<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Good morning,<div><br></div><div>Last night I presented to the City of Waterloo Council our concerns about the unexpected paving of half of the Wilmot Line. They were shocked, dismayed and extremely concerned that the Township of Wilmot would unilaterally pave the Wilmot Line against their wishes, previous motions, concerns of citizens, and with no regard to the significant safety and environmental issues this raises - all simply so Wilmot Councillor Peter Roe can have a dust-free car.</div><div><br></div><div>The media was in strong attendance last night with the entire meeting broadcast on Rogers, CKCO news, the Record, the Chronicle and the New Hamburg Independent all reporting on the story. Below is the story from the Record:</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/565314--waterloo-shocked-by-wilmot-line-paving">http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/565314--waterloo-shocked-by-wilmot-line-paving</a></div><div><br></div><div>The lack of public process here has been appalling and it certainly appears that Wilmot purposely took a secretive, devious approach contrary to the collaborative approach between the community and all levels of government seen with most other Westside and Waterloo Moraine issues.</div><div><br></div><div>We need your help with Letters to the Editors to highlight the serious issues and concerns here and ensure that this all doesn't just get quietly swept under the rug in the middle of summer while everyone is on vacation as Wilmot hopes.</div><div><br></div><div>Letters and contact to any of the media listed above expressing concern about any of the following aspects could be extremely impactful:</div><div><br></div><div>- the lack of public process and transparency - Wilmot didn't even tell their partner the City of Waterloo who shares half the costs and does half the maintenance on the road about this,</div><div><br></div><div>- the environmental concerns of encouraging large traffic volumes moving faster than ever into environmentally sensitive areas where we need to be discouraging traffic,</div><div><br></div><div>- the environmental concerns about the salting that is now going to be required on the paved hills and the likely destruction of the pristine Monastery Creek cold water brook trout fishery,</div><div><br></div><div>- the concerns about the impact of salt and degradation of the Laurel Creek Headwaters ESL on our drinking water aquifers, water recharge areas and nearby Regional drinking water wells we all depend on,</div><div><br></div><div>- the safety concerns about encouraging traffic volumes and increasing speeds on a narrow, hilly, rural road,</div><div><br></div><div>- the safety concerns about speeding cars and trucks trying to find a shortcut around Waterloo to the hikers, joggers, cyclists, etc. who enjoy this ESL area,</div><div><br></div><div>- the considerable conflict of interest to have Peter Roe introduce, move, and vote to approve this motion to pave the road right to his house (one of only two houses in Wilmot on that 3.5km stretch of road). Given all the recent concern and LRT Councillor abstentions over potential conflicts, if this isn't the biggest conflict of interest I have ever seen I don't know what is - what a huge benefit and financial gain for Peter to be one of only two Wilmot homes/properties to directly benefit from this hundreds of thousands of dollars of road work,</div><div><br></div><div>- the huge waste of taxpayers dollars and the fact that Wilmot taxpayers are paying for urban City of Waterloo traffic and upgrading a road that few Wilmot taxpayers have ever used.</div><div><br></div><div>- the years of environmental efforts and collaborative community work to protect the environment that are now in jeopardy because of the huge volumes of traffic that could be cutting through the ESL because of these road improvements.</div><div><br></div><div>I have attached my presentation from last night below to help provide additional background and information.</div><div><br></div><div>Please let us know any ideas and if you can write even a short Letter to the Editor it would be appreciated. It is certainly disappointing to see one municipality working against the environmental efforts of so many other municipalities and the vast majority of the public who have for years made their desire to see the Waterloo Moraine, our remaining natural areas, and our ground water aquifers protected.</div><div><br></div><div>Thank you,</div><div>Kevin.</div><div><br></div><div>---------------------------</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: 12px; "><div class="td_page_info" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 11px; "><ul style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; "><li class="infoItem" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: dotted; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; display: inline; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); "><span class="td_page_author" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; ">By Jeff Outhit, Record staff </span></li><li class="infoItem" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 5px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: dotted; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; display: inline; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); "><span class="td_page_date" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; "><span class="ts-publishdate" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; ">Mon Jul 18 2011</span></span></li></ul></div><h1 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Waterloo shocked by Wilmot Line paving</h1><div class="td_tops_related_sidebar" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 20px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; clear: right; float: right; width: 212px; "></div><div class="td_page_body" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 50px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; font-size: 13px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">WATERLOO — Waterloo councillors were stunned to learn that part of the Wilmot Line has suddenly been paved, despite their opposition and without notification.