Fergus – A concert to help fight a proposed limestone quarry at the Ontario Municipal Board attracted over 200 people to the Sportsplex here on Aug. 21.
“We’re really pleased with the turnout,” said Karen Idzik, of Damascus, one of a number of residents opposed to the quarry.
The event was called Stop the Quarry – Save the Marsh, and the organizers are aiming to save the Luther Marsh, part of the Grand River system, from damage from a proposed development, in the form of a limestone quarry that the group believes will do irreparable damage to the habitat of many birds, fish, and other marsh-dwelling creatures.
House of Doc and local pianist Kara Shaw performed at the concert, with WhirlyGig providing entertainment in the beer gardens.
The quarry is being proposed by Alfred Wilson for the southeast corner of Monck. The property is currently a farm, and Wilson has been attempting to get approval for a quarry since the early 1990s.
The proponents felt that Wellington North Township was stalling on making a decision on the land regulation changes needed to permit the quarry to proceed, and so appealed.
Idzik noted that Wellington County and the Grand River Conservation Authority are on the side of the residents in opposing the quarry.
The benefit was to raise funds for the group’s legal defence.
“We were really surprised at the end of the evening when the band [House of Doc] said it would donate a portion of the CD sales back to us,” Idzik said.
She noted that organizers were unsure how much money was raised, but there was a barbecue and refreshment sales as well as the concert revenue to calculate.
