HOT ISSUES @ bpeg.ca

I am concerned about shore waterwells along Isthmus Bay. The number of wells drilled into the shore rock appears to be growing and as expected, the wave action is starting to break apart the rock surrounding some of these installations. Fiberglas embedded concrete has, in some cases, been installed to stabilize the degradation of the rockbed. In fact, large shelfs of rock have been noted beginning to break off in the near vicinity of what I would deem to be a shoreline intrusion. How much research was done on the the line of water UNDER the rock before these wells were allowed?

If you haven't seen one, you should. Not only do they disturb the natural shoreline but also the rock shelves leading to them in order for the equipment to get to the proposed locations. Will there be a stop to these installations? Have problems been reported? I realize that some mechanical means are necessary for water uptake but many cottagers have (seasonally) drawn water directly from the lake for years and although they have had their time with waterlines during excessively rough water weather, for the most part, the black waterline running above the rock through guides has provided clear, clean drinking water (surprisingly free of contaminants). If anything gives during bad weather in this design it is the guide, not the rock. Do we call these wells 'progress'?

The problems of maintaining the pristine nature of this portion of the Bruce Trail is, in my own opinion, jeopardized by year round living. It is going to mean more destruction if the municipality goes ahead with running full services to the year round homes that are being built here. This will mean realigning part of the roadway and digging trenches and lines to each property.

To what degree are these new homes required to be (for the sake of another word) green-designed? I'm not sure how we got to this point! If year round habitation results in destruction of the shoreline and (please remember) this portion of the coveted Bruce Trail, perhaps there should be more stringent planning and building controls enforced to protect the natural environment. With the size of development going on along this stretch and especially with the proximity to both water and roadway, if I was a Bruce Trail hiker, I would think I had taken a wrong turn.