AO Jigs Hollow

Aggregate News

Jigs Hollow, Woolwich

Location: 89 acre site located at 125 Peel Street. Winterbourne / Conestogo / West Montrose, Region of Waterloo

Proponent: Kuntz Topsoil, Sand and Gravel in partnership with Preston Sand and Gravel

Approved Proposal: 800,000 total tonne site, 150,000 tonnes of gravel extracted annually. Import of up to 30,000 tonnes of asphalt and concrete for recycling, as well as topsoil for screening and resale. Operator is restricted to mining gravel no more than 1.5 metres above the highest levels of water (article). Rehabilitation back to farmland.

Broad concerns are visual and heritage impact, noise (travels right across the hollow), industrial use of site (inclusion of asphalt and concrete recycling) in a natural area, proximity to Grand River, potential water contamination, use of toxic dust-suppressants, health impact of crystalline silica dust and diesel exhaust particulate (both known carcinogens), lack of sunset clause.

Heritage: “You have a heritage river, a heritage bridge and a heritage driving tour yet no heritage impact study,” said Winterbourne resident Laurie Breed, calling the oversight unacceptable. (article)

Timeline

Date	Event
2012-Jun-12	Local council rejected recycling portion of proposal citing health & environmental concerns (article)
2012-Sep-18	Local council meeting
2012-Nov-12	OMB hearing (5 residents w/participant status – file written stmts by 21-Nov.)
2012-Nov-26	OMB hearing
2012-Nov	OMB approval
2013	Township of Woolwich and Preston reach agreement at OMB. Limits include maintaining a buffer of 1.5 metres above the water table.
2016-Oct	Preston requests site plan amendment for below-water-table extraction
2019-04-11	Preston continues to pursue below-water-table extraction plus increase in total aggregate to 2.1 million tonnes from 800,000 tonnes with rehabilitation to a pond (article)

NEWS – Jigs Hollow

Date	Source	Title	Comment
2019-04-11	Observerxtra.com	Neighbouring Residents Remain Adamant in Opposition to Jigs Hollow Pit	Steve Kannon
2017-02-28	TheRecord.com	Residents oppose request to change rules for gravel pit	Anam Latif
2016-10-18	TheRecord.com	Residents oppose changing rules for gravel pit	Paige Desmond
2014-04-25	SouthWesternOntario.ca	OMB rules against Hunder gravel pit	Gail Martin
2013-02-01	Observer Xtra	Residents call for legal challenge of Jigs Hollow OMB decision	Steve Kannon
2012-12-14	Observer Xtra	Residents call on council to reverse Jigs Hollow pit	Steve Kannon
2012-11-30	Observer Xtra	Jigs Hollow gravel pit cleared to proceed	Steve Kannon
2012-11-16	Observer Xtra	Deal would allow Jigs Hollow gravel pit to go ahead	Scott Arnold
2012-09-21	Observer Xtra	Partnership deal doesn’t change status of Jigs Hollow gravel pit review	Steve Kannon
2012-06-29	Observer Xtra	Council rejects recycling component of Jigs Hollow pit	Steve Kannon
2012-06-15	Observer Xtra	Worries for foes of Jigs Hollow gravel pit	Steve Kannon
2012-03-30	Observer Xtra	Province to review Aggregate Resources Act
2011-12-16	Observer Xtra	Woolwich wants more study into visual impacts of proposed Jigs Hollow	Steve Kannon
2011-11-10	Observer Xtra	Residents continue to assail Jigs Hollow pit proposal	Steve Kannon
2011-04-11	Observer Xtra	Visual impacts prompt review of Jigs Hollow pit	Jan Huissoon visual mock-up

Woolwich Township lawyer – Eileen Costello, Aird & Berlis

Opposition:

Laurie Breed, local resident