Hastings County to vote on Bancroft area quarry

The issue of a proposed open pit aggregate mine in the Bancroft area will be before Hastings County Council later this week.

Concern has been expressed by some people in the area that the proposal to change zoning to allow the Capital Paving/Fowler Construction/Freemond Lumber’s quarry would disturb the area.

For months, the Limerick Area Conservation Coalition has been objecting to the Freemond Quarry project, located 25 kilometres south of Bancroft.

The nearby Wellness Centre Grail Springs maintains its business would be destroyed if the project is allowed to go ahead.

In an email to Hastings County Council, President Anne Dimon of the Wellness Tourism Association says, “Although your quarry noise levels no doubt fit into government standards and guidelines, they no way measure the effect on a wellness retreat. According to the reports of experts, the sound crushers, excavators, blasting and trucks, even at low levels, will absolutely be heard by the guests at Grail Springs.”

Dimon continues, “Noise from the quarry will, without a doubt, destroy Grail Springs, a long-time business that has brought millions of dollars into the region plus created jobs for locals. Its closure would put residents of Hastings County out of work, and it will severely reduce the number of tourism dollars that are currently brought into the region.”

Hastings County Warden Rick Phillips tells Quinte News the Freemond Quarry complies with the planning regulations.

Phillips says the planning committee, which includes all county council members, recently supported it.

The rezoning issue comes to Hastings County council for a vote on Thursday.