Shotyk offers water innovation centre presentation to all of county council

Putting Simcoe County on the map as Canada’s first Research and Development “blue belt” 

Letter from Dr. William Shotyk, professor of Geochemistry at the University of Heidelberg to Simcoe County councillors, Deputy Clerk Brenda Clarke and CAO Mark Aitken March 14 2011

Thanks very much for providing me with the opportunity to address the Performance Management Committee on 10 March. I would be happy to give the presentation again, on 22 March (World Water Day) to all Simcoe County Councillors.

We are proposing that the Elmvale Foundation become the “steward” of the lands at Site 41 to create an innovation centre for agricultural, energy, and environmental research. The heart and soul of this new centre would be the remarkable water resources of the region and the lands would be developed into a “living laboratory”.

To maximize funding and return on investment for this property, the Elmvale Foundation proposes to partner with Simcoe County to approach the provincial and federal governments for matching funding for start-up costs and infrastructure.

A business plan would be assembled and presented to Simcoe County showing the revenue streams. Our goal is “regeneration” which could be the centre of a strategy to put Simcoe County on the provincial, national and international maps – as Canada’s first R& D “bluebelt.”

Some of the outcomes would include:

1. An innovation centre to understand how Mother Nature obtains and maintains spring water of such remarkable purity. Today we have a kind of water “Utopia” and we wish to better understand the how and why of the purification process, as well as its significance and possible applications.

2. Establish twin relationships with Ontario’s leading research universities to integrate their expertise in such a way that we are studying the entire water cycle, not just selected components.

3. Commercialize new technologies for water usage in agriculture and business, but also for residential and commercial properties.

4. Evaluate new agricultural products on the property that are local and in high demand, not only for food, but also for energy, materials, and pharmaceuticals, all the while conserving our soil and water resources, and maintaining or enhancing biodiversity.

5. Develop new energy sources that take advantage of our water resources such as geothermal heating and cooling and small scale water turbines.

6. Immediate twin relationships with successful water research centres worldwide.

7. Have 100,000 Ontario children educated about water and the importance at this facility – over 10 years. Here theory and practice will be combined to help students not only to better understand their own watersheds and aquifers, but to help protect them for future generations.

These outcomes will be achieved in partnership with our Native communities, agricultural societies, and existing conservation and educational organisations.

With a strong partnership between the Elmvale Foundation and Simcoe County, we believe that together, we can create a kind of “silicon valley” of water.

With my sincere thanks, and best regards.

Bill