As published in The Erin Advocate
Solmar Development Corp is prepared to build an expandable sewage treatment plant to service its new subdivision in the north end of Erin village, even if the Town is not ready to extend sewage service to the rest of the village.
The plant is not likely to be located on Solmar's 300 acres, according to company planner Maurizio Rogato.
"We are investigating downstream – I don't think it's going to be on our land," he said. Provincial policy requires sewers for the new subdivision, but if a broader sewage system is in Erin's future, it would be practical to have one plant on Town-owned land.
A plant would need further environmental assessment, but a location towards the south-east of the village would make it easier for treated discharge to enter the river where it has maximum water flow. (Two tributaries join the river just east of the downtown area.)
Town Council has made no decisions on these issues, as it awaits recommendations from the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP). Solmar's development process will run concurrently with the SSMP, since the firm wants to proceed as soon as possible. More than 600 new homes are expected.
"We are eager to see the SSMP conclude," said Rogato. "Is there a way of dealing with the looming question of the town-wide servicing? I see that as a bit of a partnership."
Solmar has proposed a modular plant that can be expanded "if and when" the Town opts for sewers. "I see that as an amicable way of moving forward," said Rogato.
There has been discussion about whether the Credit River can handle the discharge from a sewage plant, but Rogato does not see this issue holding up development. He said the treatment technology can be increased as needed, until the discharge meets the standard set by Credit Valley Conservation.
"We are well aware of the importance of protecting the river," he said.
A system will have to evolve over time, he said and it is an "ill-conceived notion" to think that everyone would have to hook up to sewers at the same time. "The proper way of thinking of things is, do we have any troubled areas in town right now, what are the true needs?"
Solmar has offered to build its plant to also handle septage (septic tank pumpings). This would benefit rural residents. A septage facility should be built large enough for more than just Erin's needs, earning revenue by accepting septage from other towns.
Solmar has also offered to allocate 200 units of sewage capacity for downtown businesses. There is a need there, but in general, the people who benefit from a service should be the ones paying for it. Should new residents in a subdivision pay the capital cost to treat downtown sewage, in the purchase price of their new homes?
Solmar will have to pay development charges, but that revenue cannot be spent to upgrade other parts of the Town. Former Mayor Rod Finnie has suggested that Solmar and other developers pay an extra $25,000 per lot to partially fund a sewage system. This would seem to force new residents to pay for service to existing residents.
"It would be a tax on a tax," said Rogato, suggesting that an extra charge could stifle new business growth. He noted that the Development Charges Act already requires that 90 per cent of new growth costs be covered by the developer and 10 per cent by the Town. "Can you realistically expect a private investor to come in and fund a plant for an entire town?"
Finnie said that while the Town must conform to legislation, "it is not uncommon for developers and municipalities to negotiate for services that have to be provided in order for development to go forward. Some municipalities even offer incentives in terms of the approval process in return for the developers contributing to municipal priorities."
If the SSMP is completed (maybe this winter) and council agrees on a general direction (also uncertain), they will still have to decide about partnering with Solmar and whether to actually start creating a larger sewer system. That could take a long time, especially if no one is actually demanding development or sewers.
"Not deciding is a decision in itself," said Rogato, but he stressed that once the SSMP is done, council should take some time to digest it and not be rushed into deciding on all the possibilities. "We will need to come up with a municipal service, and I would love for it to work in a fashion that allows council that flexibility.
"I don't like the idea of council having theoretically a gun held to its head. I don't want to speculate on what council may or may not do when it (the SSMP) concludes. But Solmar has now made a decision that it is time to move forward. We will be filing development approval applications, Official Plan amendments, a zoning bylaw amendment and a first phase of draft plan."
July 18, 2012
July 11, 2012
Subdivision needs pedestrian and cycle routes
As published in The Erin Advocate
I recently took a walk up the Tenth Line from Dundas Street, along the path that runs through the very middle of the L-shaped parcel of land owned by Solmar Development Corp, and tried to image that expanse of farmland filled with houses, businesses, parks and roads.
It will be a massive project, spanning about 1.25 kilometres along Dundas, and the same distance north to County Road 124. While construction is still years away, now is the time for us to start making suggestions, to ensure that this addition to the community is the best it can be.
The developer intends to file an initial application this summer, but it is accepting public input before the formal public meetings. I sat down with Solmar Planner Maurizio Rogato to ask some questions, and put in my own two cents worth.
I think a modern subdivision should have more than traditional roads and sidewalks to move people around.
"We have a central entrance way that we're going to have to, I think, make impressive," said Rogato. "We are going to have a definite pedestrian network. The majority of it will be traditional. Whatever encourages some sense of place, and connecting to those places, I'm a big supporter of."
The main road into the development from the south, going through the Seniors Housing, leading to the Central Square and carrying on to the industrial and commercial lands to the north, is a boulevard. Normally, that would mean a centre strip of land with trees between two sections of road.
What if that extra strip of land could instead be on one side of the road only, and include not only trees, but a paved path that could be wide enough for two-way bicycle traffic, plus a designated strip for pedestrians.
This would be consistent with the Active Transportation Plan being developed at the county level, which is intended to have a real impact on community design.
I have wondered about a green network of trails or off-road sidewalks in the residential areas, but that might take up too much land.
"Greenways, I don't know if they are implementable, but we're definitely looking at that," said Rogato. "I love the idea. You want to be able to connect. When you're introducing community uses like we are, the community parks and connecting those places, I get that. That's going to be a challenge."
It would be great if we could get one north-south bike/pedestrian path, and a second east-west one that would connect the wooded area and school site on the east, to the Central Square in the middle and the park or stormwater pond area on the west.
This could connect to a proposed loop trail encircling the adjacent Deer Pit. That trail would run along an old rail spur line on the border of the Solmar land, as an offshoot of the Elora-Cataract Trailway.
The Central Square is intended to provide open space next to medium-density housing:
"This is all trying to create that connection, that sense of place, create the walkability, create the connection to public spheres where tremendous community things can occur if properly managed," said Rogato. "You can have outdoor markets, you can have art shows, connections with the schools. It's a place to congregate."
It would also be good to have some public access to the greenlands on the east, where a tributary of the West Credit River flows, plus access to the Elora-Cataract Trail, but Rogato said conservation authorities are very protective of such zones.
Pavement or interlocking stone may be too formal for a natural area. Wood chips would be OK, but they require regular maintenance. I think most people would be content with something simple, in the Bruce Trail style.
Rogato is aware that some current residents are not happy with the projected growth of Erin village, but he noted that Solmar bought land that was already designated for housing.
"Council made that decision for everybody," he said. "That's what the Official Plan of Erin calls for – the OP is supposed to be a community vision.
"Yes, developers are in the business of making money, like any other business would be. But at the same time, developers are community builders. We have a responsibility to the community, to ensure that we have assessed the needs of the community. Council shares that responsibility with us, and I'd like us to be cooperating together."
I recently took a walk up the Tenth Line from Dundas Street, along the path that runs through the very middle of the L-shaped parcel of land owned by Solmar Development Corp, and tried to image that expanse of farmland filled with houses, businesses, parks and roads.
It will be a massive project, spanning about 1.25 kilometres along Dundas, and the same distance north to County Road 124. While construction is still years away, now is the time for us to start making suggestions, to ensure that this addition to the community is the best it can be.
The developer intends to file an initial application this summer, but it is accepting public input before the formal public meetings. I sat down with Solmar Planner Maurizio Rogato to ask some questions, and put in my own two cents worth.
I think a modern subdivision should have more than traditional roads and sidewalks to move people around.
"We have a central entrance way that we're going to have to, I think, make impressive," said Rogato. "We are going to have a definite pedestrian network. The majority of it will be traditional. Whatever encourages some sense of place, and connecting to those places, I'm a big supporter of."
The main road into the development from the south, going through the Seniors Housing, leading to the Central Square and carrying on to the industrial and commercial lands to the north, is a boulevard. Normally, that would mean a centre strip of land with trees between two sections of road.
What if that extra strip of land could instead be on one side of the road only, and include not only trees, but a paved path that could be wide enough for two-way bicycle traffic, plus a designated strip for pedestrians.
This would be consistent with the Active Transportation Plan being developed at the county level, which is intended to have a real impact on community design.
I have wondered about a green network of trails or off-road sidewalks in the residential areas, but that might take up too much land.
"Greenways, I don't know if they are implementable, but we're definitely looking at that," said Rogato. "I love the idea. You want to be able to connect. When you're introducing community uses like we are, the community parks and connecting those places, I get that. That's going to be a challenge."
It would be great if we could get one north-south bike/pedestrian path, and a second east-west one that would connect the wooded area and school site on the east, to the Central Square in the middle and the park or stormwater pond area on the west.
This could connect to a proposed loop trail encircling the adjacent Deer Pit. That trail would run along an old rail spur line on the border of the Solmar land, as an offshoot of the Elora-Cataract Trailway.
The Central Square is intended to provide open space next to medium-density housing:
"This is all trying to create that connection, that sense of place, create the walkability, create the connection to public spheres where tremendous community things can occur if properly managed," said Rogato. "You can have outdoor markets, you can have art shows, connections with the schools. It's a place to congregate."
It would also be good to have some public access to the greenlands on the east, where a tributary of the West Credit River flows, plus access to the Elora-Cataract Trail, but Rogato said conservation authorities are very protective of such zones.
Pavement or interlocking stone may be too formal for a natural area. Wood chips would be OK, but they require regular maintenance. I think most people would be content with something simple, in the Bruce Trail style.
Rogato is aware that some current residents are not happy with the projected growth of Erin village, but he noted that Solmar bought land that was already designated for housing.
"Council made that decision for everybody," he said. "That's what the Official Plan of Erin calls for – the OP is supposed to be a community vision.
"Yes, developers are in the business of making money, like any other business would be. But at the same time, developers are community builders. We have a responsibility to the community, to ensure that we have assessed the needs of the community. Council shares that responsibility with us, and I'd like us to be cooperating together."
July 04, 2012
Historic Exchange Hotel looks modern inside
As published in The Erin Advocate
Renovations are proceeding nicely at the Exchange Hotel in Hillsburgh, with seven condominium units now on the market and plans made to open the Coach House Creamery restaurant on the Civic Holiday weekend.
A public walk through the interior of the hotel building was the highlight in a tour of downtown Hillsburgh hosted last week by lifelong resident Lee Tocher, a former owner of the property.
It is still a construction site, but much of the electrical, plumbing and drywall work is complete and the elevator shaft is in place.
Built about 1883, in the prosperous years that followed the arrival of the Credit Valley Railway, the Exchange "outclassed the other hotels in Hillsburgh" according to Wellington historian Steve Thorning.
It served as a headquarters for the well-to-do members of the Caledon Mountain Trout Club, and the main hotel parlour was a favourite meeting place for Erin Township Council.
Tocher said traveling salesmen "in the old days" would often use the hotel as their base of operations in the area, showing their products in the sample room above the arched passageway that led to the livery stable.
"Years later, they had a restaurant in here and a big pool room at the back with three tables," he said. "It was a working hotel up until about 1966."
Tocher owned the building from 1966 to 1986, operating his store and renting out apartments. He has given some hotel artifacts to the new owners, including some glassware and a Seagrams 3-Star whiskey bottle, with a cork, which was inside a wall.
Developers Roy McCullough and Justin Morrow were on hand to show off the progress they've made.
"We've gone through a lot," said Morrow. "It's been about a year process trying to get it converted over to condominiums, and we just got approval last week."
The Creamery will be selling ice cream, soups, sandwiches and a variety of treats. The new restaurant is at the south end, while the north end on the ground floor is available for lease (or purchase) as retail or commercial space.
A section at the back of the building has been rebuilt, and reinforcements have been made to the structure. Most of the wood in the interior had to removed to meet fire regulations. They have also purchased the small building just north of the hotel. They are using it as an office, but it will soon be demolished.
There are four condo units on the second floor and three on the third, each with its own laundry facilities, furnace and air conditioning.
They range from a 534 sq.ft. one-bedroom unit called The Cataract, listed for $229,900, to The Grand (what Morrow calls the "gem"): a 1,490 sq.ft. two-bedroom unit stretching across the full front of the third floor, listed at $429,900. More information is available at www.exchange-hotel.com.
The Exchange Hotel was originally built by Bill Dwier, in a style that incorporated details normally found on much larger commercial buildings in cities. That exterior appearance has been preserved. The third floor has a mansard roof, with windows in dormers.
"This style was a feature of Second Empire buildings, perhaps the dominant style in the 1875 to 1890 period, and which still adds flavour to downtown Fergus and Guelph," said Thorning, in an article on the hotel. A series of his articles is available at www.erin.ca. Go to the About Erin section and click on History of Erin.
