Fort Assiniboine area residents had a chance to ask questions and voice their concerns about a proposed gravel pit during a combination open house and public hearing.
On Monday, March 30, at the Fort Assiniboine Royal Canadian Legion, about 25 residents gathered to quiz officials from Lafarge Canada and Woodlands County councillors about a proposed gravel pit near the Athabasca River bridge on Highway 33, a few kilometers outside of the hamlet.
In January, Woodlands County received an application from Lafarge Canada to develop a parcel of land west of Fort Assiniboine.
The gravel pit first came to council’s attention in 2009, when the company asked the county to rezone the property so it could be used as a potential gravel extraction site.
The open house portion of the evening gave residents a chance to ask questions and gather information about the project while the public hearing portion was dedicated to give residents a voice.
Woodlands County Mayor Jim Rennie moderated the public hearing.
“This is your chance to talk and tell us what you think and what some of your concerns are. Council is hear to listen,” he said, adding that council would use the opinions residents expressed when they make the decision about whether they will accept Lafarge Canada’s application.
Rennie also noted as part of the public hearing process council would not answer any questions during the proceeding, but would make themselves available after the meeting.
About a half a dozen residents voiced their concerns over the proposed gravel pit.
Their concerns ranged from the noise and dust the operation of the gravel pit would create, traffic safety concerns due to the extra traffic from gravel trucks, environmental concerns and the affect it would have on tourism.
“Anything you do in this area has to include tourism. We are the Muskoka of Alberta. If they are not going to the mountains, they are coming here,” Catherine Prociuk said, adding that she also had concerns about safety because of the added traffic.
Because the area is a tourist hub, she said Highway 33 has a large number of truck and trailer combinations hauling ATV vehicles.
“That is not including the number of v-trains and transports,” she said, adding that at this time of year large trucks of grain are travelling on area roads. “You are asking a v-train load of grain to go around these (gravel) trucks in a little tiny area.”
Luke Lu, owner of Linda’s Motor Inn and the Fast Gas, said he was also concerned about the effect the gravel pit would have on tourism and business.
He said his business is very close to where the proposed gravel pit would be located and is concerned that he may lose business due to the increased noise and dust.
Lu also noted his concern over the gravel’s pit hours of operation. In Lafarge Canada’s application it is stated that the gravel pit will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with hauling hours being limited to 12 hours.
Lu said that is contrary to an agreement he signed with the company back in 2010.
“According to the agreement I have with Lafarge, they have to stop crushing at 7 p.m. from operation from the May long weekend to September,” he said, adding that the agreement is conditional on the limitations Woodlands Council approves.
“If council approves different conditions, Lafarge Canada will not be bound by the decision of council,” he said, adding that he hopes council will keep his agreement with the company in mind when making a decision. For example, Lu said if council were to approve the gravel pit with the condition that it would operate 24hours a day, seven days a week it would take precedence over the agreement the company has with Lu.
Another resident Donna Mendelsohn, said during the public hearing people had only talked about how the application would affect them personally.
“I don’t hear anything about how it might affect the people down the road in Barrhead or downriver from us,” she said, adding that she is also concerned about the environmental impact it will have.
“I thought we had this discussion a number of years ago and the community strongly opposed this operation and I thought it was over, but I guess Lafarge figures we have all forgotten,” Mendelsohn said. “Putting this type of destruction near a flood plain and a hamlet is grossly irresponsible and it shouldn’t be happening.”
Lafarge Canada representative Caroline Jing said after the public hearing she didn’t believe the comments made during the meeting were indicative of how the residents felt.
“I feel the majority of residents support this project,” she said, adding that Lafarge had addressed their concerns already in their application.
Whitecourt Coun. Ron Govenlock said he was a little disappointed in the relatively few people who chose to express their views.
“Whether a person is for or against the project I was hoping more people would have chosen to speak,” he said, adding that every comment residents made would help council come to a decision.
Whitecourt Coun. Chad Merrifield said he wasn’t surprised about the low turnout or the number of people who chose to express their views.
“Often people don’t get up to speak because someone has already said what they were going to say and earlier this month there was another open house and information session, so people chose to go to one or the other,” he said, adding that the council has a lot of experience dealing with gravel pit applications. “Just in the Whitecourt area alone there have been a lot of applications.”
Barrhead County Coun. Doug Drozd said he understands gravel pits can be a contentious issue.
“It’s (gravel) a commodity that is in high demand in Alberta and it is something we need, but there are other factors that need to considered as well,” Drozd said. “I am just here to listen to what the residents had to say and bring it back to our council.”
Rennie said all the comments and correspondence they have received will be given to council for discussion at a future council meeting in Fort Assiniboine to ensure that area residents have a chance to listen to the proceedings.
