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6 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, October 2, 1990 The Port Perry Star 235 QUEEN STREET - PORT PERRY, ONTARIO PHONE 985-7383 FAX 985-3703 The Port Perry Star is authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, for cash payment of postage. Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 Subscription Rate: InCanada $20.00 per year Elsewhere $60.00 per year. SingleCopy 50¢ EDITORIAL Publisher - J. Peter Hvidsten Editor - John B. McClelland News/Features - Julia Ashton News/Features - Kelly Storry PRODUCTION Annabell Harmson Trudy Empringham Darlene Hlozan BUSINESS OFFICE Office Manager - Gayle Stapley Accounting - Judy Ashby Billing Department - Louise Hope ADVERTISING Advertising Co-ordinator - Valerie Ellis Advertising Sales Representative - Anna Gouldburn Retail Sales - Kathy Dudley, Lynda Ruhl, Tracy O'Neil Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Associaton Ontario Community Newspaper Association Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Lid. Port Perry, Ontario Editorial Comment THE DUMP To paraphrase Bill Lishman who has written a poignant letter to the editor this week (see letters page) we all eventual- ly reap what we sow. And when it comes to garbage, the point has been driven home like a kick in the gut that the harvest may be a bitter one. The bombshell news last week that two potential sites for Durham Region's garbage have been named in Scugog's Ward 4 (Cartwright) triggered an understandable out-pouring of anger from the citizens who live in that ward. For several years, we have been detached observers watching other citizens of Durham in their battles to keep other people's garbage out of their back yards, specifically the resi- dents of Whitevale who are going to court to keep Durham and Metro Toronto's trash out of their community. Now, however, with Scugog designated for two test sites, the time for detached observations is over. Like most people last week, we were caught off-guard when the sites were announced. We knew that some kind of annoucement was coming as to sites for a Durham Region 20- year dump, and we had heard hints of rumours that Scugog might be selected for one of the sites. The fact that two of the five potential sites are in Scugog is troubling to say the least. As Ward 4 councillor Glen Malcolm commented to this paper last week, that almost doubles the chance that the final selec- tion will be here. Our initial concerns are many, starting with the way the process was announced. There seems to be a vacuum of hard facts and solid information, and a meeting in Blackstock Sep- tember 25 that had to cut short because it got unruly, didn't go very far in filling that vacuum. That meeting originally had been scheduled as "invitation only" for the landowners and those directly affected near the two potential sites. Of course, when the word "got out" the previous weekend that two sites were in Ward 4 (church congregations were told on Sunday morning) well over 500 people showed up at the Blackstock Rec Centre, forcing a hasty change of venue to the Arena to accommodate the crowds. It was hardly an auspicious start to what will be a long and exceedingly difficult process for all concerned. And the unruliness of a few in the crowd hardly helped the process. Having said that, there are numerous initial questions that deserve to be answered. Why, in a Region made up eight municipalities, were two of the five sites located in one of the eight. Why were there no potential sites identified in Uxbridge, Brock or Ajax? If one of the Scugog sites is selected (and God forbid, that will not come to pass) can there be iron-clad guarantees that it will take Durham garbage only. The designated site just south of Blackstock is not too far from the rail line that runs through Burketon. Metro Toronto, has explored the possibility of shipping its trash by rail as far away as Kapauskasing. A few years down the pipe, a dump just 50 miles to the east might look mighty tempting. The documents we have seen say that when a final site is selected, landowners will receive market value compensation for their property, including those within 500 meters of the site. But where does one draw the line? What about those 510 me- ters away, or 1000 meters, who would get nothing but the joys of living close to a 400 acre dump for 20 years? What about an iron-clad guarantee that when (and again, God forbid it won't happen) the final selection is made, the process is conducted under the Environmental Assessment Act, not the less stringent Envrironmental Review Act. It is this "fast-tracking" process that has prompted the Whitevale citizens to take Durham and the province to court. These are just some initial questions that go through our minds and the minds of most thinking citizens in Scugog. But the biggest question of all is whether or not landfills as a way of getting rid of garbage should not relegated to the (Turn to page 8) THE DUMPS The selection of two parcels of land in Scu- gog Township as potential sites for a new Re- gional dump, one in close approximately to Blackstock, and the other not far from Nestleton has the residents of that area up in arms. And no one can blame them for not wanting a garbage dump in their backyard, who does But soon, we are all going to have to accept the fact that we need a place to get rid of our gar- bage. Now before | get myself in hot water (which I've been known to do), because of the extreme- ly emotional situation that is facing residents in close proximity to the selected sites, it is impor- tant for me to point out "I'm not in favour of any dump in Scugog Township". But with that said, it is apparent that most residents of this community, (including myself) and others across the province, have still not made a serious commitment to cut down on our garbage. We are content to have it taken away by the bagful where garbage pick-up is availa- ble, or deliver it to landfill sites by the truck load, giving little or no thought to where it goes or what happens after we turn our back and drive away. It's like magic, it disappears. Wrong! Our present landfill sites are nearly at ca- pacity. In the very near future a new site must located somewhere, then tested for all the environmental concerns before being prepared to take over from our present sites which very close to being at capacity. | don't envy any politician or bureaucrat in the position of having to select a new site for garbage. Every time a site for a dump is chosen, there is an immediate outcry from the public, saying "we don't want it in our backyard", for a variety of reasons which usually include the en- vironment, valuable farmland, devaluation of property, etc. And who can blame them? This kind of outcry has happened at various locations around the province over the past couple of years as dump sites are suggested, and the announcement last week that Scugog is a candidate for a Durham Region dump shows the residents of this community are no different that those of other candidate communities. Most of these reactions were predictable and we understand feelings growing strong, but there are a few things have happened since the announcement that bother me. One is the unfair manner in which the engi- neering firm which located the sites, and the pol- iticians have been treated since the announce- ment. Although | was not at the meeting held in Blackstock last week, | am told Scugog"s Mayor was jeered and booed when he was introduced, and the representatives of the engineering firm were not able to make a proper presentation be- cause of the rude and noisy behaviour of some of the estimated 500 to 600 people in atten- dance protesting the selection of sites. In the first place, to the best of my knowl- edge, our local council had absolutely no knowl- edge or input into the selection of the sites, and I'm sure if they had, would not have suggested anywhere in Scugog as a potential site. But what bothers me more than anything is the attitude which seems to be developing by some residents who are intent on making this an issue about Port Perry verses Cartwright. It's not a new thing, this attitude has been around since the Region was established, but once again it being made a part of the issue. Some are suggesting Cartwright, as it used be be known, is being "sold out". If this is the case, just who do they feel is doing the selling? Scugog Council? The Region? Who? It was my understanding that, Cartwright and Reach Township both ceased to exist as we knew them over a decade ago. We have the in- dependent villages and towns of Blackstock, Nestleton, Greenbank, Seagrave, Port Perry etc., but they all come under the umbrella of one community known as Scugog Township ... and like it or not, that's reality. Regionalism has been with us for well over a decade now, and it "aint" going to go away, no matter how much we may wish it would. Last week, in a letter to the editor, it was suggested that the location of a dump site in the former Cartwright Twp. would be the money tree council needs to fund the construction of a new multi-million dollar sports complex and a new municipal office for Scugog. If Scugog was picked as the right place for (Turn to page 10)