Renovations are proceeding nicely at the Exchange Hotel in Hillsburgh, with seven condominium units now on the market and plans made to open the Coach House Creamery restaurant on the Civic Holiday weekend.
A public walk through the interior of the hotel building was the highlight in a tour of downtown Hillsburgh hosted last week by lifelong resident Lee Tocher, a former owner of the property.
It is still a construction site, but much of the electrical, plumbing and drywall work is complete and the elevator shaft is in place.
 |
| Front door will have stained glass |
It served as a headquarters for the well-to-do members of the Caledon Mountain Trout Club, and the main hotel parlour was a favourite meeting place for Erin Township Council.
 |
| Decorative brick exterior preserved |
"Years later, they had a restaurant in here and a big pool room at the back with three tables," he said. "It was a working hotel up until about 1966."
Tocher owned the building from 1966 to 1986, operating his store and renting out apartments. He has given some hotel artifacts to the new owners, including some glassware and a Seagrams 3-Star whiskey bottle, with a cork, which was inside a wall.
Developers Roy McCullough and Justin Morrow were on hand to show off the progress they've made.
"We've gone through a lot," said Morrow. "It's been about a year process trying to get it converted over to condominiums, and we just got approval last week."
The Creamery will be selling ice cream, soups, sandwiches and a variety of treats. The new restaurant is at the south end, while the north end on the ground floor is available for lease (or purchase) as retail or commercial space.
 |
| Septic system under construction |
A section at the back of the building has been rebuilt, and reinforcements have been made to the structure. Most of the wood in the interior had to removed to meet fire regulations. They have also purchased the small building just north of the hotel. They are using it as an office, but it will soon be demolished.
There are four condo units on the second floor and three on the third, each with its own laundry facilities, furnace and air conditioning.
They range from a 534 sq.ft. one-bedroom unit called The Cataract, listed for $229,900, to The Grand (what Morrow calls the "gem"): a 1,490 sq.ft. two-bedroom unit stretching across the full front of the third floor, listed at $429,900. More information is available at www.exchange-hotel.com.
The Exchange Hotel was originally built by Bill Dwier, in a style that incorporated details normally found on much larger commercial buildings in cities. That exterior appearance has been preserved. The third floor has a mansard roof, with windows in dormers.
"This style was a feature of Second Empire buildings, perhaps the dominant style in the 1875 to 1890 period, and which still adds flavour to downtown Fergus and Guelph," said Thorning, in an article on the hotel. A series of his articles is available at www.erin.ca. Go to the About Erin section and click on History of Erin.
June 27, 2012
200 pieces so far in my Erin portrait
As published in The Erin Advocate
It is like an English course that just goes on and on. Coming up with a 700 word essay for the newspaper every week has been a challenging project – painting a mosaic-style portrait of Erin, one small piece at a time.
This is Column 200. When I started in June 2008, I said I would strive to entertain, report accurately and treat people with respect.
I haven't had any complaints so far, which probably means I am not taking enough risks. The entertainment value would definitely be higher if I was from the attack dog school of journalism, stirring up trouble for its own sake.
I get to pick my own topics, which means there are some aspects of Erin I have not written about, yet. Some issues are so convoluted that there aren't enough hours in the week to tackle them properly.
People tell me they like what I do, and I think the reason it works is that the columns are not primarily about my opinions. I am a boring, middle-aged guy with opinions that would put most people to sleep.
I would rather interview people who are doing interesting things (and there are lots of them in Erin), or dig up and explain things that will help people learn about their own community.
The recent column about the suicide of my son was one of the rare personal ones. It generated not only an outpouring of encouragement for my family, but an unexpected flow of personal stories.
When confronted with the spectre of death, that common fear that binds us together, we often respond with symbols of life and nourishment: flowers and food. More importantly, there is an effort to reassure survivors that they are not alone in their struggles.
Many people, including total strangers, told us about the suicides of children, parents, close friends and relatives, of assisted suicides and of their own attempts. They told us about fears for the safety of their own children, and details about cases of clinical depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Then there are the issues that follow, such as long delays in getting proper treatment, the guesswork in prescribing mixtures of psychiatric drugs and the aggressive marketing of these drugs. The costs of mental illness include not only health care costs and lost productivity, but drug and alcohol addictions, violence, abuse and shattered dreams.
People have reached out to us, since the opportunity to discuss these issues openly does not come along every day. So now we know a little bit about their stories, but they do not know each others' stories, and we are not able to share them.
Suffice to say that mental illness is all around us, and we need to be aware. It is a reminder not to pass judgement on people who are different from us, or who appear weak. We often do not know what they have had to endure, or how they have adapted in order to keep on going.
So we all walk in the valley of the shadow of death. It is that shadow – that fear – which is more oppressive than death itself.
I know some people who have given up on God in a time of tragedy. How could a loving God allow such bad things to happen? I do not know the answer to that, but our anger could be caused by unrealistic expectations.
We were never promised immunity from terrible things, but only that we need not face them alone. Perhaps that is why the lyrics of Psalm 23, written by David (the shepherd and king) have great appeal for those who mourn:
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."
It is like an English course that just goes on and on. Coming up with a 700 word essay for the newspaper every week has been a challenging project – painting a mosaic-style portrait of Erin, one small piece at a time.
This is Column 200. When I started in June 2008, I said I would strive to entertain, report accurately and treat people with respect.
I haven't had any complaints so far, which probably means I am not taking enough risks. The entertainment value would definitely be higher if I was from the attack dog school of journalism, stirring up trouble for its own sake.
I get to pick my own topics, which means there are some aspects of Erin I have not written about, yet. Some issues are so convoluted that there aren't enough hours in the week to tackle them properly.
People tell me they like what I do, and I think the reason it works is that the columns are not primarily about my opinions. I am a boring, middle-aged guy with opinions that would put most people to sleep.
I would rather interview people who are doing interesting things (and there are lots of them in Erin), or dig up and explain things that will help people learn about their own community.
The recent column about the suicide of my son was one of the rare personal ones. It generated not only an outpouring of encouragement for my family, but an unexpected flow of personal stories.
When confronted with the spectre of death, that common fear that binds us together, we often respond with symbols of life and nourishment: flowers and food. More importantly, there is an effort to reassure survivors that they are not alone in their struggles.
Many people, including total strangers, told us about the suicides of children, parents, close friends and relatives, of assisted suicides and of their own attempts. They told us about fears for the safety of their own children, and details about cases of clinical depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Then there are the issues that follow, such as long delays in getting proper treatment, the guesswork in prescribing mixtures of psychiatric drugs and the aggressive marketing of these drugs. The costs of mental illness include not only health care costs and lost productivity, but drug and alcohol addictions, violence, abuse and shattered dreams.
People have reached out to us, since the opportunity to discuss these issues openly does not come along every day. So now we know a little bit about their stories, but they do not know each others' stories, and we are not able to share them.
Suffice to say that mental illness is all around us, and we need to be aware. It is a reminder not to pass judgement on people who are different from us, or who appear weak. We often do not know what they have had to endure, or how they have adapted in order to keep on going.
So we all walk in the valley of the shadow of death. It is that shadow – that fear – which is more oppressive than death itself.
I know some people who have given up on God in a time of tragedy. How could a loving God allow such bad things to happen? I do not know the answer to that, but our anger could be caused by unrealistic expectations.
We were never promised immunity from terrible things, but only that we need not face them alone. Perhaps that is why the lyrics of Psalm 23, written by David (the shepherd and king) have great appeal for those who mourn:
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me."
June 20, 2012
Beekeepers helps farmers improve crop yields
As published in Country Routes
For Stacey Holland, beekeeping is not just about the joys of tending these fascinating little creatures and harvesting some wonderful honey. It is part of an organic farming lifestyle and an effective means of boosting the output of nearby crops.
While collecting nectar and pollen from flowers, honey bees pollinate the plants that supply about one third of the human diet, from apples and almonds to strawberries and soybeans, as well as cotton.
"Humans need bees more than bees need humans," said Stacey. Bees have been around for about 30 million years, but the normal lifespan of a female worker bee in the summertime is less than 40 days.
Honey bees are not native to North America, and would probably prefer a warmer climate if they weren't being tended as a semi-domesticated species.
For humans, bees have always had a special status, since they produce a food that is packed with more energy than sugar, plus vitamins and minerals. It is ready to eat out of the hive and doesn't go bad. Stacey was always fond of bees and honey, and impressed by their sense of community.
"The colony is a community that relies upon each other. It amazes me, what it can achieve. I love the fact that they are hard workers, how they build comb, how they attend to the queen – it's just this one big entity. Especially after living in Toronto, I didn't feel a sense of community any more there."
She encountered the folks from Everdale Farm back in 2005, when they were selling organic produce at Cabbagetown in Toronto, and she saw a notice about farming internships. She ended up taking a leave of absence from her job at CBC in 2007, to learn how to be a farmer. She spent seven and a half months at Everdale near Hillsburgh, and chose beekeeping as an extra activity
"Farming and beekeeping go hand in hand," said Stacey, who comes from a family of farmers on her father's side. "This is definitely my avocation – getting people excited about food. I'd always wanted to learn how to grow food on a larger scale."
She got beekeeping advice from mentors such as Erin's Jay Mowat, and decided to keep her own bees, working with the Toronto Beekeepers' Cooperative. Unfortunately, she lost her first hive. The bees used up their store of honey and did not make it through the winter.
Bees become more dormant and cluster together for warmth in the winter, with the help of well-wrapped hives. But in a warmer winter they can be more active and eat through their food supply more quickly than expected, resulting in the need for a sugar water rescue.
"It's 40 per cent science and 60 per cent intuition; and I'm still honing in on the intuition," said Stacey. Although she's been in the business for a few years now, she still thinks of herself as an apprentice, relying on the advice of experienced beekeepers.
"It doesn't cost a lot of money. It's one of the cheapest livestock that you can invest in," she said. "In my first year, I broke even after selling my honey."
She was surprised that she could get 250 pounds of honey from one hive. Bees are bred to create more honey than they need for themselves.
She was also pleasantly surprised to win first place when she entered her honey in the Erin Fall Fair in 2010. She's been able to sell all of her product through the farm where she keeps her bees and to co-workers at CBC. Her honey is sold raw, as opposed to that which is heated to improve liquidity.
"People really, really like the honey," she said. "There are a lot of floral notes in raw honey, and I encourage people to taste the difference."
Honey connoisseurs (like wine experts) can taste the traces of the plants that helped create the final product. Stacey's bees draw their nectar not only from garden crops, but from apple blossoms, asters, dandelions, wildflowers, clover and sunflowers.
She gave up a city lifestyle for a rural home north of Rockwood. She has maintained her full-time duties doing program scheduling for CBC Television, but takes Fridays as vacation days from spring to autumn, to work at Bernway Farm just north of Ospringe.
She maintains two hives there and does other chores with farmers Cathy and Kaj Hansen, who specialize in organically-grown vegetables, and eggs from free-range hens, and have a CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) operation. They had been looking for a way to improve their crops yields, and knew bees could help.
"Having honey bees so close to our garden has made a big difference in the rate of pollination of our cucurbits (cucumber family of plants)," said Cathy. "These include cucumbers, winter squash, zucchini, watermelon and other melons. Raspberries are considered self-pollinating, but the fruit set has been much heavier since the bees arrived... We are happier farmers knowing our community is more diverse."
Other fruiting plants like tomatoes and peppers are not pollinated by honey bees, but do benefit from being "buzzed" to shake the pollen loose.
"I try to stick with as many organic practices as possible, not using man-made chemicals to treat your hives," said Stacey. "Because we are providing them a home, there are responsibilities that go with that."
Organic-based compounds can be used, such as formic acid to combat Varroa mites, carriers of a virus which is a serious threat to the bee population. Chemical treatments are not to be used when bees are producing marketable honey.
The Climate Change Action Group of Erin recently presented the documentary film Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us. It examined the problem of Colony Collapse Disorder, in which the normal behaviour of bees is disrupted. They stop maintaining their hives and die off in large numbers.
Stacey has not experienced this problem, but it has been a major issue for beekeepers in the past five years. The causes are not certain, but could be a combination of viruses, parasites and the stress of various agricultural pesticides in the environment.
A beehive in the summer can have 50,000 to 80,000 honey bees. Almost all are female workers who cannot reproduce – that job is reserved for the queen. She gets a constant diet of a special food called royal jelly, and lays 1,500 to 2,000 eggs per day. Only the females have stingers – used only in defense, since a sting will result in the bee's death.
There are relatively few male drones, who do no work in the hive, since their only responsibility is to mate with a virgin queen. In the fall, the drones are forced out of the hive by the workers, to lower the population and conserve food for themselves and the queen.
