These folks want nothing to do with industrial wind turbines in Prince Edward County. From left to right, Ruth Dwight, Don Hinde, Mario Panacci, Kelly Panacci, and Elanor Hinde.(Photo: John Spitters / Quinte News)
They are not giving up. About 200 residents of Prince Edward County and elsewhere marched through
downtown Picton Sunday and rallied at the Regent Theatre in protest of a yet to be built 9 turbine wind farm
in South Marysburgh ward, near the county’s southern Lake Ontario shoreline.
Here’s the sound from the start of the march.
Although county Mayor Robert Quaiff says wind company WPD has yet to receive final approval from the provincial government to build the turbines, the clearing of land on the project site began a few weeks ago and continues.
WPD’s White Pines wind farm was originally planned for 29 turbines, then cut back to 27 because of heritage reasons, and then the Environmental Review Tribunal cut out another 18 turbines because of environmental concerns.
South Marysburgh is part of what is known as an Important Bird Area as millions of birds migrate over land and water in the area annually.
Prince Edward Hastings riding MPP Todd Smith marched and rallied with the residents and repeated again that the turbines power isn’t needed and just doesn’t make sense.
MPP Smith believes the project can still be stopped, adding if his party were elected in the upcoming June provincial election, it would be.
Marching against a wind farm in Prince Edward County Sunday, October 15/17. (Photo: John Spitters / Quinte News)
South Marysburgh ward councillor Steve Ferguson shook his head as he contemplated the destruction of natural habitat for the project in a pristine landscape, wondering out loud whether “the provincial government was out of its mind”.
Ferguson said more and more people were joining the battle to have the project halted as they actually saw the land being cleared off.
Bloomfield resident Helene Tremblay said the wind farm made no sense and was going to ruin what people loved about Prince Edward County. She said it just wasn’t people who lived near the project that were upset and wanted it stopped.
The Alliance to Protect Prince Edward County is taking the company WPD to Superior Court in Picton November 17 in an effort to stop the wind farm.
APPEC maintains WPD has not met its obligations under the FIT Program or Renewable Energy Approvals.
Mayor Robert Quaiff believes it would cost the provincial government only $500,000 to cancel the contract with WPD.
Here’s the sound of chanting from the march.
