I commend Red Deer County Councillors Jim Lougheed and Jim Wood for their due diligence in regard to the 6M gravel pit application.
From Mr. Lougheed’s comments, it was quite apparent that he had spent a great deal of time researching the application and the location of the site. There was no personal attack just pure statement of facts. I was very impressed with amount of information he presented to council.
As for Mr. Wood and visiting the residents around the site — great job! Nowhere in the 6M’s application did it ever indicate how close this site was to the homeowners who would be directly affected by its development. One of the homes would be surrounded on three sides by less than 55 metres all the way around. Another home only 60 metres away.
Who in their right mind would allow a gravel pit to be built to surround their home or to be built across the street from you and your neighbours?
It was quite interesting to see in the slide show presentation that was run during the reading of the application that at no point during it did it show the homes that would be directly affected. How convenient was that?
Mr. Wood commented he had no idea how close the homes and families were to the development until he visited the homeowners.
Isn’t this what we want in our councillors, to make well informed decisions, not just looking a reams of documents as it is quite apparent that things are left out of applications to favour the applicant in being successful in getting approval?
I surely would vote for any individual who would take the time to hear all sides involved in order to make well-informed decisions about sensitive issues. Wouldn’t you?
Pat Hanson
Innisfail