Worker bees start out as nurses for the larvae, then graduate to housekeeping, queen-tending and hive-guarding. Finally they become field bees, collecting pollen (protein), nectar (carbohydrate) and water for the colony. They communicate with chemical scents called pheromones and a special dance that conveys the direction to nectar sources, based on an angle relative to the position of the sun.
It takes about 2 million flower visits to make one pound of honey. Ontario had about 2,900 beekeepers last year, tending 87,000 colonies. They produced 8.8 million pounds of honey, valued at about $22 million.
Hive populations soar in the spring and summer, and beekeepers try to ensure there's enough room. If the queen senses overpopulation, she will signal the workers to create a new queen, then lead half of the bees away to create a new hive somewhere else.
Queens can also be purchased, either at the stage when they are almost ready to make their mating flight with the drones, or ones that are already mated (artificially inseminated).
Stacey expects to do two harvests, in August and September. She borrows an extractor, a machine that spins the wooden flats. She scrapes off the wax that seals the honeycomb cells, and the machine extracts the product with centrifugal force.
She skims off any foreign matter such as wax, plant bits or bee parts, and the honey can be put into jars for customers. No pasteurization is required, since bacteria and fungi cannot grow in honey.
The other products that some beekeepers produce include pollen, which is a beneficial food supplement for humans, and beeswax, which is used for candles.
Stacey Holland can be contacted by email at beehive_communications@sympatico.ca.
For Stacey Holland, beekeeping is not just about the joys of tending these fascinating little creatures and harvesting some wonderful honey. It is part of an organic farming lifestyle and an effective means of boosting the output of nearby crops.
While collecting nectar and pollen from flowers, honey bees pollinate the plants that supply about one third of the human diet, from apples and almonds to strawberries and soybeans, as well as cotton.
 |
| Stacey in her protective suit |
Honey bees are not native to North America, and would probably prefer a warmer climate if they weren't being tended as a semi-domesticated species.
For humans, bees have always had a special status, since they produce a food that is packed with more energy than sugar, plus vitamins and minerals. It is ready to eat out of the hive and doesn't go bad. Stacey was always fond of bees and honey, and impressed by their sense of community.
"The colony is a community that relies upon each other. It amazes me, what it can achieve. I love the fact that they are hard workers, how they build comb, how they attend to the queen – it's just this one big entity. Especially after living in Toronto, I didn't feel a sense of community any more there."
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| Pulling a flat |
"Farming and beekeeping go hand in hand," said Stacey, who comes from a family of farmers on her father's side. "This is definitely my avocation – getting people excited about food. I'd always wanted to learn how to grow food on a larger scale."
She got beekeeping advice from mentors such as Erin's Jay Mowat, and decided to keep her own bees, working with the Toronto Beekeepers' Cooperative. Unfortunately, she lost her first hive. The bees used up their store of honey and did not make it through the winter.
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| Separating the hive |
"It's 40 per cent science and 60 per cent intuition; and I'm still honing in on the intuition," said Stacey. Although she's been in the business for a few years now, she still thinks of herself as an apprentice, relying on the advice of experienced beekeepers.
"It doesn't cost a lot of money. It's one of the cheapest livestock that you can invest in," she said. "In my first year, I broke even after selling my honey."
She was surprised that she could get 250 pounds of honey from one hive. Bees are bred to create more honey than they need for themselves.
She was also pleasantly surprised to win first place when she entered her honey in the Erin Fall Fair in 2010. She's been able to sell all of her product through the farm where she keeps her bees and to co-workers at CBC. Her honey is sold raw, as opposed to that which is heated to improve liquidity.
"People really, really like the honey," she said. "There are a lot of floral notes in raw honey, and I encourage people to taste the difference."
Honey connoisseurs (like wine experts) can taste the traces of the plants that helped create the final product. Stacey's bees draw their nectar not only from garden crops, but from apple blossoms, asters, dandelions, wildflowers, clover and sunflowers.
She gave up a city lifestyle for a rural home north of Rockwood. She has maintained her full-time duties doing program scheduling for CBC Television, but takes Fridays as vacation days from spring to autumn, to work at Bernway Farm just north of Ospringe.
She maintains two hives there and does other chores with farmers Cathy and Kaj Hansen, who specialize in organically-grown vegetables, and eggs from free-range hens, and have a CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) operation. They had been looking for a way to improve their crops yields, and knew bees could help.
"Having honey bees so close to our garden has made a big difference in the rate of pollination of our cucurbits (cucumber family of plants)," said Cathy. "These include cucumbers, winter squash, zucchini, watermelon and other melons. Raspberries are considered self-pollinating, but the fruit set has been much heavier since the bees arrived... We are happier farmers knowing our community is more diverse."
Other fruiting plants like tomatoes and peppers are not pollinated by honey bees, but do benefit from being "buzzed" to shake the pollen loose.
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| Lighting the smoker |
Organic-based compounds can be used, such as formic acid to combat Varroa mites, carriers of a virus which is a serious threat to the bee population. Chemical treatments are not to be used when bees are producing marketable honey.
The Climate Change Action Group of Erin recently presented the documentary film Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us. It examined the problem of Colony Collapse Disorder, in which the normal behaviour of bees is disrupted. They stop maintaining their hives and die off in large numbers.
Stacey has not experienced this problem, but it has been a major issue for beekeepers in the past five years. The causes are not certain, but could be a combination of viruses, parasites and the stress of various agricultural pesticides in the environment.
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| Smoking the hive |
There are relatively few male drones, who do no work in the hive, since their only responsibility is to mate with a virgin queen. In the fall, the drones are forced out of the hive by the workers, to lower the population and conserve food for themselves and the queen.
Worker bees start out as nurses for the larvae, then graduate to housekeeping, queen-tending and hive-guarding. Finally they become field bees, collecting pollen (protein), nectar (carbohydrate) and water for the colony. They communicate with chemical scents called pheromones and a special dance that conveys the direction to nectar sources, based on an angle relative to the position of the sun.
It takes about 2 million flower visits to make one pound of honey. Ontario had about 2,900 beekeepers last year, tending 87,000 colonies. They produced 8.8 million pounds of honey, valued at about $22 million.
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| The top of the brood chamber |
Queens can also be purchased, either at the stage when they are almost ready to make their mating flight with the drones, or ones that are already mated (artificially inseminated).
Stacey expects to do two harvests, in August and September. She borrows an extractor, a machine that spins the wooden flats. She scrapes off the wax that seals the honeycomb cells, and the machine extracts the product with centrifugal force.
She skims off any foreign matter such as wax, plant bits or bee parts, and the honey can be put into jars for customers. No pasteurization is required, since bacteria and fungi cannot grow in honey.
The other products that some beekeepers produce include pollen, which is a beneficial food supplement for humans, and beeswax, which is used for candles.
Stacey Holland can be contacted by email at beehive_communications@sympatico.ca.
EDHS an Eco-School thanks to student efforts
As published in The Erin Advocate
Erin District High School has earned its first EcoSchool certification, thanks to the efforts of students in the Environmental Club.
The EcoSchools Program is part of an Ontario-wide initiative to save energy in the operation of schools, develop broad ecological literacy and encourage students to take leadership roles.
Students did an audit to see if lights, computers and televisions were being left on unnecessarily, and if waste handling could be improved. There’s a core group of about seven students in the club, plus others who help with various activities, under the direction of teacher Ross Watson.
After the initial assessment, they urged teachers and students to change their habits. Reminder stickers were placed on light switches and a pizza party was offered for the class that reduced energy use the most.
“Over the lunch hour, we had significant improvement - especially in the gym,” said Jake McEvoy.
After completing the program, the school’s score of 69.25 earned an EcoSchool certificate at the Silver level. They will be shooting for the Gold level next year.
“We’d like to have a garden, with herbs and spices, and fruits and veggies for the cafeteria,” said Rachel Plant. They would like to support that garden with a large composter, which can be turned to mix food scraps from the cafeteria.
A filling station for re-usable water bottles would promote the drinking of filtered tap water instead of commercially-bottled water.
Other related activities have included community work - cleaning up garbage and planting trees. They did not score well for recycling, saying there are not enough bins in the cafeteria. There were also announcements with environmental tips, such as how to avoid wasteful Christmas gift wrapping.
The EcoSchool effort helps encourage best practices throughout the school system, and align school operations with what is taught in the classroom.
The current curriculum also allows students to major in specialties such as environmental studies by taking certain credits in Science and Geography, as well as completing a co-op work placement.
McEvoy and Plant are taking a course entitled Environmental Resource Management, and both are graduating this year.
He is planning to study Environmental Technology at Georgian College, and hopes to get a job related to waterways. She is planning on taking additional high school courses, then the Veterinary Technician program at Seneca College, and hopes to work in wildlife rehabilitation.
Erin District High School has earned its first EcoSchool certification, thanks to the efforts of students in the Environmental Club.
The EcoSchools Program is part of an Ontario-wide initiative to save energy in the operation of schools, develop broad ecological literacy and encourage students to take leadership roles.
Students did an audit to see if lights, computers and televisions were being left on unnecessarily, and if waste handling could be improved. There’s a core group of about seven students in the club, plus others who help with various activities, under the direction of teacher Ross Watson.
After the initial assessment, they urged teachers and students to change their habits. Reminder stickers were placed on light switches and a pizza party was offered for the class that reduced energy use the most.
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| Ross Watson, Rachel Plant and Jake McEvoy |
After completing the program, the school’s score of 69.25 earned an EcoSchool certificate at the Silver level. They will be shooting for the Gold level next year.
“We’d like to have a garden, with herbs and spices, and fruits and veggies for the cafeteria,” said Rachel Plant. They would like to support that garden with a large composter, which can be turned to mix food scraps from the cafeteria.
A filling station for re-usable water bottles would promote the drinking of filtered tap water instead of commercially-bottled water.
Other related activities have included community work - cleaning up garbage and planting trees. They did not score well for recycling, saying there are not enough bins in the cafeteria. There were also announcements with environmental tips, such as how to avoid wasteful Christmas gift wrapping.
The EcoSchool effort helps encourage best practices throughout the school system, and align school operations with what is taught in the classroom.
The current curriculum also allows students to major in specialties such as environmental studies by taking certain credits in Science and Geography, as well as completing a co-op work placement.
McEvoy and Plant are taking a course entitled Environmental Resource Management, and both are graduating this year.
He is planning to study Environmental Technology at Georgian College, and hopes to get a job related to waterways. She is planning on taking additional high school courses, then the Veterinary Technician program at Seneca College, and hopes to work in wildlife rehabilitation.
June 13, 2012
Villages have sharpest population decreases
As published in The Erin Advocate
Hillsburgh and Erin village have had more severe reductions in population since 2006 than the rural areas of the Town, according to community profiles released by Statistics Canada.
In February, figures for the 2011 census showed the Town of Erin with 10,770 people overall, a decline of 3.4% since 2006. It was the first decline since the 1930s.
More detailed results released on May 29 showed the 2011 Hillsburgh population at 1,065. This is a 7.9% decline in five years, a loss of 91 residents. Hillsburgh now accounts for 9.8% of the Town total.
The Erin village profile showed a loss of 157 residents, a decline of 5.5%, leaving a 2011 population of 2,674. That is 24.8% of the Town total. (In the early 1900s, Erin village represented less than 15% of the local population, including the former Township, but since 1961 it has been close to 25%.)
The population of the rural area (including hamlets such as Ballinafad, Ospringe and Crewson's Corners) also declined from 2006 to 2011, but only by 1.8%. The loss of 130 residents left the population of that sector at 7,031.
Town-wide, the number of children under age 15 is 1,860, just 17.2% of the population, close to the provincial level of 17.0%. There has been a steady decline in Erin, with 24% under age 15 in 1996, 22.4% in 2001 and 19.7% in 2006.
According to a census report called The Canadian Population in 2011: Age and Sex, the number of children in Canada aged 4 and under increased 11% between 2006 and 2011. This was the highest growth rate for this age group since the 1956 to 1961 period during the baby boom.
Most baby-boomers (born 1946 to 1965) are still working. Among the G8 countries, Canada has one of the highest proportions of working-age people.
Fewer young people are about to enter the labour force than those about to leave it. In 2011, census data showed for the first time that there were more people in the age group where people typically leave the labour force (55 to 64), than in the age group where people typically enter it (15 to 24).
The median age in the Town of Erin is 44.6, compared to 39.5 in all of Wellington County. In the 40-60 age range, Erin has 4,035 residents. But in the 20-40 age range, there are only 1,895.
