‘Deeply personal’

Dear Editor:

As the Hidden Quarry project near Rockwood moves closer to operation, many residents in the surrounding communities are once again asking an important question: who is ultimately accountable for protecting our communities?

Those of us who live in and around this area value the rural landscape, the water we depend on, and the sense of community that has long defined places like Rockwood and Guelph/Eramosa. The approval of this project has left many residents wondering whether those values were fully considered.

The quarry, located at the northeast corner of Highway 7 and 6th Line, was approved through the Ontario Land Tribunal despite years of opposition from local residents and the Township of Guelph/Eramosa. Now, as operations move toward becoming a reality, concerns that were raised years ago have not disappeared.

The project is expected to extract roughly 700,000 tonnes of dolostone annually for the next 20 years. With that comes increased truck traffic, dust, noise and regular blasting. More importantly, many residents remain worried about the long-term effects on groundwater and nearby wetlands. For rural communities that rely on well water, these concerns are not abstract – they are deeply personal.

While conditions were placed on the project, including monitoring and the creation of a community liaison committee, oversight must go beyond paperwork. Residents deserve transparency, clear communication and a government willing to step in if environmental or community impacts become a problem.

Development and economic growth are important, but they must never come at the expense of the people who live in these communities.

Progress should never mean sacrificing the very communities it claims to serve. If this project moves forward, government must prove that protecting our water, environment and residents is not negotiable.

Margherita Tabone,
Rockwood