“Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.” – W.C. Fields
At least one resident here wants to say “Whoa Nellie” to a horse hitching post recently approved in downtown Harriston.
Last month, councillors approved a motion endorsing a public works committee recommendation that a hitching post and cover be located in the north end of the Mill Street parking lot (west of its current location), in Harriston.
The town will contribute $5,000 from its economic development budget to be used for materials. Additional construction expenses would be the responsibility of the Mennonite and Amish community.
The resolution also noted the ongoing cleanup of manure will be the responsibility of the owners of the Evergreen Variety.
As council reviewed that matter, Mayor David Anderson asked if there was discussion with the neighbours in the area about where the proposed hitching post would be built. While there was talk that the next door neighbours are aware something was happening, Anderson wanted to ensure someone has actually spoken with them.
However, after numerous discussions with municipal representatives, Stark is questioning if her opinions were heard.
In an email to the Wellington Advertiser, Stark stated “We are the neighbors that Anderson is talking about. They have been well aware that we are very against this structure being build within 25 feet of our house.”
In a later telephone interview, Karry Stark voiced her concerns about what has happened thus far. She said they were first approached in May after a request from owners of the Evergreen Variety for a horse barn in the parking lot, where a hitching post currently exists.
Even then, she and her spouse had concerns the proposed location was within 25 feet of their Mill Street home.
She said the deck on their property is directly beside the parking lot.
Stark also had concerns that in these economic times, council was willing to spend money on this type of project, when there is not enough funds for other projects in town.
“But spending $5,000 on a horse shelter because one new business wants it – I cannot understand the logic.”
She said if she were to propose building a horse barn on her own property, she would have been turned down flat because of existing property bylaws – and because it is a residential property.
But, she said, this proposal is within 25 feet of her house.
She also has concerns about drainage, since runoff from the parking lot [and the proposed horse shelter] will be directed to her lawn.
Stark also had concerns that she was told no decision would be made without their input, yet she believes there was no public input other than the store owner’s request.
Although council’s resolution stated that the store owner would be responsible for the cleanup for manure, Stark did not see anything that would act to enforce that requirement.
“Horse urine doesn’t shovel up so easily,” she said.
She also pointed similar horse shelters in Elmira and Mount Forest were built by private individuals – not the municipality.
She said a similar proposal was made by the L&M a few years ago. “We had a business that wanted to pay for one – and they were turned down. For every person in favour of the shelter, I can find two against it.” She added that she also has not found a great deal of support from the community the shelter is supposed to serve.
“All they really wanted was the hitching post,” Stark said.
