Site 41 research centre: ‘Why is this so backwards?’

By Kate Harries AWARE Simcoe July 29 2011

The scientist who tested the groundwater in an area of Tiny and Springwater Townships – and found it to be the cleanest known to science – says he’s puzzled that Simcoe County Council seems intent on selling a large chunk of the Site 41 property 

“We’ve not yet asked them for any money, all we’ve asked for is time – and I think they could at least give us that,” Dr. Bill Shotyk told an audience of around 100 people gathered at the Wyebridge community centre last Saturday for one of the regular Site 41 potluck dinners. 

Shotyk, who has made two presentations to county councillors, first at a committee and then to council as a whole, noted that he told them the Elmvale Foundation would need two years – one to put together a consortium, and another to put together a business plan.

He asked that Simcoe County hold on to the entire Site 41 property, because until the business plan is completed, he cannot say how much land will be needed, but agricultural research is integral to the project. 

He suggested they lease the property to local farmers and sell it in 2012, if the Elmvale Foundation is unsuccessful.

Instead, council voted on June 28 to split the property into three portions, selling off two parcels totaling 250 acres, and retaining 86 acres, about half of which is the “disturbed portion” with landfill infrastructure. 

Shotyk said he has talked to leaders in the academic and business community who support his plan and been advised that the disturbed land would be a liability for the Elmvale Foundation. 

He said he received no notification from any one associated with Simcoe County of the resolution passed June 28 – which sets a December 31 deadline for Shotyk and local farmers to bid on the property, and a March 31 deadline for Shotyk to submit a business plan to Simcoe County.

(Shotyk has since advised that he received an email from County Clerk Brenda Clark, sent June 23, the day of the pot luck, informing him of the June 28 resolution.)

“In May, I indicated we would need two years to develop a business plan, they’ve now given us until March,” Shotyk said. “I don’t know how I can have a business plan by March.”

In addition, Stephen Ogden pointed out, the Elmvale Foundation would have to bid on the portion of the property that’s being put up for sale before the business plan Simcoe County has asked for is completed. “Why is this so backwards?” he asked. 

Ogden regretted that the issue is being discussed in camera because it makes it hard for the public to talk to councillors about it. He recalled the time when Ray Millar, now Tiny’s mayor, was one of the strongest critics of Simcoe County’s insistence on going behind closed doors when they’re not required to.

(The Municipal Act says councils “may” – not “shall” – go in camera for a number of reasons, including property. While discussion of valuations and bids clearly are best handled behind closed doors, in this case a broader public interest issue needs first to be decided and the debate on that should be in public.) 

In fact, council first made the decision to dispose of the 250 acres behind closed doors, before Shotyk addressed them on May 24. Neither Shotyk nor members of the public were aware of this decision at that time and, bizarrely, councillors listened to his presentation and did not let on.

It was a surprise to the public when a notice declaring the land surplus was published on June 9, a surprise compounded by the insistence of some councillors that they had no idea what the notice meant. 

“We elected these people to represent us, not to keep secrets from us,” Ogden said.

Shotyk said he doesn’t understand why 25 acres at the rear of the property, designated in his proposal as a nature reserve after a councillor asked if an idea put forward by Danny Beaton could be accommodated, has now been removed and included in the land for sale

Ann Truyens said that after council came out of in camera on June 28 and voted unanimously in public to split the property and put most of it up for sale, councillors crowded around Millar and enthusiastically shook his hand. It looked as if the resolution was his plan, she said. 

Don Morgan said he was told by a county councillor that Shotyk is not the only person with expertise in this area, and if a “hydrogeologist” came forward with a research proposal for the 86 acres, Simcoe County would consider it.

Several of those present wondered whether Genivar, the consultant that does much of the county’s hydrogeological work, may have its eye on the property, and expressed dismay that council’s actions may doom Shotyk’s plan.

“Why do we have to put up with this all over again?” asked a frustrated Sandy Cormier.

Shotyk, who will be taking up a position at the University of Alberta in October, said the main priority for the Elmvale Foundation has been to secure funding so that Dr. Michael Powell can work full-time on the consortium and business plan.

Sandy Agnew asked if it’s likely that another party could come up with a similar plan for the property.

 Shotyk, whose research into this water over the past 20 years has been published in an international scientific journal, said he doubted it. 

Some of Ontario’s leading research universities are already on board for his project, he added, explaining that the goal is to understand how this area of Simcoe County comes to have the “gold standard” in water quality and work out how this natural purity can be replicated commercially. 

“Why is this water so clean? It’s a simple question but I don’t think there’s a simple answer,” he said. 

As usual, the food was delicious and plentiful, and the dumpanistas enjoyed the get-together.