Residents see truck crash as omen with Orica

A truck travelled through a stop sign near here on April 12, and resi­dents are likely to bring up that incident when they attend an Ontario Municipal Board hear­ing next month.

One resident wrote to the

that the truck was carrying a sign that signi­fied it held explosive mat­erial.

OPP Constable Al Buck said on Tuesday that an Orica truck driven by Frederick Storrie, of Durham, was northbound on Concession 2-3 just west of Grand Valley, and it entered the intersection at Sideroad 21-22, and struck a 2007 Ford van.

Buck said the police had no information if the Orica van was loaded with explosive mat­erial. The investigating officer was unavailable.

Storrie is charged for disobeying a stop sign.

Citizens of East Luther Grand Valley Township have been working for over a year to oppose a permanent large ex­plosives depot in their com­munity by Orica Canada Inc.

­East Luther Grand Valley ­Township council rejected a bid by Orica to store ex­plosives used in quar­ries on a property in the town­ship. Council had at first agreed with the Orica proposal, and then changed its mind when citizens protested vigorously.

While the township council re­jected the official plan amend­ment that would have allowed the company to pro­ceed, that oc­curred only after council had given Orica interim permission to start storage and delivery op­erations at the site.

The land is located at emergency number 033411 on Sideroad 21-22, Concession 4  South.

The land’s  designation is agri­cultural and environmental pro­tec­tion and the proposal was to change it to a special policy area and environmental protec­tion area.

The company has its inter­national headquarters in Aus­tralia. It has been us­ing a parcel of land owned by Klaus Frie­secke.

The hearing of the appeals will commence on May 17, at 10:30am at the Grand Valley community centre.

Up to 23 days have been sched­uled, ending on June 18.