Bridges ‘debacle’
Dear Editor:
On July 24, local residents affected by the closure of bridges on the 3rd, 4th and 5th lines in Centre Wellington were invited to an information meeting at the Fergus sportsplex by a consulting firm hired by the township.
Our particular bridge on the 4th Line has been closed since 2013.
This study was undertaken to determine if the bridges should be repaired, replaced or permanently closed. The 4th Line bridge was constructed in 1923 and the others about the same time frame. One of the claimed reasons for not getting on with the replacement is lack of funds; in 1923 there was an acute lack of funds but they managed to build the bridge back then.
When infrastructure fails it is a fundamental right of the taxpayers to have it corrected in a timely manner – that is what we pay our taxes for.
We are now in a situation where the bridges on the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th lines are closed between County Road 22 and the Sideroad 30, since the 5th Line bridge is closed for the summer for repairs.
I feel this is very poor planning by staff and council who would have authorised this debacle.
All municipal vehicles, graders, snow clearing, garbage trucks and all other town vehicles that travel to the dead end and back on both ends of this 4th Line over the last 11 years could have paid for a new bridge if you consider fuel, wear and tear as well as man hours – that is not even taking into consideration the environmental issues and frustration of staff.
Emergency vehicle access and restrictions should also be a very important consideration when this process is being evaluated.
It would appear to me that our planners and those making the decisions have been more interested in satisfying special interest groups, especially in the town centres of Fergus and Elora, than fulfilling their obligations to maintain infrastructure in the rural areas.
Some years ago the town asked residents to fill in a survey and part of the questionnaire was if we would we agree to a levee over and above the normal increase in taxes to deal with the backlog in infrastructure projects. I have to admit I thought that would be a good idea.
How wrong I was to think our council could manage that simple process. I believe we are still paying that levee and infrastructure projects are further behind that ever.
It would appear that our council representative didn’t even make it to the meeting to address the concern of all those in attendance.
Ian Milne,
Centre Wellington
Projects for tourists?
Dear Editor:
I am writing about the ongoing construction on East Mill Street and up to Metcalfe Street in Elora. This project was supposed to be completed by December of last year. But here we are at the end of July the following year and they are still at it.
Now they are saying there is a shortage of cement for the job. COVID-19 has been over for two years so you can’t blame it on that. It’s down to poor management of the town council not holding anybody accountable for the way projects are done here.
How about a report in the local paper on the cost and is it over budget or are they to afraid to let the taxpayers know?
There is also some construction going on a side street off of Colborne Street; the equipment is parked in the same spot as a week ago. I don’t think anything is going on there either.
The funds are going to making things better for the tourists and not money being spent on street projects around town.
What about the taxpayers getting better streets and curb and gutters to improve there properties?
Gery Thomson,
Elora
‘Once it’s gone…’
Dear Editor:
The farmers are busy during this hot, sunny weather, gathering in crops.
The corn stands eight feet tall and out in tassle. Hay is cut, raked and baled to feed animals.
Wheat is separated by hulking machines meant to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Chopped straw is bedding for the poultry industry.
The signage is posted at the gate. One of these farms is scheduled to be excavated for another gravel pit here in Puslinch.
Oh well, perhaps if we sharpen our teeth we can eat gravel some day instead of bread.
A soybean field is waiting for decisions to be made about its future next to the Hanlon Expressway.
A voice is out there (Senator Rob Black) pleading for change and putting on the brakes for the loss of precious agricultural land in exchange for more housing, more gravel extraction, industrial buildings and more highways full of cars.
The truth is, once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Liz Hughes,
Puslinch
Terrace top-notch
Dear Editor:
For the last 18 months my mother had been a resident of the Wellington Terrace Long-Term Care facility in Aboyne.
My family and I feel that she won the lottery when she was accepted as a resident of Wellington Terrace. The care that is given to residents is exceptional.
Mom was always treated with care and dignity. When she was dying and they needed to offer her palliative care, that care and support was extended to her family as well.
Wellington Terrace treated her to a wish day and the planning and thought that went into her final trip to the Forks of the Credit was much appreciated. The entire day was wonderful thanks to the skills of the Wellington Terrace staff.
There were so many acts of kindness shown to her during her time there. The staff always went above and beyond in their care for her. Thank you, all.
Every time I went to visit the facilities were spotless and the food always smelled so good. Her friends would always comment on how great the staff were and how clean everything was.
Mom was always pleased when I took her for a walk in her wheelchair that each staff member would address her by name. She also received so much enjoyment from the flowers and birds.
Lynda Shannon,
Guelph
Parking problems
Dear Editor:
RE: Bank parking, July 25.
I noted Yvonne Levely’s letter regarding the need for better accessible parking at the Royal Bank in Fergus.
The fact is that accessible parking is very poor throughout Centre Wellington. I have noticed and reported many problems to previous councils (the mayor even) over the years. Some even have drain grates and holes in the middle of them.
Recently construction workers in Elora covered over an accessible sign and put a rusty metal frame blocking it.
Council is busy taking away all parking in some areas, never mind accessible parking. They have widened sidewalks simply to put flower pots on them, it seems, with total disregard for both our local and challenged personnel.
Malcolm McCulloch,
Fergus
‘Wake up’
Dear Editor:
What is wrong with this world? Is sex the only thing that matters? While we squabble over this stupidity and fail to see reality, our real freedom is being stolen out from under us.
World leaders are slowly imposing impossible taxes, fines and regulations all in the name of the environment, and enforcing vaccines in the name of protecting our health.
They condemn good food and promote artificial stuff, and they even want us to live in so-called smart cities where everything is only 15 minutes away.
Wake up people before it is to late! It is time to address what really matters.
Agnes Ammerlaan,
Wellington North
Deity direction
Dear Editor:
RE: ‘Empty prayers,’ July 25.
It seems Conner Maitlandis misguided regarding what it means to be intolerant, arrogant, and uncompassionate.
I would argue that his suggestion of shutting out my view from societal debate only exemplifies why his position is dangerous, exclusionary and dehumanizing, not mine.
However, I will admit, that I can be guilty of these things; we all can! That’s why there is no one-size-fits-all solution here.
This does not negate the fact that we should still be able to disagree without being called a bigot and excluded from such debates in this country.
Since there is no room for agreeing to disagree with the likes of Mr. Maitland, I will try to “strive to work towards a more inclusive and understanding society,” as he puts it, but probably not the way he intends it.
Rather, I will look to Christ for my direction as this country once did.
Doug Vanderveen,
Belwood
‘Fabulous’ people
Dear Editor:
I’m very late to the debate on rainbow sidewalks and Pride flags. But, in all the letters I saw published either for or against, no one mentioned how ubiquitous it is to be LGBTQ+.
We are everywhere. In every culture, in every religion, of every skin colour, of every ability, in every time from the beginning of time right to the end.
We aren’t made because people “got soft” or we saw some rainbows. We were created from the same stardust that everyone else was.
We celebrate Pride not at all for straight people. It’s for us and those that might not yet know they are one of us. It’s possible that people don’t know exactly because we are of every culture, religion, race, age and ability and we are hard to spot.
Move the conversation away from equality and more to visibility.
Because the more visible we are (even if we make people very uncomfortable), the more young LGBTQ+ lives are saved and the more happy and healthy adults we get to have in our community, even if they are really, really fabulous adults.
Tiffany Burtch,
Fergus