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‘F WsMW’ samba-m. WWMW.Mhm-Ma mmmwmamwmm. THANKYOU, DON! Whitchurch-Stoufirville’s citizen of the year Forum-rmme ' 132421‘0"Une,8tomm Saw-Tribune DR. DON PETRIE @imfibme 4th Annual j Call today to book 905-640-261 2 Awards courtayAwards4u, Gormley Wmn1mm mmmmm Msupportof BENEFITING WHITCHURCH STOUFFVILLE STOUFI’VILLE 'It when a seemingiy seamless convoy of dump trucks arrived full of 8qu and _exited empty. Their destination was the private 250-acre facility on Hwy. 48, just south of the Markham/ Wtchurch-Stouffville border. BY CHRIS TRADER Staff Writer The dust has cleared on the Markham Airport mystery. _ _ _ _ i Residents, including neighbour Dave Shortleed, couldn't help but notice the tracks. Naturally. he was curious. “It’s been going on for about a year," he said. “Some days there'd be 6m trucks. You don't need a calculator to figure out that’s a lot ofdin going in. There were no signs, no permits. No one seemed to know what was going on.” V While the noise and dust were occasionally bothersome, locals were more interested in know- ingwhysomuchearthwasbeinghauled totiny, rural airport. Mr. Shortreed made inquiries Provincial and federal parliamentarians couldn't determine the exact reason for the influx of fill. Neither could town oflicials. Oficials could only confirm theme was nothing sinister about the operation. The reason for the layering of land came from the airport’s general manager and operator. “Beans,” said Allan Rubin. “Soy beans. We've been doing some reclamation work based on an approved 1986 plan for an organic farming opera- tion." Thetapboflisalsobeingusedtofillinswamp areashesaidmemepmpenyispfimarflya pfivateaimuiphistoricalaimftrepositoryand Soyb ean farm grows by the truckload Girls Incorporated onork Region / 7 mm my You MW. formerly Big Slater: of York m-drlslnc-york.org W to you as a oonwnunlgy soMoe o1 TQQNEoonOmbsVSun-Tdbune girls llle TAKE A BOW, BRENT! BRENT GIB SON @Jribune occasional film set, the unused 150 acres was falâ€" low undl it was zoned for farming. The topsoil being trucked in will facilitate an expanded organic soy and clover on a rotated basis, Mr. Rubin said. “Because we are an airport, we're growing crops that won't exceed 18 to 20 inches," he said. “We’ve been zoned agicultural and aeronautic for several years Despite the authorized farming and landfill, there have been a number of inquiries from resi- dents. pubic servants_ and enyirqnmentalistsi “It’s-caused us a few headaches," he said. “We make absolutely sure we comply. We applied for and got an inspection from the (federal) Fisheries areas that afiect local rivers. We got a clean bill of Issues about the farming operation at the air- port have circled like aircraft above it, Markham council member John Webster said. Since the facil- ity is under the auspices of Transport Canada, Markham has no jurisdiction. “There have been some complications,” Mr. Webster said. “Depending on who you talked to, residents were wondering what type of fill was being used and some worried about the dust and noise. Others just want to know the farming opera- tion is being run properly." The councillor confirmed the airport’s agricul- tural wing is following every rule and regulation. “I also understand the Environment Ministry has done tests and there are no pollutants," he said. “The operators have been good at keeping the dust down with water trucks and they bought a street sweeper to clean dirt ofi Hwy. 48.” Awards courtesy Awards4u, Gormley Whitchurch-Stoufi‘ville’s sports person of the year A girl inspired today is a woman empowered tomorrow. If you‘re a girl... If you‘re a woman... Call us today. Call 905-830-0776 Steady stream of trucks into Markham Air- port lands just south of Stouflville raised curios- ity of neighbours. Turns out the soil will be for an organic farming opera- Wanna UndeuyYonlnogton