There are 1330 residents aged 65 and older, which is 12.3% of the population, less than the 14.4% level reported provincially. That continues an upward trend in the Town of Erin, with 7.7% 65 and older in 1996, 8.7% in 2001 and 10.1% in 2006.
All of the age groups are broken down by sex. Among younger seniors (aged 60-79) in the Town of Erin, there were 980 men and 890 women in 2011. Among those aged 80 and over, there were 115 men and 145 women.
Nationally, the number of seniors aged 65 and over increased 14.1% between 2006 and 2011 to nearly 5 million. This rate of growth was higher than that of children aged 14 and under (0.5%) and people aged 15 to 64 (5.7%). Despite this growth, the proportion of seniors in Canada is among the lowest of the G8 countries.
The 2011 population of Ontario was 12.9 million, making up 38.4% of Canada's 33.5 million people. The Town of Erin accounts for .032% of the Canadian total.
Hillsburgh and Erin village have had more severe reductions in population since 2006 than the rural areas of the Town, according to community profiles released by Statistics Canada.
In February, figures for the 2011 census showed the Town of Erin with 10,770 people overall, a decline of 3.4% since 2006. It was the first decline since the 1930s.
More detailed results released on May 29 showed the 2011 Hillsburgh population at 1,065. This is a 7.9% decline in five years, a loss of 91 residents. Hillsburgh now accounts for 9.8% of the Town total.
The Erin village profile showed a loss of 157 residents, a decline of 5.5%, leaving a 2011 population of 2,674. That is 24.8% of the Town total. (In the early 1900s, Erin village represented less than 15% of the local population, including the former Township, but since 1961 it has been close to 25%.)
The population of the rural area (including hamlets such as Ballinafad, Ospringe and Crewson's Corners) also declined from 2006 to 2011, but only by 1.8%. The loss of 130 residents left the population of that sector at 7,031.
Town-wide, the number of children under age 15 is 1,860, just 17.2% of the population, close to the provincial level of 17.0%. There has been a steady decline in Erin, with 24% under age 15 in 1996, 22.4% in 2001 and 19.7% in 2006.
According to a census report called The Canadian Population in 2011: Age and Sex, the number of children in Canada aged 4 and under increased 11% between 2006 and 2011. This was the highest growth rate for this age group since the 1956 to 1961 period during the baby boom.
Most baby-boomers (born 1946 to 1965) are still working. Among the G8 countries, Canada has one of the highest proportions of working-age people.
Fewer young people are about to enter the labour force than those about to leave it. In 2011, census data showed for the first time that there were more people in the age group where people typically leave the labour force (55 to 64), than in the age group where people typically enter it (15 to 24).
The median age in the Town of Erin is 44.6, compared to 39.5 in all of Wellington County. In the 40-60 age range, Erin has 4,035 residents. But in the 20-40 age range, there are only 1,895.
There are 1330 residents aged 65 and older, which is 12.3% of the population, less than the 14.4% level reported provincially. That continues an upward trend in the Town of Erin, with 7.7% 65 and older in 1996, 8.7% in 2001 and 10.1% in 2006.
All of the age groups are broken down by sex. Among younger seniors (aged 60-79) in the Town of Erin, there were 980 men and 890 women in 2011. Among those aged 80 and over, there were 115 men and 145 women.
Nationally, the number of seniors aged 65 and over increased 14.1% between 2006 and 2011 to nearly 5 million. This rate of growth was higher than that of children aged 14 and under (0.5%) and people aged 15 to 64 (5.7%). Despite this growth, the proportion of seniors in Canada is among the lowest of the G8 countries.
The 2011 population of Ontario was 12.9 million, making up 38.4% of Canada's 33.5 million people. The Town of Erin accounts for .032% of the Canadian total.
June 05, 2012
Suicide highlights need for community support
This is not how it was supposed to be. The death of my son Thomas last week, at the age of 24, has put us in a state of shock. It has also triggered an outpouring of support for my wife Jean, my son Michael and myself, for which we are very grateful.
Starting in Grade 9, Thomas suffered from depression and a personality disorder that made social interactions very stressful for him. He sought refuge in alcohol and drugs, but also in the study of philosophy, and in acts of consideration for his family and friends. The greatest of these were his many courageous attempts to carry on.
No parent should ever have to come home to find that a child has taken their own life, but this is what Jean experienced. It is a horror that I would have gladly accepted for myself, so that she could have been spared it.
Sometimes, I feel angry at Thomas for causing us pain. Both Jean and I have felt some peace in knowing that his ordeal is over. He was a good actor, and could portray an appearance of normalcy, at great cost to himself. Still, he did share his fears, seek our aid and help us understand partially what was happening inside.
For the times when he could not be completely honest, to protect himself and us, and for his final act, he is forgiven.
We are dismayed at the inadequacy of our mental health care system, both in staffing and scientific knowledge. Part of that failure was due to Thomas' inability to accept all the assistance being offered. Ten years of psychiatry, medication, counselling, rehabilitation programs and behaviour therapy did not enable him to live with his core problems. We do not blame anyone for his death.
People tell us we did all we could, but that is not strictly true. We could have done things differently, but knowing exactly what to do is very difficult, since the object is to help a struggling person take responsibility for themselves. Sometimes, the best you can do is travel a tough road together, and not give up. It is a difficult lesson in love.
The fabric of our family and community has been damaged. One regret is that Thomas' instinct, and ours, was to avoid telling people about his troubles. As a result, his suicide was an even greater shock to our broader family. If he had been attacked by an outside force, such as cancer, we would have felt comfortable in calling for immediate support, and not felt so isolated.
We should not fall into the trap of blaming ourselves – of thinking that Thomas could have been saved, if only we had said the right words, at the right time, or found him a different prescription. There are no magic pills, no words that could have made everything all right.
There is consolation in knowing that Thomas has already been saved. We have confidence in the mercy of our loving God – mercy that is freely available to everyone, even if they cannot draw strength from formal religion.
I am fortunate in being able to put my thoughts into words, as therapy for myself and to connect with others. Like most human devices, words are inadequate for the things we hope they might achieve, but some particularly helpful ones were said by our pastor, Fr. Joe Kelly, at the funeral on Friday. These can be read as a separate entry on this blog.
Thomas was a victim of mental illness, which made it difficult for him to find hope in an outrageously imperfect world. But his death was also a choice, considered by him for many years, for which he was willing to take responsibility.
It is a paradox to contemplate, that what could be seen as an act of cowardice, was also an act of strength. We may not understand or agree with his reasoning, but we must ultimately respect his choice.
In the past week, at least 15 people have reached out to tell me of similar struggles in their families. In Thomas' memory, let us work to remove the stigma attached to mental illness.
Let us be willing to ask for help when we need it, and accept it when it is offered. Let us reach out fearlessly to those in need, and be persistent in hope.
As we stood looking at the body which he has left behind, I heard someone say, "Such a waste." I understand that feeling, but it is not length of days that makes existence worthwhile.
Thomas was a valued child of God from the start of his life. He had many happy times and did many good deeds, and as we begin to heal, it is these that we will treasure.
Starting in Grade 9, Thomas suffered from depression and a personality disorder that made social interactions very stressful for him. He sought refuge in alcohol and drugs, but also in the study of philosophy, and in acts of consideration for his family and friends. The greatest of these were his many courageous attempts to carry on.
No parent should ever have to come home to find that a child has taken their own life, but this is what Jean experienced. It is a horror that I would have gladly accepted for myself, so that she could have been spared it.
Sometimes, I feel angry at Thomas for causing us pain. Both Jean and I have felt some peace in knowing that his ordeal is over. He was a good actor, and could portray an appearance of normalcy, at great cost to himself. Still, he did share his fears, seek our aid and help us understand partially what was happening inside.
For the times when he could not be completely honest, to protect himself and us, and for his final act, he is forgiven.
We are dismayed at the inadequacy of our mental health care system, both in staffing and scientific knowledge. Part of that failure was due to Thomas' inability to accept all the assistance being offered. Ten years of psychiatry, medication, counselling, rehabilitation programs and behaviour therapy did not enable him to live with his core problems. We do not blame anyone for his death.
People tell us we did all we could, but that is not strictly true. We could have done things differently, but knowing exactly what to do is very difficult, since the object is to help a struggling person take responsibility for themselves. Sometimes, the best you can do is travel a tough road together, and not give up. It is a difficult lesson in love.
The fabric of our family and community has been damaged. One regret is that Thomas' instinct, and ours, was to avoid telling people about his troubles. As a result, his suicide was an even greater shock to our broader family. If he had been attacked by an outside force, such as cancer, we would have felt comfortable in calling for immediate support, and not felt so isolated.
We should not fall into the trap of blaming ourselves – of thinking that Thomas could have been saved, if only we had said the right words, at the right time, or found him a different prescription. There are no magic pills, no words that could have made everything all right.
There is consolation in knowing that Thomas has already been saved. We have confidence in the mercy of our loving God – mercy that is freely available to everyone, even if they cannot draw strength from formal religion.
I am fortunate in being able to put my thoughts into words, as therapy for myself and to connect with others. Like most human devices, words are inadequate for the things we hope they might achieve, but some particularly helpful ones were said by our pastor, Fr. Joe Kelly, at the funeral on Friday. These can be read as a separate entry on this blog.
Thomas was a victim of mental illness, which made it difficult for him to find hope in an outrageously imperfect world. But his death was also a choice, considered by him for many years, for which he was willing to take responsibility.
It is a paradox to contemplate, that what could be seen as an act of cowardice, was also an act of strength. We may not understand or agree with his reasoning, but we must ultimately respect his choice.
In the past week, at least 15 people have reached out to tell me of similar struggles in their families. In Thomas' memory, let us work to remove the stigma attached to mental illness.
Let us be willing to ask for help when we need it, and accept it when it is offered. Let us reach out fearlessly to those in need, and be persistent in hope.
As we stood looking at the body which he has left behind, I heard someone say, "Such a waste." I understand that feeling, but it is not length of days that makes existence worthwhile.
Thomas was a valued child of God from the start of his life. He had many happy times and did many good deeds, and as we begin to heal, it is these that we will treasure.
June 04, 2012
Sermon at the funeral of Thomas Gravelle
A Funeral Mass for my son, Thomas James Gravelle, was held on Friday, June 1, 2012, at St. John Brebeuf Catholic Church in Erin, Ontario.
The scripture readings were from the Book of Wisdom, 3: 1-9 (The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God); from Psalm 116 (I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living); from the First Letter of John, 3: 1-2 (We are already the children of God) and from the Gospel of Luke, 24: 13-35 (Were not our hearts burning within us?).
Fr. Joe Kelly, a Spiritan priest, has been our pastor for the last ten years. Before that he worked for 32 years at Neil McNeil High School in Toronto, as a teacher and counsellor. Here are his words from our celebration of Tom's life:
When I arrived at the funeral home last night and first stood beside the casket, I found myself inwardly talking to Thomas. I tend to do this at funerals of people I knew and liked.
I realised that if Thomas and I were to discuss what I would say today, we might disagree, so I want to be respectful to this very intelligent and highly articulate young man. I will still express my beliefs and what I think are yours, but if Thomas were here to challenge me on any particular point, I think his superior word-power would win out!
So last night, I went home and, while not changing the general thrust of what I had intended to say, I did change the wording here and there. It is in this frame of mind that I begin.
“You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.”
I think that we have to try to understand as best we can the things that have happened here in Erin these last few days. I am not sure that is really possible, because even Thomas himself tacitly admits that his world-view was somewhat singular.
Perhaps we can only compare his life and ours by analogy, and I hope to find analogies in the passages of scripture we have read, to enable us to come to some understanding. Also, I am privileged to have been allowed to read the last letter Thomas wrote to you, his friends.
Wisdom says: “Their going looked like a disaster, their leaving us like annihilation, but they are at peace.” Thomas says that now he will finally be at peace.
However, he sees himself as being “nought,” whereas we believe that the peace he hopes for is to be found in a return to the God who created him.
Thomas did see meaning and beauty in the world; he did see wonder and fascination in people; therefore he found it hard leaving you, his friends; he appreciated your friendship and support, and of course the support and love of his parents and family; it was the contradictions inherent in the realities of life that he could not brook.
For Thomas, “the light that reveals the wonder, leaves dark the horror.” I think it is therefore important for family and friends to realise that they were, or I should say, are still loved by Thomas.
The journey to Emmaus is relevant here. Thomas’s journey of mental illness was ten years long, he himself has said. Therefore he did not see it as going back to the beginning of his life. He was baptized in this church building on April 17, 1988, God’s child. “Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us by letting us be called God’s children, and that is what we are.”
On December 4, 2001, about three months after I arrived here in Erin, I witnessed Thomas receiving right here the sacrament of Confirmation. I probably had some small part in preparing him for that.
