Mayor Al Alls
is predicting dire consequences if the Erin community fails to deal with the
need for sewage treatment.
In an open
letter to residents, he said inaction would bring “unfathomable” risks.
“One of the
most important moments in the history of our Town is currently before us,” he
said. “This council agreed to accept the challenge despite the hardships that
came with it, to ensure a bright future for Erin.”
He wrote an
open letter in January on the same theme, but his current comments come after
much criticism of proposals in the Wastewater Environmental Assessment at a
recent public meeting.
“Erin is a
great place to live – however presently, only for a select few,” he
said. “Those residents who built our town have been forced to move Guelph,
Georgetown or Orangeville when they age because of a lack of Senior’s
facilities.
“The children
and grandchildren of those residents are also forced to leave our borders due
to a lack of affordable housing options. To create a prosperous and
wholesome community that works for all ages, we need to address this deficiency.”
He said sewers
are needed to stop “massive” pollution of the environment by septic systems, to
allow for a greater variety of residential development, to enable business
growth (which would offset residential taxes) and to ensure that schools do not
close due to lack of enrolment.
He said
developers will pay half the cost of the $118 million system, and tens of
millions of dollars will be needed from senior governments to make the project
possible.
“The costs may
be high, but the cost of doing nothing is greater,” he said.
The full text of the mayor’s message can be read
in the Opinion section at erinadvocate.com.