Addington Highlands Council – Nov 2/09

Jeff Green | Nov 05, 2009

DENBIGH WNID FARM PLANS ON HOLD

Council received a short note from Stephen Cookson of Renewable Energy Systems Canada, a company that has been looking at a property on Crown land 2kms. north of Big Yirkie Lake in the Denbigh area, with a view towards constructing a 60 – 80 turbine wind farm.

The last time Cookson contacted council was in March of 2008, when he made a presentation. At that time the company had expected to submit a bid to Ontario Power Generation as early as the fall of 2008. “As you have seen from our lack of activity on the project, we have been in a holding pattern with the Denbigh Wind Farm for the last year or so.” Cookson wrote to council this week. Cookson added that the holding pattern was principally due to a lack of procurement opportunities offered by Ontario in the region.

“We have been hoping that the Green Energy Act and the details associated with the Feed in Tariff (FIT) program would show transmission capacity in the area and allow us to move forward with the project,” he added. With the FIT program details now being available, Cookson said the company is analysing the project to see if a bid can be made within the FIT; in other words they are trying to see if it fits the FIT.

He said he would have a more precise answer by the end of this year.

BRIDGE PROJECTS – Roads Supervisor Royce Rosenblath reported that the Wager’s Bridge reconstruction project is now complete, and the Flinton bridge will be completed this month, after hunting season.

The Matawatchan Road reconstruction project is slated to begin after hunting season as well, and Jewell Engineering is preparing the tender for added sections of the road since the cost for the part that is being done came in under the amount granted under economic stimulus funding.

No details on septic inspection withdrawal – A scheduled meeting with representatives from Kingston Frontenac Lennox & Addington Public Health, which was supposed to offer details concerning Public Health's intention to cease providing septic inspections for the township’s building department, did not take place. “They never showed up, nor did they contact us by phone or email,” said Township Clerk Jack Pauhl.

“We do need some sort of consultation from them,” said Reeve Henry Hogg, “but I guess there is not too much of a rush; there isn't much call for inspections in January and February, but we do need to know what they are planning.”