As a young man, he strove to bring about justice in the world, and he was a person with high ideals. We also reject structures that are unjust, but we at the same time believe that the Christ is walking with us, and that belief sustains us.
The two disciples on the road failed to see Jesus in the man who walked with them, and yet the things he told them stirred their hearts. On the road that Thomas walked, it would seem that a veil prevented him from recognising that presence.
But Thomas was still a child of God, still loved by God with that unconditional love with which God loves Thomas and all of God’s children. It was incumbent on us to see the Christ in Thomas.
We serve Jesus in others, and surely we serve Jesus best in serving the one who suffers. Therefore those who supported Thomas along his often difficult, painful road, served the Christ in him. The two disciples “told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him in the breaking of the bread.”
We have come here to break the bread together and to recognise the Christ in one another. Thomas often in the past broke the bread with us in this building.
Let us pray that the light he sees now, removes completely the darkness that made life so difficult for him, and that the merciful God who came to him in water and spirit, in bread and wine, and in us, his sisters and brothers, that this loving God may now receive him home.
The scripture readings were from the Book of Wisdom, 3: 1-9 (The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God); from Psalm 116 (I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living); from the First Letter of John, 3: 1-2 (We are already the children of God) and from the Gospel of Luke, 24: 13-35 (Were not our hearts burning within us?).
Fr. Joe Kelly, a Spiritan priest, has been our pastor for the last ten years. Before that he worked for 32 years at Neil McNeil High School in Toronto, as a teacher and counsellor. Here are his words from our celebration of Tom's life:
When I arrived at the funeral home last night and first stood beside the casket, I found myself inwardly talking to Thomas. I tend to do this at funerals of people I knew and liked.
I realised that if Thomas and I were to discuss what I would say today, we might disagree, so I want to be respectful to this very intelligent and highly articulate young man. I will still express my beliefs and what I think are yours, but if Thomas were here to challenge me on any particular point, I think his superior word-power would win out!
So last night, I went home and, while not changing the general thrust of what I had intended to say, I did change the wording here and there. It is in this frame of mind that I begin.
“You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.”
I think that we have to try to understand as best we can the things that have happened here in Erin these last few days. I am not sure that is really possible, because even Thomas himself tacitly admits that his world-view was somewhat singular.
Perhaps we can only compare his life and ours by analogy, and I hope to find analogies in the passages of scripture we have read, to enable us to come to some understanding. Also, I am privileged to have been allowed to read the last letter Thomas wrote to you, his friends.
Wisdom says: “Their going looked like a disaster, their leaving us like annihilation, but they are at peace.” Thomas says that now he will finally be at peace.
However, he sees himself as being “nought,” whereas we believe that the peace he hopes for is to be found in a return to the God who created him.
Thomas did see meaning and beauty in the world; he did see wonder and fascination in people; therefore he found it hard leaving you, his friends; he appreciated your friendship and support, and of course the support and love of his parents and family; it was the contradictions inherent in the realities of life that he could not brook.
For Thomas, “the light that reveals the wonder, leaves dark the horror.” I think it is therefore important for family and friends to realise that they were, or I should say, are still loved by Thomas.
The journey to Emmaus is relevant here. Thomas’s journey of mental illness was ten years long, he himself has said. Therefore he did not see it as going back to the beginning of his life. He was baptized in this church building on April 17, 1988, God’s child. “Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us by letting us be called God’s children, and that is what we are.”
On December 4, 2001, about three months after I arrived here in Erin, I witnessed Thomas receiving right here the sacrament of Confirmation. I probably had some small part in preparing him for that.
As a young man, he strove to bring about justice in the world, and he was a person with high ideals. We also reject structures that are unjust, but we at the same time believe that the Christ is walking with us, and that belief sustains us.
The two disciples on the road failed to see Jesus in the man who walked with them, and yet the things he told them stirred their hearts. On the road that Thomas walked, it would seem that a veil prevented him from recognising that presence.
But Thomas was still a child of God, still loved by God with that unconditional love with which God loves Thomas and all of God’s children. It was incumbent on us to see the Christ in Thomas.
We serve Jesus in others, and surely we serve Jesus best in serving the one who suffers. Therefore those who supported Thomas along his often difficult, painful road, served the Christ in him. The two disciples “told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him in the breaking of the bread.”
We have come here to break the bread together and to recognise the Christ in one another. Thomas often in the past broke the bread with us in this building.
Let us pray that the light he sees now, removes completely the darkness that made life so difficult for him, and that the merciful God who came to him in water and spirit, in bread and wine, and in us, his sisters and brothers, that this loving God may now receive him home.
May 30, 2012
County seeks input on economic development
As published in The Erin Advocate
Wellington wants to be more competitive in attracting investment and tourists, and is looking for ideas from local businesses and residents.
"The County of Wellington has decided to step up and develop a strategic plan to help map out our economic future," said Warden Chris White in a statement on the 2012 budget. It has $100,000 for new economic development initiatives, including $75,000 for a strategic plan to be done with Waterloo Wellington Community Futures.
"We must move off of our dependency on residential property tax and expand our commercial and industrial base."
In January, county council set up a formal Economic Development Committee, including Erin Councillor Ken Chapman. The new Economic Development Officer, Jana Reichert, formerly of Community Futures, has been discussing Erin's situation with Mayor Lou Maieron.
"I hope Erin sees me as a resource," said Reichert. "I can help you connect with investors, try to get funding for new initiatives and see what the priorities are."
Erin's efforts in this area are in disarray at the moment. The Town's volunteer-based Economic Development Committee had started a survey on the equine industry. But Chair Brian Gentles recently resigned, citing lack of support and direction from town council, and the committee has been temporarily dissolved.
Mayor Maieron has been pushing to have Economic Development as a Council Committee, with the ability to take more aggressive action to boost local business.
In the meantime, Erin residents and business people can contribute to the County's strategic plan. It includes an economic analysis of Wellington, identifying industries that will drive the regional economy, developing growth projections for them and developing strategies to boost employment.
Direct comments can be made at the website: www.wellingtonmeansbusiness.com, in the Have Your Say section.
Everyone is welcome to attend an Erin Focus Group on Wednesday, June 13, 9-11 a.m. at Centre 2000, to exchange ideas. Refreshments will be provided.
The website also has a link to an on-line survey. Naturally, it asks about the various positive things in Wellington, and there are many. More interesting is the section in which people can describe the opportunities (i.e., problems) that exist. The county cannot solve them all, but they can be part of a collaborative effort.
Here's what I wrote in the opportunity section of the survey:
• A consistent, long-term publicity effort is needed to enhance Wellington's image among potential business investors.
• Moderate population growth and immigration is needed to build the workforce and improve the consumer base for local retailers.
• Good quality cell-phone reception is needed in all rural areas.
• True high-speed internet is needed in all rural areas. The County's Rural Broadband project was inadequate in Erin.
• The County roads system needs to provide truck bypass routes for major bottlenecks, such as the downtown area of Erin village.
• A better network of bike lanes is needed on County Roads, through the Active Transportation Plan, plus a better network of off-road trails.
• Adequate ambulance service is needed in Erin, for residents and businesses. Thirty-minute waits are unacceptable.
• Land acquisition funding is needed, as in Halton and Peel, to create more Conservation Areas.
• More high-profile cultural events are needed to attract tourists.
My final comment is that economic development is too important to be left as an optional activity for municipalities. The Wellington Economic Development Strategy should guide local strategies.
The County should set some minimum standards to ensure that each municipality does a good job of promoting itself, and that the efforts are coordinated to promote the regional economy.
Wellington wants to be more competitive in attracting investment and tourists, and is looking for ideas from local businesses and residents.
"The County of Wellington has decided to step up and develop a strategic plan to help map out our economic future," said Warden Chris White in a statement on the 2012 budget. It has $100,000 for new economic development initiatives, including $75,000 for a strategic plan to be done with Waterloo Wellington Community Futures.
"We must move off of our dependency on residential property tax and expand our commercial and industrial base."
In January, county council set up a formal Economic Development Committee, including Erin Councillor Ken Chapman. The new Economic Development Officer, Jana Reichert, formerly of Community Futures, has been discussing Erin's situation with Mayor Lou Maieron.
"I hope Erin sees me as a resource," said Reichert. "I can help you connect with investors, try to get funding for new initiatives and see what the priorities are."
Erin's efforts in this area are in disarray at the moment. The Town's volunteer-based Economic Development Committee had started a survey on the equine industry. But Chair Brian Gentles recently resigned, citing lack of support and direction from town council, and the committee has been temporarily dissolved.
Mayor Maieron has been pushing to have Economic Development as a Council Committee, with the ability to take more aggressive action to boost local business.
In the meantime, Erin residents and business people can contribute to the County's strategic plan. It includes an economic analysis of Wellington, identifying industries that will drive the regional economy, developing growth projections for them and developing strategies to boost employment.
Direct comments can be made at the website: www.wellingtonmeansbusiness.com, in the Have Your Say section.
Everyone is welcome to attend an Erin Focus Group on Wednesday, June 13, 9-11 a.m. at Centre 2000, to exchange ideas. Refreshments will be provided.
The website also has a link to an on-line survey. Naturally, it asks about the various positive things in Wellington, and there are many. More interesting is the section in which people can describe the opportunities (i.e., problems) that exist. The county cannot solve them all, but they can be part of a collaborative effort.
Here's what I wrote in the opportunity section of the survey:
• A consistent, long-term publicity effort is needed to enhance Wellington's image among potential business investors.
• Moderate population growth and immigration is needed to build the workforce and improve the consumer base for local retailers.
• Good quality cell-phone reception is needed in all rural areas.
• True high-speed internet is needed in all rural areas. The County's Rural Broadband project was inadequate in Erin.
• The County roads system needs to provide truck bypass routes for major bottlenecks, such as the downtown area of Erin village.
• A better network of bike lanes is needed on County Roads, through the Active Transportation Plan, plus a better network of off-road trails.
• Adequate ambulance service is needed in Erin, for residents and businesses. Thirty-minute waits are unacceptable.
• Land acquisition funding is needed, as in Halton and Peel, to create more Conservation Areas.
• More high-profile cultural events are needed to attract tourists.
My final comment is that economic development is too important to be left as an optional activity for municipalities. The Wellington Economic Development Strategy should guide local strategies.
The County should set some minimum standards to ensure that each municipality does a good job of promoting itself, and that the efforts are coordinated to promote the regional economy.
May 23, 2012
Escape to local forests and trails
As published in The Erin Advocate
Do you ever need to escape the well-trodden sidewalks, the din of cars and trucks and the straight lines of buildings? There are public tracts of forest in the Erin area set aside for just that purpose.
In addition to popular routes such as the Woollen Mills Trail (off Millwood Road in Erin village) and the Elora Cataract Trailway, there are trails on parcels of rural land maintained by Wellington County and the conservation authorities. No hunting, no dirt bikes, no snowmobiles, no bicycles – just walkers, and dogs.
The trails don't lead anywhere special, apart from the wilderness along the way. They are simple paths winding through land where the terrain is too irregular for farming.
The Robert Baker Forest Conservation Area is located at Winston Churchill Boulevard and Grange Sideroad, with 90 acres of woodlands and wetlands maintained by Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
The access point is .4 km from the corner along Grange, and a small network of trails undulates past a series of ponds. Some are bright green and bursting with obvious life, while others are like black mirrors, reflecting the sky in shades of blue that are richer than the sky itself.
The trees are a mix of cedar and spruce, with stands of birch and maple. There are no direction signs, and if you want to walk a 30-minute loop, the trail is a bit easier to follow going clockwise. In the opposite direction, the turn-offs to the left are not always obvious. You may end up at a fence on Winston Churchill instead of back at Grange – not lost, just needing to retrace your steps.
The area is named for Bob Baker, a CVC forester from 1970 to 2000, who was involved in the planting of more than 5 million trees. He now operates a forestry service on the Ninth Line of Erin.
The Peacock Tract is a Wellington County Forest, near the communications tower on Trafalgar Road, 1.3 km north of County Road 50 (the former Peacock Sideroad). The trail goes past wetlands and mossy rock outcrops, as it cuts behind neighbouring properties.
Softwoods dominate at first, but further in there is a wide open maple bush. The whole loop takes about 40 minutes, or a bit longer if you are walking an unruly hound, with a tendency to dash off after scents and wrap her leash line around trees.
The Ospringe Tract, managed by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), is located on the Fourth Line of Erin, .7 km south of County Road 124 (turn at Denny's).
On a sunny winter's day you can hear the water gurgling under the ice as it drains away from the cattails. You can hear the trees crackling in the cold and see the trails of deer and coyote tracks in the fields nearby, with sweeping views of undulating farmland and scrubland.
