The UWO Centre for Environment and Sustainability and the Department of Earth Sciences are hosting a symposium on the topic of Site 41 next week. The purpose of the Symposium is two-fold. First, to provide an objective and factual review of both sides of the dilemma which was Site 41. Second, since the landfill will never be completed, what will be done with the growing volumes of waste? This is a dilemma not unique to Simcoe County but rather being experienced by municipalities across the Province and indeed the world, where many landfills are approaching capacity.
By bringing together the experts, practitioners and decision makers under one roof, we have an opportunity to identify the lessons learned from Site 41 and use these as a best practice case of waste management as we move towards a “zero waste” future.
For graduate students from across the campus, the Symposium will include an introduction to geochemistry and environmental quality, for science and non-science students alike, by Prof. William Shotyk (University of Heidelberg) who is currently W.S. Fyfe Distinguished Scientist in Residence for Environment and Sustainability, in the Department of Earth Sciences at UWO. The symposium (Sept. 13-15), will be followed by a day excursion to Site 41, on September 16, 2010.
Registration is required

More details and a schedule of events

A massive amount of spam in the last few days means we have been unable to deal with any genuine comments that may have been made. We will advise when we have addressed the problem – The SDS41 team.

Danny Beaton and John Bacher – whose walk to Queens Park with Steve Ogden in 2009 kick-started the final successful stage of of the battle to stop Dump Site 41 have made the following proposal in a letter to Steve

Dear Steve:
We have a proposal to turn Dump Site 41 which is owned by Simcoe County, into a forest. It would be planted and subsequently managed by the Simcoe County Forests department. Since all these Simcoe County Forests have names, it would be named for Steve Odgen who struggled for over twenty years to stop it.

It is possible that if adjacent lands are still owned by Miller Wastes, that they could be included into the Steve Odgen Forest Tract. If they are owned by Miller Wastes, the company could transfer their ownership to the County, for a charitable receipt. In addition to tax advantages, the company could improve its image, tarred by the long struggle to stop the dump (which will be made worse by your on-going Municipal Freedom of Information Act requests) through such a donation. If the County cannot issue this directly, an arrangement could be made through the Nature Conservancy of Canada. This could bring the extent of the forest area to around 1,000 acres- which would be of great ecological significance.
…
As you are aware the Simcoe County Forest system has a wonderful history. The irony of its actions to build a dump over the pure water these forests protect was brought home during the bail hearings of those arrested in the Simcoe County Court House. Close to the court room is the photograph of one of the creators of this system, the former Premier, E C Drury. Although one of the Simcoe County Forest Tracts is named after him, there is no mention of his role in bringing back to life the forests of the county in the Court House. You will be a worthy addition to Simcoe County’s great pantheon of environmental heroes.
The planting of the first tree at Steve Odgen Tract 51 could come in time for the 90th anniversary of the Simcoe County Forest on May 8, 2012. The birth date usually set for the system is May 8, 1922, in the Hendrie Tract (past which we walked on the march to Toronto).
Full text of the Proposal from Danny Beaton and John Bacher

The Province is conducting a review of the Provincial Policy Statement that sets out the Ontario government’s policy direction for land use planning and development. The public’s input is being sought on how the PPS is working and whether any changes are needed to the PPS to protect provincial interests and to make sure that the PPS is adequately addressing emerging land use issues.
Information on the Provincial Policy Statement
Information on the review . NB Deadline for comment is October 29 2010

We hear Adjala-Tosorontio Deputy Mayor Doug Little suffered serious injuries to his arm and hand in a lawn mower accident last week – and that he is now home after undergoing surgery. Site 41 group supporters send the deputy mayor our sympathy and best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Site 41 Symposium Poster (UWO, final)

AWARE Tiny, AWARE New Tecumseth and AWARE Tiny are holding public meetings to identify issues for the October 25 municipal election. Join us for a community discussion of what the public wants to see improved or addressed over the next four years.
Springwater residents: EVENING MEETING TODAY Thursday August 26, 7 p.m.at the Elmvale Legion, 7 John St., Elmvale.
New Tecumeth residents: MORNING MEETING Saturday August 28, 10 am to 12:30 p.m at the Alliston Lions Club, 60 Boyne St. (corner of Maple and Boyne), Alliston.
Tiny residents: AFTERNOON MEETING Sunday August 29 at 2pm at the Wyevale United Church, 846 County Rd 6 S. Wyevale. More info: 705-322-4993 or mcneil@netrover.com.
AWARE Simcoe

“The crisis facing animals and their habitats is so bad that I don’t want to talk about it,” philanthropist Robert Schad tells the Toronto Star today. “The current crisis facing biodiversity is the most pressing issue facing humanity today.” Schad’s philosophy is to introduce kids to nature and develop a bond between human and animal. Once established, the child will develop an ethical connection between habitat preservation and our use of the planet. His initiatives include Earth Rangers and Bring Back the Wild

By Rob Ferguson Toronto Star
The fiasco over eco fees cost Environment Minister John Gerretsen his job as Premier Dalton McGuinty shuffled his cabinet following a summer of stumbles.
Full story