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">The gravel road is owned by Wilmot Township but is partly maintained by the city. It marks the west boundary between the communities and leads to environmentally sensitive lands in north-west Waterloo.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">At its expense, Wilmot paved several kilometres of the south portion last week with tar and chip, dismaying residents who have long argued that adding pavement would invite traffic and environmental degradation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">“They did this without our consent, without our knowledge. They hoodwinked the citizens of Waterloo,” Coun. Mark Whaley said. “What kind of neighbour is that? That is an act of aggression.”</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">“I am so disappointed tonight to learn that this has happened,” Coun. Diane Freeman said.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">“We should have known about this before,” Coun. Scott Witmer said.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">Environmentalists have long argued pavement will lead to more traffic, more salting, and undermine environmental preservation.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">No one from Wilmot could be reached to explain the surprise paving late Monday.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">City staff investigated Monday to find that Wilmot authorized the pavement in April, without publicity. Construction crews did the work last week.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">Waterloo council has approved three subdivisions near the gravel road. City councillors deny this has invited traffic into the area, saying the subdivisions do not link to Wilmot Line.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">“There is not one connection to the Wilmot Line,” Freeman said.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">Waterloo environmentalist Kevin Thomason revealed the surprise paving to council.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">“It certainly seems to me that someone is trying to pull a fast one here,” Thomason told council. “It is unbelievable to think that something like this can happen now, and nobody knows about it.”</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; ">Waterloo council has asked for a staff report on how the paving was approved and carried out without notification.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; "><i style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><a href="mailto:jouthit@therecord.com" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; ">jouthit@therecord.com</a></i></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; "><i style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><a href="mailto:jouthit@therecord.com" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 66, 118); text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; "></a></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; font-size: medium; ">------------------------------------</span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; font-size: medium; "></span>Letters to the Editor can be sent to:</p><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; font-size: medium;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#333333" face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="mailto:jroe@therecord.com">jroe@therecord.com</a></span></font></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; font-size: medium;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#333333" face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="mailto:editorial@waterloochronicle.ca">editorial@waterloochronicle.ca</a></span></font></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; font-size: medium;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#333333" face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="mailto:dcoxson@newhamburgindependent.ca">dcoxson@newhamburgindependent.ca</a></span></font></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; font-size: medium;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#333333" face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><a href="mailto:news@swo.ctv.ca">news@swo.ctv.ca</a></span></font></span></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000" face="Helvetica"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; font-size: medium;"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#333333" face="Arial, sans-serif" size="3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;"><br></span></font></span></font></div><div>Or contact Wilmot Council directly to let them know your concerns:</div><div><br></div><div>Les Armstrong - <a href="mailto:les.armstrong@wilmot.ca">les.armstrong@wilmot.ca</a></div><div>Peter Roe - <a href="mailto:peter.roe@wilmot.ca">peter.roe@wilmot.ca</a></div><div>Al Junker - <a href="mailto:al.junker@wilmot.ca">al.junker@wilmot.ca</a></div><div>Barry Fisher - <a href="mailto:barry.fisher@wilmot.ca">barry.fisher@wilmot.ca</a></div><div>Jeff Gerber - <a href="mailto:jeff.gerber@wilmot.ca">jeff.gerber@wilmot.ca</a></div><div>Mark Murray - <a href="mailto:mark.murray@wilmot.ca">mark.murray@wilmot.ca</a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; font-size: 12px; "><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; font-size: 12px; ">-------------------------------------</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; font-size: 12px; "><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; font-size: 12px; ">My presentation to City of Waterloo Council last night:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; font-size: 12px; "><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal; font-size: 12px; "></span></div></div></span></div></body></html>