‘Totally disgusted’
Dear Editor:
RE: Plaque commemorating Black history missing, feared stolen, Aug. 7.
I have just read the latest edition of the Wellington Advertiser and am totally disgusted to see that someone stole the plaque commemorating Black history from our park!
My family is proud to have lived in Glen Allan for 37 years, were charter members of the former Optimist Club and helped in the building of the park. We were present the day the dedication was made and it was a great occasion.
Hopefully the vandal(s) will come to realize the terrible error in judgment and return it.
Joe Dowe,
Glen Allan
‘Symbol of compassion’
Dear Editor:
The Upper Credit Humane Society (UCHS) shelter property on Trafalgar Road in Erin was built on land generously donated to the Town of Erin for the specific purpose of supporting animal welfare.
It has since become a vital part of the Erin, Halton and surrounding communities, operating as a non-profit organization supported by volunteers, local businesses and residents. Importantly, it does not rely on taxpayer funding to operate.
Recently, Erin council has indicated an interest in “maximizing the property value for taxpayers” by potentially redeveloping this land. This raises several important questions:
– what exactly does council mean by “maximizing property value”?
– who stands to benefit financially from this redevelopment?
– which developer stands to profit?
– has a clear and transparent plan been shared with the public? and
– why was this decision made without broader community consultation, similar to the situation with our town logo signage?
The suggestion to rezone and repurpose this land for profit appears to prioritize financial gain over the ethical and social value the shelter provides. This decision could come at a significant cost to the community’s identity and values.
We urge council to consider if this is truly what residents of Erin want.
UCHS has long been a symbol of compassion and community spirit. Any decisions affecting its future should be made with full transparency and public input.
I have been a proud resident of the Hillsburgh/Erin community for over 25 years and have consistently supported local initiatives, including the shelter.
Over the years, I have actively organized and promoted numerous fundraising events through Saputo in Georgetown, which were well-received and enjoyed by our team members.
These events were conducted at no cost to the Town of Erin or its taxpayers and were driven by a genuine commitment to giving back to the community.
Fatima Ferreira,
Erin
‘Making the rich richer’
Dear Editor:
Premier Doug Ford claims Bill 5 will “Protect Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy.”
This bill will not protect Ontarians like you and me. In fact, part of the bill, the “Special Economic Zones Act,” removes the very laws and regulations that are meant to protect us, so that companies can more quickly profit. The bill even includes protection against lawsuits for projects within special Ford zones.
What happens when for-profit companies are unleashed? Here are some imaginable futures …
Swaths of Wellington County farmland are designated Ford zones. The farmers have no say, and their land is expropriated (this is happening now in Wilmot).
A development company, exempt from all the usual environmental assessments and rules, builds on a floodplain. Homes are flooded – there were no rules. The out-sized development threatens the water supply of neighbouring farms – there were no assessments. The developers are protected from legal action.
An area is designated for a factory. The factory leaches contaminants into the groundwater that all of Wellington County depends on for drinking water. Without impact assessments or water monitoring, no one knew. Remember Walkerton?
There are good reasons for the rules.
Ford has given himself and his developer pals a huge “get out of jail free” pass in his game of making the rich richer. They’ll be protected. The rest of us, not so much.
If this bothers you and you want to do something about it, join us at 1pm on Aug. 23 (1 MacDonald Square, Elora) for a community-action event. Kids are welcome.
Ailsa Kay,
Fergus
‘Black hole’ fines
Dear Editor:
Speeding in school zones is a problem and the county cameras are having a positive impact, but will they eliminate the problem? No. There will be many unfamiliar with the area and/or oblivious to the signs that will keep the problem alive.
As a new member to the list of those invited to pay a fine, I feel I have earned the right to suggest the opportunity.
Reviewing my recent invitation to pay a fine, I calculated the fine portion to be $5 per kilometre over the posted limit. I believe this to be unbudgeted funds in the municipality, so it would be windfall funds (if it were budgeted, it truly would be a tax).
Herein lies the opportunity. School zone speeding is, as stated, to protect the school children. If someone violates this requirement, what about designating a portion of the fine back to the school involved to support student programs and supplies (not salaries or buildings).
