Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Landmark Development, in conjunction with the Elora Power Corporation, is planning to use 21st century technology on a 19th century footprint to harness the hydro generating potential of the Grand River.
Elora Power Corporation (EPC) is planning to undertake an environmental evaluation and assessment for a proposed waterpower project along the south bank of the Grand River, adjacent to the Drimmie Dam near Ross Street and Wellington Road 7.
If approved and constructed, the Elora generating station would have a capacity of one megawatt (MW) and annually produce 3,800 MW hours of renewable energy.
On Oct. 10, an open house was held in the Elora Mill building to provide an update on what was happening.
Landmark’s Brian Blackmere explained that coming out of the public meeting earlier this year, the hydro-electric concept was proposed in very general terms “because it was going to be part of the overall Landmark Development on the south side of the river.”
Blackmere said, “It is now starting to come to fruition with the GRCA doing the Drimmie Dam rebuild.
“We are obviously in this Environmental Assessment process as required to get our hydro up and running.
“The commitment we gave to the public through the public meeting in the spring – is that we would be working closely with whoever would be generating the power to make sure whatever was done would be unobtrusive and be compatible with our development.”
Blackmere added partnering with Elora Power Corporation allows Landmark to closely look at how the waterpower project will fit in with its development.
“In fact, this will be the first physical work that happens on the site. We’re very excited about that,” he said.
As part of this work, the generator on the north side of the river [in the existing Elora Mill] will be decommissioned.
“It’s a rather small turbine, but it is going to be decommissioned and whatever water we were drawing to use for that facility will now be used on the opposite side of the river,” said Elora Power Corporation’s Don Anderson.
“The focus for us throughout the whole approval process was to look at the south side of the river and to get that up and running with the new residential and new retail.
“But we have heard pretty strongly from the merchants on Mill Street that they would prefer to have the existing mill property up and running.”
As a result, the focus now is on the redevelopment and renovation of the Elora Mill property.
Anderson noted there may be some additional building on the property.
In the short term, the development will need to deal with operational issues such parking.
“It will be a big issue for us here and obviously we would not be able to do any large weddings. “In our view that [situation] is temporary.”
He added, “Approvals for the piers across the Grand River to support the pedestrian bridge are on the cusp of being issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources. It has gone relatively well in the scheme of things.
“We’re pretty excited moving ahead with this possibly in 2015.”
He anticipated the balance of the development on the south side of the river to be complete in 2017-18.
“Nonetheless, for a project of this scale we feel it is not only reasonable, but an aggressive schedule.”
Anderson explained this project would not be possible without two or three things which came together at the same time.
First, he explained, the rebuilding of the Drimmie Dam is now underway through the Grand River Conservation Authority.
“You can’t build a generating station if chunks of the dam are falling away in the floodwaters. The fact the dam is being rebuilt is a key factor.”
The next key factor, Anderson explained, is that it will be constructed on the footprint of an old historic station on the south side of the river.
Anderson said a lot of the existing raceway and the wall along the side of the river are all going to be used again, and the new power station where the water goes back into the river – is right on the footprint of the old one.
“This is putting 21st century technology onto 19th century footprint,” Anderson said, adding this is really the best way to develop hydro power.
The final fact, Anderson said, is the Landmark Development itself.
“It’s just a perfect fit with the power station,” he said. He pointed to the pedestrian walkway lining up next to the old raceway.
“I’ve been asked a number of times ‘what will this look like?’ … my answer is ‘invisible’,” said Anderson.
“The power station will hardly be visible to anybody from any angle on both sides of the river.”
He added the old canal, instead of being full of junk and trees, will be like having a nice little river with water flowing through it.
“I think it will be a real asset for Elora and a positive addition for the whole community.”
Anderson explained it will be an open canal, with a protective fence between it and the pedestrian walkway. He added there would be additional protective measures as well.
Anderson said he and Blackmere were not quite sure what to expect at the open house on Oct. 10.
“People seemed to genuinely want to know more and there was no real sense of opposition,” he said.
Blackmere said most of the questions were whether the project would be obtrusive.
“Other than that, they wanted to know when the restaurant was going to open,” said Blackmere.
Anderson said while Blackmere hopes to get the north side of the mill open in July 2015, “the date we intend to have the power station complete is in 2015 … possibly July.”
Blackmere said there might be a combined grand opening for the two facilities.
Anderson said the Environmental Assessment requires a large number of steps, including those related to the environment, consultation with First Nations, and public consultation, before reporting to the minister to satisfy any concerns raised.
Anderson said “It’s going to be good for the town.” He estimated the station itself will cost $3.5 million to build.
At peak, there will be 30 to 40 construction jobs to build the plant, he added.