Most of it is natural growth forest, but a small section was reforested many years ago, with the conifers towering over 80 feet tall. This hike also takes about 40 minutes.
Another forest managed by the GRCA is the Johnson Tract, located on the Second Line of Erin, just south of the Garafraxa Town Line. For more details, see the Erin Insight column from May 4, 2011, at erininsight.blogspot.com.
Also worth a visit is Scotsdale Farm, a beautiful piece of land just south of Ballinafad, which has been open to the public since 1982. Stewart and Violet Bennett lived there for 40 years, raising Arabian horses and Shorthorn cattle. Stewart was President of the Beardmore Tannery in Acton, Vice-President at Canada Packers and President of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
The couple bequeathed their 219 hectare farm to the Ontario Heritage Foundation to ensure its protection. (They also donated $1.3 million to the Georgetown Hospital, which created the Bennett Centre for seniors.)
Archeological evidence of an Iroquoian village from the 1500s has been found on the land. The original farm homestead was built in 1836 and the barn is at least 130 years old. The farm has been used as the setting for several movies and The Campbells TV series, and as a conference centre. The Bruce Trail runs through the property, which features a moraine, escarpment outcrops, forests, wetlands and pastures.
The farm is suitable for picnics, exploring with children and hiking. The 3.9 km Bennett Heritage Side Trail branches off from the Bruce Trail just south of the entrance to Scotsdale, and goes between the farm buildings. It crosses a small dam on Snow's Creek, which flows south and east from Ballinafad. All streams in this area drain to the Credit River at Norval.
The Bennett trail meets the Eighth Line, where you could cut south, and use the Maureen Smith Side Trail join the main Bruce Trail, and loop back to Trafalgar. Or you could follow the Bennett trail farther east as it crosses Owl Creek, then runs beside Silver Creek, ending up at 27 Sideroad. This creates a much longer loop back to Trafalgar, so check the posted maps, or download one (Google "bruce trail bennett") before you set out.
There are hiking videos available on YouTube for Scotsdale, the Peacock Tract and the Johnson Tract, posted by foottrek.com.
Do you ever need to escape the well-trodden sidewalks, the din of cars and trucks and the straight lines of buildings? There are public tracts of forest in the Erin area set aside for just that purpose.
In addition to popular routes such as the Woollen Mills Trail (off Millwood Road in Erin village) and the Elora Cataract Trailway, there are trails on parcels of rural land maintained by Wellington County and the conservation authorities. No hunting, no dirt bikes, no snowmobiles, no bicycles – just walkers, and dogs.
The trails don't lead anywhere special, apart from the wilderness along the way. They are simple paths winding through land where the terrain is too irregular for farming.
The Robert Baker Forest Conservation Area is located at Winston Churchill Boulevard and Grange Sideroad, with 90 acres of woodlands and wetlands maintained by Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
The access point is .4 km from the corner along Grange, and a small network of trails undulates past a series of ponds. Some are bright green and bursting with obvious life, while others are like black mirrors, reflecting the sky in shades of blue that are richer than the sky itself.
The area is named for Bob Baker, a CVC forester from 1970 to 2000, who was involved in the planting of more than 5 million trees. He now operates a forestry service on the Ninth Line of Erin.
The Peacock Tract is a Wellington County Forest, near the communications tower on Trafalgar Road, 1.3 km north of County Road 50 (the former Peacock Sideroad). The trail goes past wetlands and mossy rock outcrops, as it cuts behind neighbouring properties.
Softwoods dominate at first, but further in there is a wide open maple bush. The whole loop takes about 40 minutes, or a bit longer if you are walking an unruly hound, with a tendency to dash off after scents and wrap her leash line around trees.
The Ospringe Tract, managed by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), is located on the Fourth Line of Erin, .7 km south of County Road 124 (turn at Denny's).
On a sunny winter's day you can hear the water gurgling under the ice as it drains away from the cattails. You can hear the trees crackling in the cold and see the trails of deer and coyote tracks in the fields nearby, with sweeping views of undulating farmland and scrubland.
Most of it is natural growth forest, but a small section was reforested many years ago, with the conifers towering over 80 feet tall. This hike also takes about 40 minutes.
Another forest managed by the GRCA is the Johnson Tract, located on the Second Line of Erin, just south of the Garafraxa Town Line. For more details, see the Erin Insight column from May 4, 2011, at erininsight.blogspot.com.
Also worth a visit is Scotsdale Farm, a beautiful piece of land just south of Ballinafad, which has been open to the public since 1982. Stewart and Violet Bennett lived there for 40 years, raising Arabian horses and Shorthorn cattle. Stewart was President of the Beardmore Tannery in Acton, Vice-President at Canada Packers and President of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
The couple bequeathed their 219 hectare farm to the Ontario Heritage Foundation to ensure its protection. (They also donated $1.3 million to the Georgetown Hospital, which created the Bennett Centre for seniors.)
Archeological evidence of an Iroquoian village from the 1500s has been found on the land. The original farm homestead was built in 1836 and the barn is at least 130 years old. The farm has been used as the setting for several movies and The Campbells TV series, and as a conference centre. The Bruce Trail runs through the property, which features a moraine, escarpment outcrops, forests, wetlands and pastures.
The farm is suitable for picnics, exploring with children and hiking. The 3.9 km Bennett Heritage Side Trail branches off from the Bruce Trail just south of the entrance to Scotsdale, and goes between the farm buildings. It crosses a small dam on Snow's Creek, which flows south and east from Ballinafad. All streams in this area drain to the Credit River at Norval.
The Bennett trail meets the Eighth Line, where you could cut south, and use the Maureen Smith Side Trail join the main Bruce Trail, and loop back to Trafalgar. Or you could follow the Bennett trail farther east as it crosses Owl Creek, then runs beside Silver Creek, ending up at 27 Sideroad. This creates a much longer loop back to Trafalgar, so check the posted maps, or download one (Google "bruce trail bennett") before you set out.
There are hiking videos available on YouTube for Scotsdale, the Peacock Tract and the Johnson Tract, posted by foottrek.com.
May 16, 2012
Solmar would pay for initial sewage plant
As published in The Erin Advocate
Solmar is pressing ahead with plans for more than 600 new homes in the north end of Erin village, inviting public comments and promising to pay for the initial phase of a sewage treatment plant.
"We've been very patient," said Maurizio Rogato, a planner with Solmar Development Corp., who hosted a public meeting last week at the Legion hall. "Your input is actually important."
It was an informal session to explain the initial concept and allow residents to ask questions – not part of the legal planning process. New housing has been on hold for the past five years while Erin has studied growth and sewage issues with its Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP).
Solmar plans to file its development application with the Town of Erin very soon, for the 300 acres they own between Dundas Street and County Road 124, from the Deer Pit to the wooded area east of the 10th Line. They are planning a mix of commercial, employment (industrial) and residential development.
The exact number of homes has not been determined, but Rogato expects it to be "upwards of 600". That would mean a significant increase in the population of Erin village, which now has about 3,000 people. County projections show growth to about 4,400 by the year 2031, but it could be higher.
"There is a need for jobs, and a need for housing for young people and seniors," he said.
(Maurizio Rogato of Solmar explains plans at public meeting.)
The area will be developed in stages, with a mix of densities to include detached homes, semi-detached and townhomes, said Rogato, but not likely any high-rise apartment buildings. Some housing is designated as "affordable," including a section for seniors.
The County guideline is six homes per acre, but that is a county-wide average, so a lower number could be negotiated for Erin.
"It will be denser than you're used to," said Rogato. "There are density regulations that we have to abide by – it's not our choice."
No subdivisions can be built until the SSMP is complete, possibly next winter. Solmar is starting its application now, to run concurrent with the SSMP, since the initial phase of the planning process is expected to take two years.
A sales program could then start. But provincial policy requires sewers for new housing developments, and there is a need to find an alternative to aging septic systems and holding tanks for existing buildings, so it could be several years before anything actually happens.
"Instead of only providing servicing capabilities for our lands, we would build a modular facility," he said. "The Town could decide – we don't want municipal services here. But should the Town decide one day to have those, it could be accommodated through the modular facility...There will be enormous setback requirements. It won't be in the middle of someone's neighbourhood."
No plans have yet been made for the waste facility, but Rogato's "guess" is that Solmar would spend about $3 million on it, including service for the non-residential area. It has not been decided whether it will be on the developer's land, or further downstream in the village. CVC will have to determine whether the West Credit River can handle the discharge, and approve a preferable location.
"Modular" means that a small plant could be built to handle sewage primarily from the new development, plus some capacity for other village properties in urgent need of sewage service. There would also be treatment for local septage – the waste pumped out of septic tanks, and the holding tanks behind downtown businesses. The septage component would be at the Town's expense, said Rogato.
The Town would likely assume ownership and responsibility for the plant, just as it does with other infrastructure such as roads.
The plant could later be expanded by the Town to handle more waste, as a sewage system is phased in throughout the urban areas. The cost of a full plant is not known, but informal estimates put it at more than $50 million.
Actual work on sewers has to wait not only for the SSMP, but for an additional environmental assessment on the treatment plant itself. Even then it could take decades to hook up most of the urban areas, since some homes have septic systems that are relatively new.
"We will never get the whole town on sewers," said County Councillor Ken Chapman.
The Solmar land had been owned by Duncan Armstrong, Reeve of Erin Township from 1987 to 1994. Just before the development restrictions of the Green Belt legislation were to take effect in 2005, Town Council added the land to the Erin village urban area, opening it up for future growth. It was owned by Mattamy Homes, and then by Solmar.
"These lands are slated for development," said Rogato. "The conversation isn't so much 'when' or 'if' the lands develop. The more important conversation is 'how'. What is the outcome, what is the desired community input?"
Some at the meeting were not happy with the prospect of significant growth, with one audience member saying to Rogato, "It doesn't matter what we say, you are going to go ahead with this and make it work."
Rogato said that while Solmar is pressing ahead, it hopes to do so in a "cooperative" manner and that the entire development is likely to produce a financial gain for the municipality. People are welcome to contact the company for information or to make comments by email: info@solmar.ca. Solmar is a Canadian company based in Concord, which has developed residential, commercial and industrial projects over the last 25 years.
"For me, the most important part of the plan is the employment lands, because that's going to be sustainable, that's a long-term approach for Erin," said Rogato, noting that the Town's help will be needed to attract business to these lands. "That's a tax base that the Town can count on, that's jobs that the public can count on. And the only way you are going to get good employment lands to function well is to have them properly serviced."
Of the 300 acres owned by Solmar, only 125 acres would be residential. The plan also includes 40 acres of employment (industrial) land, 12 of commercial development along County Road 124, 40 of wooded greenspace with trails, 15 of parks, 15 for a school site and three for a place of worship.
Another 14 acres is marked as a Stormwater Management Pond. This is located next to the public land of the Deer Pit, which was recently regraded to enable stormwater drainage. The water travels through a pipe under the Elora-Cataract Trailway, just south of the Solmar land, down the 10th Line and into a tributary of the West Credit River.
The homes will have at least R2000 energy efficiency, but Rogato is not sure it will be feasible to build them to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard. LEED is an international building certification program, focusing on sustainable site development, water and energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environment quality.
"We're interested in affordable solutions," he said. "But we are committed to some form of environmental development."
Solmar is pressing ahead with plans for more than 600 new homes in the north end of Erin village, inviting public comments and promising to pay for the initial phase of a sewage treatment plant.
"We've been very patient," said Maurizio Rogato, a planner with Solmar Development Corp., who hosted a public meeting last week at the Legion hall. "Your input is actually important."
It was an informal session to explain the initial concept and allow residents to ask questions – not part of the legal planning process. New housing has been on hold for the past five years while Erin has studied growth and sewage issues with its Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP).
Solmar plans to file its development application with the Town of Erin very soon, for the 300 acres they own between Dundas Street and County Road 124, from the Deer Pit to the wooded area east of the 10th Line. They are planning a mix of commercial, employment (industrial) and residential development.
"There is a need for jobs, and a need for housing for young people and seniors," he said.
(Maurizio Rogato of Solmar explains plans at public meeting.)
The area will be developed in stages, with a mix of densities to include detached homes, semi-detached and townhomes, said Rogato, but not likely any high-rise apartment buildings. Some housing is designated as "affordable," including a section for seniors.
The County guideline is six homes per acre, but that is a county-wide average, so a lower number could be negotiated for Erin.
"It will be denser than you're used to," said Rogato. "There are density regulations that we have to abide by – it's not our choice."
No subdivisions can be built until the SSMP is complete, possibly next winter. Solmar is starting its application now, to run concurrent with the SSMP, since the initial phase of the planning process is expected to take two years.