I for one would not plan to speed to support the school in this manner, but I suspect those paying for speeding would feel some comfort knowing this was the case rather than all fines going into the black hole of community funds.
Randy Graham,
Elora
‘Wrong side of history’
Dear Editor:
Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong and his Conservative Party’s reaction to the prime minister’s statement concerning the recognition of a Palestinian state shows that they are increasingly a voice in the wilderness.
The fact that 200 former diplomats and former Canadian ambassadors agree with the prime minister, along with the nations of France, Norway, Spain, the UK and 147 member states of the United Nations, shows just how completely out of touch the Conservative Party is with world opinion.
The barbarism, the deaths of so many children committed by the Israel Defense Forces, the withholding of food, must surely mean that the Conservative Party is on the wrong side of history and humanity.
Mark Purshouse,
Puslinch
‘Deluded’ mobs?
Dear Editor:
RE: ‘Man-made famine,’ July 31.
Those poor children flashed across our TV screens in recent weeks were of three children in particular. These are the starving faces Hamas has shown to the world to garner support. What they omitted to explain was these children all had pre-existing medical conditions.
Yes there are people going hungry, but you can lay that at the door of the murderous thugs who have controlled Palestine for years.
Hamas are masters of manipulation who have repeatedly rejected ceasefires because they do not want to live in peaceful co-existence with the Israelis; they want to wipe them off the face of the Earth.
So no, I will not be banging pots outside Israeli embassies, as suggested by the letter writer. I’d rather make the deluded pro-Palestinian mobs, both here and in Europe, watch a history lesson on the facts.
Jeanette Clarke,
Fergus
Tree tale
Dear Editor:
In mid June, my husband and I planted a tree in Belsyde Cemetery in Fergus, at the end of the row where our son is buried. We watered it, fertilized it and even put a white rabbit wrap around it to protect it.
That tree, a crimson king red maple, was there July 27 when we went to water the flowers at the cemetery. Imagine our surprise on July 31 when we went to water again and the tree was gone.
I did a rant on Facebook that night, but I also called the person in charge of looking after the cemetery and left her a message. She did call me back the next day and told me Township of Centre Wellington forestry personnel had deemed our tree a “weed” tree and an “invasive” tree.
She told us she hadn’t been aware the tree had been removed until she received my call, but after following up on my phone call, that’s what she had been told. I asked where the tree was as I would like it back to plant in our own yard. She told me it had been disposed of.
I told her I thought one of her employees had probably planted it in their own yard as it had been dug out and the hole filled in again.
So, once again, imagine our surprise as we realized an older crimson king red maple planted in the same stretch of road as ours is still standing. It is on the opposite side of the road at the opposite end of where ours was planted.
For some reason it was not deemed a “weed” tree and “invasive.” I once again reached out to the person in charge of the cemetery, but this time I have not had a call back. In my message on her answering machine, I told her about the other tree and that I wanted ours replaced. We will plant it in our own yard.
Our question is; why couldn’t they have attached a notice to our tree stating that it was going to be removed within a certain timeframe? My other question is why was the other tree, which is about 15 years old, not removed as well?
To me a tree is a tree and we need all the trees we can get with all the wildfires burning and destroying millions of trees.
Libby Darroch,
Fergus
‘Kudos’ for group
Dear Editor:
RE: Kat Florence walks away from $250,000 Monster Month promotional campaign, Aug. 7.
Kudos to Sensational Elora. It’s about time someone took control of promotions in the township.
Other entities have tried to take control of the township, so good for Sensational Elora co-chairs Barbara Lee and Heather Miranda. Keep up the good work.
Township council should take a page from their book.
J. Alexander,
Fergus
The little extras
Dear Editor:
A couple weeks ago, an Advertiser reader suggested the construction of homes in the Fergus area with different front elevations on the houses and a walking path meandering amongst them .
As a current renter, this would be a terrific opportunity for me to own a home. I enjoy cycling and hockey.
What would be the chances of a velodrome and hockey rink ? A golf course and swimming pool would solidify my desire to purchase a house there.
Jim McClure.
Crieff