We are concerned citizens.
Save91 is a group of concerned citizens from Clearview Township and the surrounding areas trying to stop the closure of former County Road 91. We must end the costly, unnecessary, and environmentally destructive campaign by Clearview to close CR 91 and expand Sideroad 26/27.
UPDATE
On March 22, 2023, Clearview Township withdrew their appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal and permit application at the Niagara Escarpment Commission which attempted to develop Sideroad 26/27 in order to sell a portion of County Road 91 to Walker Aggregates – despite the objections of local residents, nearby municipalities, and business owners. While this pauses the current attempts to close the well-used and recently resurfaced County Road 91, Clearview has yet to unequivocally state they will not proceed with closing the major ease-west thoroughfare. Clearview needs to confirm and provide appropriate guarantees that they will finally end their impractical plans to close County Road 91 and develop Sideroad 26/27.
BACKGROUND
Clearview Township’s closed-door deal with Walker Aggregates will shut down one of the county’s busiest roads – and residents are being forced to pay for it. Clearview’s proposal will spend millions of dollars to close a perfectly good, recently paved, and well-maintained road, diverting traffic to Sideroad 26/27 and other areas not as equipped to handle it. Expanding Sideroad 26/27 will damage the surrounding environment, endangering the delicate wetlands and natural habitats of rare flora and fauna. In fact, Clearview’s proposal requires an amendment to the Niagara Escarpment Plan and has been heavily criticized by the Niagara Escarpment staff and commissioners.
Clearview has spent the last six years seeking approval to develop Sideroad 26/27 – and they’ve already been turned down twice at the Niagara Escarpment Commission. Now, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has ordered the Township to “bump up” its environmental assessment from a Schedule A+ to Schedule C. Save91 and many other stakeholders have long argued that the township should complete a higher-order EA to prevent irreversible damage to rare natural features – and the province agrees. This will end up wasting hundred of thousands and at least a year or two if Clearview continues to pursue this unnecessary project – and that’s before the Tribunal costs which experts peg at around $500,000.
Residents have already paid more than $1.6 million for the Township’s lawyers and engineers. The bills are piling up, there are many more to come, and shovels aren’t even in the ground yet.
The Township has nearly exhausted their $7.5 million line of credit from Walker with the remainder budgeted for the second phase of work on the 10th Line. All the money for the proposed work on Sideroad 26/27 will need to come from the taxpayers – and the bill is likely to be hefty.
Taxpayers should not be responsible for making up this shortfall – and Council and Walker Aggregates needs to hear that from us!
County Road 91 is an excellent east-west route, crucial for residents, businesses, and tourists traveling through the area. It’s one of the best roads for moving traffic throughout the region, and an expanded SR 26/27 will not be built to the same standard as CR91. Sideroad 26/27 will not be able to handle heavy trucks disadvantaging many local businesses. Furthermore, estimates are it will add critical minutes to life-saving Emergency Services heading to our neighbours in Grey Highlands.
Save91 is deeply concerned about the impact this project will have on the noise and pollution levels in the area, the dangerous implications of the increase in traffic and the troubling cost overruns that don’t seem to have an end in sight. Join us in calling on Clearview Township and Walker Aggregates to listen to our community and find an alternative to this harmful project.