A sales program could then start. But provincial policy requires sewers for new housing developments, and there is a need to find an alternative to aging septic systems and holding tanks for existing buildings, so it could be several years before anything actually happens.
"Instead of only providing servicing capabilities for our lands, we would build a modular facility," he said. "The Town could decide – we don't want municipal services here. But should the Town decide one day to have those, it could be accommodated through the modular facility...There will be enormous setback requirements. It won't be in the middle of someone's neighbourhood."
No plans have yet been made for the waste facility, but Rogato's "guess" is that Solmar would spend about $3 million on it, including service for the non-residential area. It has not been decided whether it will be on the developer's land, or further downstream in the village. CVC will have to determine whether the West Credit River can handle the discharge, and approve a preferable location.
"Modular" means that a small plant could be built to handle sewage primarily from the new development, plus some capacity for other village properties in urgent need of sewage service. There would also be treatment for local septage – the waste pumped out of septic tanks, and the holding tanks behind downtown businesses. The septage component would be at the Town's expense, said Rogato.
The Town would likely assume ownership and responsibility for the plant, just as it does with other infrastructure such as roads.
The plant could later be expanded by the Town to handle more waste, as a sewage system is phased in throughout the urban areas. The cost of a full plant is not known, but informal estimates put it at more than $50 million.
Actual work on sewers has to wait not only for the SSMP, but for an additional environmental assessment on the treatment plant itself. Even then it could take decades to hook up most of the urban areas, since some homes have septic systems that are relatively new.
"We will never get the whole town on sewers," said County Councillor Ken Chapman.
The Solmar land had been owned by Duncan Armstrong, Reeve of Erin Township from 1987 to 1994. Just before the development restrictions of the Green Belt legislation were to take effect in 2005, Town Council added the land to the Erin village urban area, opening it up for future growth. It was owned by Mattamy Homes, and then by Solmar.
"These lands are slated for development," said Rogato. "The conversation isn't so much 'when' or 'if' the lands develop. The more important conversation is 'how'. What is the outcome, what is the desired community input?"
Some at the meeting were not happy with the prospect of significant growth, with one audience member saying to Rogato, "It doesn't matter what we say, you are going to go ahead with this and make it work."
Rogato said that while Solmar is pressing ahead, it hopes to do so in a "cooperative" manner and that the entire development is likely to produce a financial gain for the municipality. People are welcome to contact the company for information or to make comments by email: info@solmar.ca. Solmar is a Canadian company based in Concord, which has developed residential, commercial and industrial projects over the last 25 years.
"For me, the most important part of the plan is the employment lands, because that's going to be sustainable, that's a long-term approach for Erin," said Rogato, noting that the Town's help will be needed to attract business to these lands. "That's a tax base that the Town can count on, that's jobs that the public can count on. And the only way you are going to get good employment lands to function well is to have them properly serviced."
Of the 300 acres owned by Solmar, only 125 acres would be residential. The plan also includes 40 acres of employment (industrial) land, 12 of commercial development along County Road 124, 40 of wooded greenspace with trails, 15 of parks, 15 for a school site and three for a place of worship.
Another 14 acres is marked as a Stormwater Management Pond. This is located next to the public land of the Deer Pit, which was recently regraded to enable stormwater drainage. The water travels through a pipe under the Elora-Cataract Trailway, just south of the Solmar land, down the 10th Line and into a tributary of the West Credit River.
The homes will have at least R2000 energy efficiency, but Rogato is not sure it will be feasible to build them to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standard. LEED is an international building certification program, focusing on sustainable site development, water and energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environment quality.
"We're interested in affordable solutions," he said. "But we are committed to some form of environmental development."
SSMP finally finishes background study
As published in The Erin Advocate
Three years after the first public meeting for the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP), the Town's consultants have produced a Background Report and a Problem/Opportunity Statement, which were presented at a second public meeting last week.
About 150 residents came to the Shamrock Room at Centre 2000 on Tuesday, many with questions about sewers and new subdivisions. Project Manager Matt Pearson of B.M. Ross described the research done so far, at a cost of more than $300,000, but could not give definite answers to many of the concerns about infrastructure improvements.
"You're not going to hear what it costs – we're not there," he said. "That's what's important to a lot of people, is dollars, but we're not going to talk about that because we don't have anything, so that might be a bummer."
The SSMP is an Environmental Assessment being done by the Town of Erin, at the insistence of Credit Valley Conservation and the Ministry of the Environment. One of the goals is to eliminate dependence on aging septic systems in the urban areas of Erin village and Hillsburgh. New subdivisions and downtown redevelopment are on hold until the study is done.
Issues such as how to phase in a sewer system, where to located a sewage treatment plant and whether the West Credit River can handle the discharge from a plant, have not been studied yet. Costs are dependent on technology choices that have not yet been studied, and on the level of financial support that senior levels of government might provide.
Phase 1 was only intended to gather information about the community and the local environment. The study now enters Phase 2, in which B.M. Ross will continue to consult with the public, the Liaison Committee and agencies such as CVC, studying strategies for the next 25 years.
There will be engineering work to develop a series of possible solutions for sanitary sewers, water supply and storm water – along with criteria for evaluating the alternatives.
There will be another public meeting, and council will have to choose one of the solutions in order to complete the study. Pearson said this could all be accomplished in the next 10 months. In 2009, the total study cost was estimated at $420,000.
A sewage plant would require its own Environmental Assessment, after the SSMP is done. And while Solmar Developments will soon start the planning process for a subdivision and commercial / employment lands north of Centre 2000, actual construction cannot take place until the SSMP is done and a sewage strategy is adopted.
"They are going to pay their share," said Pearson. "They're not going to pay your share. But the bigger things are, the more efficient you can do them. They're developers. They're in the business to build lots, sell them and make money. But they have rules to follow, so they're not going to be building a sewage plant tomorrow or for a couple of years.
"The Town wants to work with them, to say 'Can we do something together? Can we get some of this kick-started? How do we share in the costs? How do we share in the benefits?"
More information and opportunity for input is available on-line at www.erin.ca/definingerin, or by contacting Pearson at mpearson@bmross.net, 1-888-524-2641. Previous Advocate coverage can be read at www.erininsight.blogspot.com (search SSMP or click on Sewers label).
Pearson reminded people that a majority of the urban lots, many in the older core areas, are too small under current regulations for replacement of a basic septic system. If a system fails, even on a medium-sized lot with municipal water, a more expensive tertiary (or proprietary) system may have to be installed.
"When you start talking 25,000 bucks for a proprietary system, you want to have alternatives," he said.
In 1995, the cost of a proposed sewage plant, for Erin village only, was estimated at $25 million. An environmental assessment was undertaken, but the plan was abandoned due to the cost and community opposition.
People are speculating that it now could cost well over $50 million for a plant to serve Erin village, plus sewage pumped down from Hillsburgh. When someone suggested $100 million, Pearson said he didn't think it would be that high.
It would also be built to treat local septage – the waste pumped from septic tanks and holding tanks, which is currently spread on farm fields or trucked long distances to other plants.
"You want to build big enough, so you're not back there looking at expanding them too early," he said. "You want to build them expandable if you can, but you don't want to overbuild them. It's a trick, it's a crystal ball thing using best available information...There's a pent-up demand for housing here."
He said there is plenty of local land in the urban areas to meet the county's population targets, but "probably not" enough to meet the economic demand of people wanting to live in Erin.
"I don't think you're going to develop a lot of facilities without some government help – it's just not affordable from scratch," he said. "With a plan like this, you shop it around for grants. That's the mayor's role, council's role. Grants come out all the time. You have to be in place with a plan and an argument to get your share."
He said grants normally cover two-thirds of the cost, with the balance divided among the homes that are served. The debt would be repaid over several years.
Homeowners will be obliged to pay their share of sewage system construction. But Pearson will recommend that if they have a good septic system, they may not have to pay the cost of hooking up to the sewer for a certain number of years. There could also be situations where a failed septic system is replaced with a holding tank until the sewers are ready.
He warned against a piecemeal system, or allowing both public and private waste handling over the long term. That could be more expensive overall, and create problems with property values and perceptions of fairness.
He said they could identify the cost of replacing all the regular septic systems with tertiary ones. They are meeting with the Ministry of the Environment to determine the standards for the quality of the effluent that can be discharged into the river. He said the discharge standards are "really, really high" and if Erin can't meet them, then tertiary systems could be a fall-back strategy.
Key statements
The SSMP Vision Statement was developed two years ago, while the Problem/Opportunity Statement was recently approved by council, and presented to the public for the first time last week. Together, they are intended to guide the study process. Here is the text of each.
Vision Statement
The Town of Erin will remain a vibrant, safe and sustainable community, located at the Headwaters of the Credit and Grand Rivers. The Town will continue to capitalize on its proximity to large urban centres, while maintaining its excellent community spirit.
With a strong employment base, and a range and mix of housing, a higher percentage of the residents will work and continue to live within the Town of Erin. Visitors will enjoy the small-town atmosphere, unique shops and surrounding rural charm. Through responsible development and servicing, the Town's rich natural environment will be protected and preserved.
Problem/Opportunity Statement
Presently, the Town of Erin lacks a long term, comprehensive strategy for the provision of water and wastewater servicing in the villages of Erin and Hillsburgh. The following limitations are associated with the current status of servicing within the Town's urban areas:
Wastewater
• Wastewater is treated exclusively by private, on-site wastewater treatment systems. Within the Built Boundary of the settlement areas (Hillsburgh and Erin Village), private property investment and redevelopment is restrained by increasingly stringent setbacks required for septic systems, small lot sizes and the presence of private wells. Additionally, there are limited facilities in the area accepting septage from private systems for treatment.
• The settlement areas (Hillsburgh and Erin Village) have been identified as areas of modest growth under the Places to Grow Act and by Wellington County population projections. At present, the servicing infrastructure is inadequate to meet future demand to 2035. Lots sized to include septic systems will not allow for projected future development to occur in a manner consistent with the need for smaller, less-expensive homes in the community as identified in the Vision Statement.
Water
• Partial water servicing in Erin Village and Hillsburgh limits the operational and cost efficiency of the systems and inhibits redevelopment and future development.
• The capacity of the existing system will need to be augmented to address current limitations and the needs of future development.
Stormwater Management/Transportation
• The West Credit River currently shows impacts from urban stormwater drainage, resulting from limited stormwater management infrastructure. Given existing impacts and potential future impacts related to development, there is a need to assess existing and future stormwater management and transportation infrastructure planning strategies.
The Town of Erin Official Plan outlines a community-based process for completing a Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) to address servicing, planning and environmental issues within the Town. The SSMP study area includes Erin Village and Hillsburgh, as well as the lands between and surrounding the villages.
Under the Master Plan approach, infrastructure requirements are assessed in conjunction with existing and future land uses using environmental planning principles over extended time-periods and geographic areas. Servicing scenarios are evaluated using environmental, technical and financial sustainability lenses to define a preferred strategy.
From community input and feedback, a Vision Statement outlining the community's ideas for the future of the Town, has been developed. The Vision Statement will serve as a guide throughout the SSMP process, assuring the development of the SSMP is consistent with the community's goals for the future.
The first phase of the Master Plan process is the definition of a Problem/Opportunity statement. This statement serves to provide guidance and direction during the development of alternative community planning and servicing strategies during the second phase of the SSMP process.
Three years after the first public meeting for the Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP), the Town's consultants have produced a Background Report and a Problem/Opportunity Statement, which were presented at a second public meeting last week.
About 150 residents came to the Shamrock Room at Centre 2000 on Tuesday, many with questions about sewers and new subdivisions. Project Manager Matt Pearson of B.M. Ross described the research done so far, at a cost of more than $300,000, but could not give definite answers to many of the concerns about infrastructure improvements.
"You're not going to hear what it costs – we're not there," he said. "That's what's important to a lot of people, is dollars, but we're not going to talk about that because we don't have anything, so that might be a bummer."
The SSMP is an Environmental Assessment being done by the Town of Erin, at the insistence of Credit Valley Conservation and the Ministry of the Environment. One of the goals is to eliminate dependence on aging septic systems in the urban areas of Erin village and Hillsburgh. New subdivisions and downtown redevelopment are on hold until the study is done.
Issues such as how to phase in a sewer system, where to located a sewage treatment plant and whether the West Credit River can handle the discharge from a plant, have not been studied yet. Costs are dependent on technology choices that have not yet been studied, and on the level of financial support that senior levels of government might provide.
Phase 1 was only intended to gather information about the community and the local environment. The study now enters Phase 2, in which B.M. Ross will continue to consult with the public, the Liaison Committee and agencies such as CVC, studying strategies for the next 25 years.
