Residents protested here last week upon learning of trees being uprooted.
Crews were removing trees recently on the south side of the Grand River on the Pearle Hospitality (formerly Landmark Group) property slated for development as part of the Elora Mill expansion project.
Overall the proposal includes the sister inn to the Elora Mill, the glazed lobby connected to a convention/banquet facility, residential condos, and the re-purposed Walser Factory shell and Little Folks administration buildings.
Part of the work includes development of a hydro facility, for which a public meeting was held in October 2014.
Pearle Hospitality project manager Brian Blackmere said there are three main points for anyone opposed to the work to consider.
“It is clearly private development land … it is not a park or public open space,” he said.
Blackmere added, “We went through a two-year environmental assessment on the hydro project to do this work and to get the approvals.
“It seems unfortunate because it was a public process and a lot of the people who are upset missed that two-year process entirely.”
Blackmere pointed out there was an open house on Oct. 10, 2013.
In conjunction with the Elora Power Corporation, the plan is “to use 21st century technology on a 19th century footprint to harness the hydro generating potential of the Grand River.” Part of the plan includes making use of the original millrace.
Blackmere said there were a number of agency and engineering designs completed. He noted that when the environmental report was finished, a half-page advertisement was placed in the Wellington Advertiser notifying people where they could review copies of the report in print or online.
“It seems no one noticed the half-page ad because they seemed to be caught off guard,” said Blackmere.
He explained the public process was concluded with no comments, “so that put us in a position to go ahead with this project.”
He also noted the Advertiser has run images over the past three to four years regarding concept plans for the south side of the Grand River.
“Clearly there is no retention of any of those trees contemplated in that concept,” said Blackmere, who was uncertain where the disconnect happened. “We’ve been telling them all along that this was what was going to happen.”
Blackmere added the project’s landscape plans have not been finalized, “But there will be new landscape materials introduced.”
For the time being, the area is a construction site and project, he said.
“For safety reasons, it has to be closed off,” Blackmere explained. “Once the millrace is reintroduced and fenced, we can open up the trail again.”
He added the three-metre wide walkway is being cut into the slope in conjunction with this work.
“The walkway gives us access for construction purposes as well,” he said, adding the walkway is not near the final elevation or finish.
“In the fullness of time, we do have some other work to do including the restoration of the Walser building. That has been advanced in our plans as well.”
Blackmere stated “the walls of that building are in such a terrible state we have to do something to stabilize it sooner than later.”
On the north side of the river on the original Elora Mill property, Blackmere said “things are coming along.”
Blackmere said he was meeting with township staff this week to formally submit a site plan application.
“We’ve resolved our differences with agencies and the GRCA. We know what our building envelopes are. We will shortly be in the review of building plans for permits.”
Blackmere added, “It’s all good News in the north.”
He noted he will be attending Centre Wellington’s town hall meeting later this month to update residents on what is happening on the north side of the development.
“It will give them a chance to hear first hand how things are coming along,” he said.
