Background Details:
The Fight to Protect the Saugeen River

Saugeen Preservation Society Inc. is actively working to protect the Saugeen River, environment, residents, campers and
businesses from the negative impacts of the proposed Aggregate Pits and expansion of the Redford pit all at the corner of Allan Park Road and Concession 4NDR.

SPSI has grave concerns about the effect of the proposed pits on properties, buildings, wells, environment, current use and enjoyment of homes as well as impact on Camp McGovern for underprivileged children, Saugeen Springs RV Park, and Tails and Trails Pet Resort and Lavender Farm. 

This ultimately will reach well beyond our area.

NOTE: We have just recently learned about the SIBIO pit so be sure to check back for updates as we pull the information out of their submitted studies.

The composition of the surrounding community and impact the proposed pits will have on it and the surrounding environment has been virtually ignored in all of the studies submitted at this time. The studies that have been performed have focused solely on the Tremble lot 22 and the SIBIO lot 20.

This area is an absolutely unsuitable location for aggregate pits for many reasons.  Since the Tremble property is nestled into a bend in the Saugeen River, it is surrounded by County hazard lands as well as the floodplain and SVCA protected area which also bisects the property. Lot 22 in it's current untouched state is a significant groundwater recharge area and is integral to maintaining how the flood waters are managed and flow in this area.  Any changes in how the floodplain currently works will have serious detrimental impact on surrounding properties as well as those up and downstream on the Saugeen River.

We are in the process of pulling the information out of the SIBIO application studies and will update with details soon.

This area is a wonderful, diverse, thriving ecosystem consisting of significant woodlands, locally significant wetlands, open fields, the Saugeen River, and 4 tributaries to the Saugeen. The environmental studies that were performed identified endangered species as well as species at risk on both Tremble and SIBIO properties.  As mentioned these studies are focused on just Lot 22 and 20 and don't include any of the surrounding areas that will be impacted by an aggregate operation.  Because of this there are many impacts that have not been identified or assessed at this time.

The studies they did do on the Tremble property identified so many required setbacks to accommodate for:

• Indigenous Artifacts
• Significant Woodlands
• Internal haul route upgrades only allowed to the east to protect the endangered Black Ash
• Setback from woodland to protect the Northern Pee-Wee Bird habitat
• 30m to protect the central “ravine feature” with locally significant wetland
• significant Valleylands
• SVCA Protected Area, and Hazard lands.

The Tremble pit is quite literally a puzzle piece they have tucked in and pulled back to fit into an unsuitable location.

Extracting this tiny amount is not justifiable. Lot 22 is an important piece of land in the neighbourhood as it sits.  Changes to this land will have far-reaching consequences and monetary costs that will ultimately reach all taxpayers in the area.

Residents can't pick up and move without losing the homes and businesses they love.  Both applicants can find aggregates elsewhere. There are 1670 MILLION tonnes of aggregates available in Grey County as per the Aggregate Resources Inventory of the Grey County Southern Ontario. These pits each contain approximately 0.089% of the available aggregates.

In West Grey the rural population density is 15 people per square kilometer.

In our neighbourhood residents, an average 3-person family at Saugeen Springs RV Park plus the 75 kids at Camp McGovern for underprivileged kids and we have a population density of 175 people per square kilometer during the warmer months when the pits will be operating.  Locals and tourists also use the bridge at Allan Park and Concession 4NDR for river access. This is equivalent to putting pits in Neustadt where the population density is 185 people per square kilometer. 

These pits will be at the cost of all of the current residents, businesses and visitors. The quiet rural lifestyle we all enjoy will be ruined.  It will reach into surrounding communities and ultimately all tax payers in West Grey County and beyond simply for the sole profit and benefit of the Trembles and the McLaughlins.

REMEMBER! We have just recently learned about the SIBIO pit so be sure to check back for updates as we pull the information out of their submitted studies.