There will be engineering work to develop a series of possible solutions for sanitary sewers, water supply and storm water – along with criteria for evaluating the alternatives.
There will be another public meeting, and council will have to choose one of the solutions in order to complete the study. Pearson said this could all be accomplished in the next 10 months. In 2009, the total study cost was estimated at $420,000.
A sewage plant would require its own Environmental Assessment, after the SSMP is done. And while Solmar Developments will soon start the planning process for a subdivision and commercial / employment lands north of Centre 2000, actual construction cannot take place until the SSMP is done and a sewage strategy is adopted.
"They are going to pay their share," said Pearson. "They're not going to pay your share. But the bigger things are, the more efficient you can do them. They're developers. They're in the business to build lots, sell them and make money. But they have rules to follow, so they're not going to be building a sewage plant tomorrow or for a couple of years.
"The Town wants to work with them, to say 'Can we do something together? Can we get some of this kick-started? How do we share in the costs? How do we share in the benefits?"
More information and opportunity for input is available on-line at www.erin.ca/definingerin, or by contacting Pearson at mpearson@bmross.net, 1-888-524-2641. Previous Advocate coverage can be read at www.erininsight.blogspot.com (search SSMP or click on Sewers label).
Pearson reminded people that a majority of the urban lots, many in the older core areas, are too small under current regulations for replacement of a basic septic system. If a system fails, even on a medium-sized lot with municipal water, a more expensive tertiary (or proprietary) system may have to be installed.
"When you start talking 25,000 bucks for a proprietary system, you want to have alternatives," he said.
In 1995, the cost of a proposed sewage plant, for Erin village only, was estimated at $25 million. An environmental assessment was undertaken, but the plan was abandoned due to the cost and community opposition.
People are speculating that it now could cost well over $50 million for a plant to serve Erin village, plus sewage pumped down from Hillsburgh. When someone suggested $100 million, Pearson said he didn't think it would be that high.
It would also be built to treat local septage – the waste pumped from septic tanks and holding tanks, which is currently spread on farm fields or trucked long distances to other plants.
"You want to build big enough, so you're not back there looking at expanding them too early," he said. "You want to build them expandable if you can, but you don't want to overbuild them. It's a trick, it's a crystal ball thing using best available information...There's a pent-up demand for housing here."
He said there is plenty of local land in the urban areas to meet the county's population targets, but "probably not" enough to meet the economic demand of people wanting to live in Erin.
"I don't think you're going to develop a lot of facilities without some government help – it's just not affordable from scratch," he said. "With a plan like this, you shop it around for grants. That's the mayor's role, council's role. Grants come out all the time. You have to be in place with a plan and an argument to get your share."
He said grants normally cover two-thirds of the cost, with the balance divided among the homes that are served. The debt would be repaid over several years.
Homeowners will be obliged to pay their share of sewage system construction. But Pearson will recommend that if they have a good septic system, they may not have to pay the cost of hooking up to the sewer for a certain number of years. There could also be situations where a failed septic system is replaced with a holding tank until the sewers are ready.
He warned against a piecemeal system, or allowing both public and private waste handling over the long term. That could be more expensive overall, and create problems with property values and perceptions of fairness.
He said they could identify the cost of replacing all the regular septic systems with tertiary ones. They are meeting with the Ministry of the Environment to determine the standards for the quality of the effluent that can be discharged into the river. He said the discharge standards are "really, really high" and if Erin can't meet them, then tertiary systems could be a fall-back strategy.
Key statements
The SSMP Vision Statement was developed two years ago, while the Problem/Opportunity Statement was recently approved by council, and presented to the public for the first time last week. Together, they are intended to guide the study process. Here is the text of each.
Vision Statement
The Town of Erin will remain a vibrant, safe and sustainable community, located at the Headwaters of the Credit and Grand Rivers. The Town will continue to capitalize on its proximity to large urban centres, while maintaining its excellent community spirit.
With a strong employment base, and a range and mix of housing, a higher percentage of the residents will work and continue to live within the Town of Erin. Visitors will enjoy the small-town atmosphere, unique shops and surrounding rural charm. Through responsible development and servicing, the Town's rich natural environment will be protected and preserved.
Problem/Opportunity Statement
Presently, the Town of Erin lacks a long term, comprehensive strategy for the provision of water and wastewater servicing in the villages of Erin and Hillsburgh. The following limitations are associated with the current status of servicing within the Town's urban areas:
Wastewater
• Wastewater is treated exclusively by private, on-site wastewater treatment systems. Within the Built Boundary of the settlement areas (Hillsburgh and Erin Village), private property investment and redevelopment is restrained by increasingly stringent setbacks required for septic systems, small lot sizes and the presence of private wells. Additionally, there are limited facilities in the area accepting septage from private systems for treatment.
• The settlement areas (Hillsburgh and Erin Village) have been identified as areas of modest growth under the Places to Grow Act and by Wellington County population projections. At present, the servicing infrastructure is inadequate to meet future demand to 2035. Lots sized to include septic systems will not allow for projected future development to occur in a manner consistent with the need for smaller, less-expensive homes in the community as identified in the Vision Statement.
Water
• Partial water servicing in Erin Village and Hillsburgh limits the operational and cost efficiency of the systems and inhibits redevelopment and future development.
• The capacity of the existing system will need to be augmented to address current limitations and the needs of future development.
Stormwater Management/Transportation
• The West Credit River currently shows impacts from urban stormwater drainage, resulting from limited stormwater management infrastructure. Given existing impacts and potential future impacts related to development, there is a need to assess existing and future stormwater management and transportation infrastructure planning strategies.
The Town of Erin Official Plan outlines a community-based process for completing a Servicing and Settlement Master Plan (SSMP) to address servicing, planning and environmental issues within the Town. The SSMP study area includes Erin Village and Hillsburgh, as well as the lands between and surrounding the villages.
Under the Master Plan approach, infrastructure requirements are assessed in conjunction with existing and future land uses using environmental planning principles over extended time-periods and geographic areas. Servicing scenarios are evaluated using environmental, technical and financial sustainability lenses to define a preferred strategy.
From community input and feedback, a Vision Statement outlining the community's ideas for the future of the Town, has been developed. The Vision Statement will serve as a guide throughout the SSMP process, assuring the development of the SSMP is consistent with the community's goals for the future.
The first phase of the Master Plan process is the definition of a Problem/Opportunity statement. This statement serves to provide guidance and direction during the development of alternative community planning and servicing strategies during the second phase of the SSMP process.
May 09, 2012
Follow me on Twitter, use #erintown hashtag
As published in The Erin Advocate
I promise I will never tweet about what I'm having for dinner, what I'm buying at the store or my views on the Maple Leafs, even if they were to make the playoffs. For better or worse, my tweets will always be connected to Erin, just like this column.
This is an invitation to follow me on Twitter. It's a way for me to publish brief bits of information, plus photos and interesting links.
I am a latecomer to Twitter, having just signed up during the winter while I was laid off from my regular job. I'm back to work now, but just three days a week, so I still have lots of time to poke around town looking for things to write about.
Twitter is free, easy to use and helps build up bonds of common interest. You just sign up at www.twitter.com, register yourself with a brief profile, and start sending tweets - blurbs of text limited to 140 characters.
This creates a feed of messages that will be available to people who have chosen to "follow" you.
Your Twitter page will have three main lists: your tweets, an ongoing stream of tweets from people or organizations that you are following, and the people who are following you.
If you get tired of someone's tweets (even mine), just click "unfollow" and they stop coming. That's what I've done with people who treat Twitter as a diary of their mundane daily activities.
You don't actually have to tweet anything if you don't feel like it - you could use the site just to read tweets from those you are following.
If you receive a tweet that you think others would enjoy, you can "re-tweet" it out to your followers. You can also send a tweet reply directly back to the sender.
A word of warning: tweets are much more public than emails. They are more like a broadcast. Unless you make your account private with a password, you can't control who follows you, or how they might re-tweet your messages. If you say nasty things about other people, the messages could be traced back to you and land you in legal hot water.
It's not very private. People who follow you can look at your home page and see all your tweets, followers and who you've chosen to follow. It's a social network, a crowded place, with 140 million active users sending 340 million tweets and 1.6 billion search queries every day.
Like anything else on the internet, some of the content can be considered offensive, slanted or boring.
But if you are interested in Erin issues, please consider following me. I only tweet a few times per week, and I promise accuracy, fairness and a reasonable attempt at interesting, just as with the column.
The other suggestion I have is a "hashtag", which is enabled by the search-ability of the system.
If Twitter users in Erin want their messages to be easily found by others in Erin, it is as easy as using the same unique word in every tweet, starting with the # symbol.
I suggest that the hashtag be #erintown. I have started putting it into my tweets.
If you click on the term, or put it into the Twitter search field, you will get a listing not only of my tweets, but the tweets of anyone else who uses the term.
You can use #erintown in your text, instead of the word Erin, or just tag it on at the end. The effect will be like a community bulletin board or forum.
It is important to note that I am not in charge of it. I have only suggested a hashtag, something that anyone could do. Apart from my own tweets, I cannot moderate or control the content in any way. People are fully responsible for what they put in their own tweets. If I don't like what's on this resulting list of tweets, I will simply stop using the hashtag.
Looking at the positive possibilities, though, it could be a way to promote Erin events and businesses, and a way for people to make comments about local issues of interest.
Of course, if you want to write more than 140 characters, you could start your own blog or plaster the town with posters, but a traditional Letter to the Editor is still the best option.
I will also be using my Twitter account to promote this column, and to link people with my blog, where I re-publish my writing after it appears in the paper.
The technology for building a stronger community is out there, and it's free. Let's use it.
I promise I will never tweet about what I'm having for dinner, what I'm buying at the store or my views on the Maple Leafs, even if they were to make the playoffs. For better or worse, my tweets will always be connected to Erin, just like this column.
This is an invitation to follow me on Twitter. It's a way for me to publish brief bits of information, plus photos and interesting links.
I am a latecomer to Twitter, having just signed up during the winter while I was laid off from my regular job. I'm back to work now, but just three days a week, so I still have lots of time to poke around town looking for things to write about.
Twitter is free, easy to use and helps build up bonds of common interest. You just sign up at www.twitter.com, register yourself with a brief profile, and start sending tweets - blurbs of text limited to 140 characters.
This creates a feed of messages that will be available to people who have chosen to "follow" you.
Your Twitter page will have three main lists: your tweets, an ongoing stream of tweets from people or organizations that you are following, and the people who are following you.
If you get tired of someone's tweets (even mine), just click "unfollow" and they stop coming. That's what I've done with people who treat Twitter as a diary of their mundane daily activities.
You don't actually have to tweet anything if you don't feel like it - you could use the site just to read tweets from those you are following.
If you receive a tweet that you think others would enjoy, you can "re-tweet" it out to your followers. You can also send a tweet reply directly back to the sender.
A word of warning: tweets are much more public than emails. They are more like a broadcast. Unless you make your account private with a password, you can't control who follows you, or how they might re-tweet your messages. If you say nasty things about other people, the messages could be traced back to you and land you in legal hot water.
It's not very private. People who follow you can look at your home page and see all your tweets, followers and who you've chosen to follow. It's a social network, a crowded place, with 140 million active users sending 340 million tweets and 1.6 billion search queries every day.
Like anything else on the internet, some of the content can be considered offensive, slanted or boring.
But if you are interested in Erin issues, please consider following me. I only tweet a few times per week, and I promise accuracy, fairness and a reasonable attempt at interesting, just as with the column.
The other suggestion I have is a "hashtag", which is enabled by the search-ability of the system.
If Twitter users in Erin want their messages to be easily found by others in Erin, it is as easy as using the same unique word in every tweet, starting with the # symbol.
I suggest that the hashtag be #erintown. I have started putting it into my tweets.
If you click on the term, or put it into the Twitter search field, you will get a listing not only of my tweets, but the tweets of anyone else who uses the term.
You can use #erintown in your text, instead of the word Erin, or just tag it on at the end. The effect will be like a community bulletin board or forum.
It is important to note that I am not in charge of it. I have only suggested a hashtag, something that anyone could do. Apart from my own tweets, I cannot moderate or control the content in any way. People are fully responsible for what they put in their own tweets. If I don't like what's on this resulting list of tweets, I will simply stop using the hashtag.
Looking at the positive possibilities, though, it could be a way to promote Erin events and businesses, and a way for people to make comments about local issues of interest.
Of course, if you want to write more than 140 characters, you could start your own blog or plaster the town with posters, but a traditional Letter to the Editor is still the best option.
I will also be using my Twitter account to promote this column, and to link people with my blog, where I re-publish my writing after it appears in the paper.
The technology for building a stronger community is out there, and it's free. Let's use it.
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