Quarry money goes green
Money a judge ordered the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) to pay to the aggregates company that has been digging up Duntroon, will be used to improve parks in the area.
On Monday night, Walker Industries Executive Vice President Ken Lucyshyn presented a $15,000 cheque to Council.
The money is intended to improve Clearview’s green spaces, specifically Station Park in Stayner.
In 2002, Walker Industries applied to create an expansion for its Duntroon quarry, which is nearing the end of its lifespan. The expansion will be situated across the road from the original quarry on County Road 91 between 10th Concession and County Road 31.
In 2013, the NEC challenged a legal decision to approve the expansion. However, their challenge was unsuccessful and it was ordered to pay Walker $15,000 for legal costs.
“Aggregates are the foundation of our economy and a much-needed commodity,” said Lucyshyn. “However, we recognize the fact that we have displaced good farmland, woodlot and good trees through the quarrying process. This is one of the ways we can offset that.”
When contacted by the Echo, a representative for the NEC said the organization had no knowledge of the donation and therefore could not comment on it.
Walker Industries has a history of donating to causes in the areas it works in, Lucyshyn told the Echo. In recent years, it has made donations to the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, as well as to local food banks instead of giving Christmas gifts to employees and customers.
One half-cent of every tonne that is sold from the new quarry will be donated to Clearview for planting trees. Another half-cent will be donated for the Township to acquire greenspaces. Walker also plans to donate a piece of land from the old quarry to the Bruce Trail Association in Duntroon when the land is rehabilitated, Lucyshyn said.
“As part of our rehabilitation, we purchased additional lands and have agreed to enhance these features and re-establish a new diverse woodlot,” he explained.
After more than a decade of approvals processes, Lucyshyn said the quarry expansion will begin breaking ground at the end of the summer. The Ministry of Natural Resources signed off on Walker’s application last week after the company met all of the Ontario Municipal Board’s conditions.
According to Lucyshyn, this area has some of “the best quality limestone in the province.”
The original quarry will be used for extraction for only one more year. It has been in use since the mid-60s. Walker Industries has operated it since 1995.
The quarry was established in Duntroon to support its construction, including roads and bridges, Lucyshyn said.
“Most of the cost of the stone is transportation, so the ideal is to have the quarry close to where the stone is used for local roads, hospitals, etc.,” he added.
The quarry produced 1,000,000 tonnes of limestone per year until about five years ago, when this amount was reduced to half.
“We always need to be mindful of where we make our money,” said Lucyshyn. “Once we get back up and running again [with the expansion], we won’t forget this community.”
Once it closes, the old quarry will be filled up and be made into a lake.
