Guelph-Eramosa councillor Doug Breen says there are 100 things wrong with the proposed location for a hydro substation in the south end of Rockwood.
Guelph Hydro Electric Systems Inc. has submitted a site plan application for a substation to be built on the east side of Main Street (Highway 7), south of the intersection with Dunbar and MacLennan Streets.
“This is just a horrible location,” Breen said. “We should be erecting a Welcome to Rockwood sign there – not this.” He noted the property, which measures about 380 square metres with 20 metres of frontage on Main Street, is close to the adjacent Rockwood Ridge subdivision and far too close to a separate home directly to the south on Main Street.
“It’s six feet from somebody’s house,” Breen said.
Township Planner Lana Phillips, of MHBC Planning, told council that although the site plan application is new, the property in question has been earmarked for a hydro substation for some time – ever since the Rockwood Ridge subdivision was approved.
Breen agreed the land was set aside for that purpose in the 1990s, and said nearby residents likely lost the right to oppose the substation location when they chose to go to the Ontario Municipal Board in opposition to the subdivision instead of negotiating.
However, he said that does not mean they should not be forewarned about the substation or given a chance to comment on it.
Mayor Chris White acknowledged there is no legal requirement for the township to invite comments, but said council should nonetheless.
“This is the worst location,” White said.
Breen said considering the noise wall proposed for the perimeter of the station – 3.5 metres high with a natural stone appearance – for neighbours it will be like looking out their window at a penitentiary.
He asked if there is not a “prettier and quieter” way of building the substation. He also wondered why the Main Street location was chosen over adding on to an existing substation near Valley Road, which seemed to him to make more sense.
Phillips replied the location is out of Guelph Hydro’s control, but Breen said, “If it’s not built yet, it’s not out of their control.”
Phillips said Guelph Hydro was willing to make changes to its site plan to address noise concerns so it might also be willing to discuss a different location.
However, Art Stockman, President of Guelph Hydro, seemed to dismiss that possibility on Tuesday.
“All the planning is for that location,” Stockman said. “We need the supply in the south end.” When asked about Breen’s idea of building onto an existing substation, Stockman said that is not a viable solution.
“That doesn’t give us the distribution we need for voltage regulation,” he said. He added Breen’s statement that the substation could be six feet away from a home is incorrect.
Stockman also explained Guelph Hydro has just one other substation, located at the north end of Rockwood, while the other substation in the village is owned by Hydro One.
The plan is to proceed with the Main Street location, he said, “And it needs to be in place by the spring of next year.”
White, however, said on Monday night he would like to meet with Guelph Hydro officials to discuss the location.
“We’re not Luddites,” White said, noting council does understand the need for the new substation – temporary power outages and power surges in the south end.
“We want to work with them to make this the best situation possible for everyone involved.”
In addition to conflicting views about the location, there also exists some confusion over ownership of the property.
It was originally transferred to the township by the Seaton group – the Rockwood Ridge developer – with the intention of housing a hydro substation.
However, Guelph Hydro and the township are currently investigating the possibility the land should have been part of the transfer of assets in connection with the sale of Rockwood Hydro to Guelph Hydro.
