity and ONLY those uses consistent with this
designated zoning will be permitted. This ensures the long-term
protection of groundwater resources in this sensitive area.
"Our
community came together and stood shoulder to shoulder in the fight
to stop the quarry," said McMeekin. "In so doing we have
not only protected the water resource we hold sacred but also the
environmental heritage of this area."
The
community-based opposition to the quarry was led by FORCE, Friends of
the Rural Community and the Environment.
"This
is a joyous day for our communities," said Graham Flint, Chair
and Spokesperson for Friends of Rural Communities and the Environment
(FORCE). "We thank Ted for his tireless efforts to champion our
cause at the provincial level and applaud the McGuinty government for
hearing and responding to the very real concerns of our local
municipalities and citizens about this massive open pit mine
proposal. Now our drinking water, the air we breathe, the fragile
natural features in this area, our way
of life and the roads we use to work, live and play will be
protected."
04/28/10 - City of
Hamilton Council Motion -
Unanimously Approved - "Therefore Be It Resolved: Given that the
Province
has passed a Ministerial Zoning Order for the subject property, the City
of
Hamilton will no longer co-ordinate, or participate in, a quarry
application
evaluation process." 04/22/10 - Compass - St Marys Stopped by Province PAGE 1 PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 4
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AMALGAMATION
Below is a copy of an email sent from Margaret McCarthy to Brenda Jeffries, Editor of the Flamborough Review:
| Brenda, this
article along with Michael Prue's position indicate to me that the time
might have come for the Province to revisit the entire issue of
Amalgamation. When even those that were supporters now have stated
that it does not work. This indicates to me that it might be, should
be, once again on the Provincial radar as a significant issue of
discourse that needs to be rectified. Those politicians that do not
heed this growing momentum, do so, I believe, at their own peril. The
dysfunction with the current amalgamations are numerous. Amalgamated
cities and their ensuing Councillor's positions are not reflective of
the cultural differences, geographic differences, and economic
differences of previously independent areas that require good
governance. |
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