Dufferin Aggregates officials want to re-affirm their commitment to the “Big Lake” project in Puslinch and clarify some misinformation contained in an Oct. 30 story in the Wellington Advertiser.
“Dufferin is certainly committed to the Big Lake project, there’s no doubt about that,” Kevin Mitchell, resource development manager with the gravel company, said in an interview on Nov. 5.
“We think it’s an exciting opportunity.”
Mitchell said it is not accurate to say Dufferin Aggregates has “declined” to contribute funds towards the project. He noted the company has made an in-kind donation of $5,000 in the form of work done by its own hydrogeologist on the Big Lake proposal.
“We’ve done a fair bit of homework,” he said, noting most of the efforts thus far have concentrated on ground water modeling.
Mitchell added Dufferin Aggregates has sent a letter of support to Harden Environmental, the township’s hydrogeological consultant, and was the only gravel producer to sign both township funding applications.
Puslinch is seeking almost $400,000 in funding – split between a federal and provincial grant – to transform several gravel pits along Concession 2 into a large lake measuring 700 acres.
Dufferin Aggregates, which has been in the community since the mid 1980s, has supported many local projects over the years – including the Accumulative Impact Assessment a few years back – and the Big Lake proposal is no different, Mitchell said.
Once the plan, terms of reference and other technical aspects are laid out, Dufferin Aggregates will make a decision on further contributions, he added.
“I think we’re all in the same position,” he said of the gravel companies involved. “I am confident all the producers will be there.”
