Addingtion Highlands Mulls Denbigh Waste Site Closure

Craig Bakay | Apr 14, 2021

Closure of the Denbigh waste disposal site is pretty much a forgone conclusion but just how to go about that, and how to pay for it, was the subject of a special Addington Highlands Council meeting held April 6 before the regular Council meeting.

“We’re having this meeting to understand the best options available,” said Dep. Reeve Tony Fritsch. “Hopefully, we all want the lowest closure costs.

Roads and Waste Supervisor Brett Reavie told Council that an engineer’s estimate to close the site was $1.4 million. Closing the Kaladar site cost $800,000.

That prompted Coun. Kirby Thompson to ask why the difference.

“Part of it would be location,” said Reavie. “The Kaladar contractor had a supply of clay that was relatively close to our waste site.

“(But) you’re always going to pay a premium in a remote location.”

“Denbigh is quite a bit smaller than Kaladar,” Thompson said. “Could we move some stuff to another site?”

“We’d still have to put in some kind of liner and ground cover,” said Reavie. “It’s still contaminated.”

Deirdre Johnson, of Johnson Environmental Geosciences, also wasn’t keen to the idea of moving stuff from the site.

“There’s probably a couple of cars and lots of metal in there,” she said. “All the stuff that got put into landfills 30 years ago.

“It might end up costing you more.”

Fritsch wondered about the concept of making it into a transfer station and whether that should be applied for now.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen in our Township in terms of future growth,” he said.

“The Ministry has no objection to making the site into a transfer station,” Johnson said. “But given that the Vennachar WDS is very close, this is probably not recommended.”

Johnson said that whatever they decide, nothing’s going to happen overnight.

“It’s time to come up with a closure plan,” Johnson said. “There’s design work, then it goes to the Ministry and they have to approve it.”

Coun. Helen Yanch argued for a sooner-the-better approach.

“I’ve been concerned about this,” she said. “I was on Council when it was first ‘temporarily’ closed (15 years ago).

“When we met with the Ministry of Environment, they made it quite clear that we needed to have this closed.

“I just think we need to make a decision as soon as we can.”

Thompson made a case for a slightly different approach.

“I agree but I’m also in favour of dragging our feet,” he said. “Because the longer we wait this out, the better chance we have of budgeting this out.”

“It’s costing us money with all these tests,” Yanch said.

“We’re going to have to do that whether it’s open or closed,” said Reeve Henry Hogg.

• • •

“Birds, birds, birds,” CBO David Twiddy said at the regular Council meeting.

“Helen (Yanch), I’m getting quotes for your bird netting.”

Twiddy was addressing the pigeons that seem to have taken a liking to the rink in Flinton.

“You know what it’s like,” Yanch said. “First it’s a few, then there’s 20, and soon it becomes 100.”

And while it’s not really the birds themselves that are bothering people, it’s what they leave behind, and the benches seem to be their favourite target for droppings.

CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed said that with covid, there are fewer recreational activities available and the rink has become more popular for things like shooting a few hoops, walking or just sitting in the shade.

Twiddy said he hopes to start netting and relocating the birds before the summer season rolls around.

“People have been saying they’ve seen a few eagles hanging around,” said Yanch. “Maybe they’ll help us out too.”

• • •

CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Christine Reed said that after the budget gets passed, she’d like to start upgrading some bylaws that have been around since amalgamation.

First up is the Council Procedural Bylaw which governs, among other things, how long delegations can speak, how many people can be in a delegation and how often they may appear before Council.