Steer deserves council approval

Editor:

The previous council had no problem approving Walker Industries’ request for zoning changes etc. Now tell me what are the differences and similarities between Steer, a service business and Walker, an aggregate company.

1. Steer has 28 full time employees. Walker has 28 part-time employees (significantly cut back in winter but still ship and do maintenance).

2. Steer repairs all makes and models of trucks and agriculture equipment. Walker has up to 500 trucks per day hauling aggregate on township roads, and by the way no payment of 50 cents per tonne for road maintenance as in other provinces

3. Steer needs 10 acres for their repair shop. Walker about 200 acres of the Niagara Escarpment (a world biosphere) to remove approximately 41 million tonnes of limestone.

4. Steer property: a piece of flat farmland with no environmental situations. Walker: the head waters of the Beaver River, Batteaux Creek and the Pretty River along with one of the largest collection of Harts Tongue Ferns in the world as well as Butternut trees and an old growth maple forest which will be destroyed in time.

5. Steer: a large part of their business is agriculture related. Walker: property of new quarry was zoned agriculture, a large percentage is for road construction, cement, etc.

6. No road closures for Steer. Walker wants to close County Road 91, a major artery for the folks of Grey Highlands.

7. Steer: no hazardous traffic situations. Walker: located on the highest point in Clearview with the steepest haul route down into Duntroon, numerous accidents have already happened on this route and they will continue to happen as drivers not accustomed to such a steep pitch and with a 35 tonne pay load will come hurtling down and when it is too late realize their brakes are failing them.

The previous council bent over backwards to ensure Walker got the zoning and necessary approvals. To me, there is no question that Steer should be treated the same way.

Dick Corner,

Duntroon.