Highland invites public to Horning's Mills

Horning's Mills and Honeywood are expected to be the most populated centres in Dufferin Saturday, as the former hosts a "pre-application consultation" for a quarry and the latter the ever-popular beef barbecue.

Geographically, the two events are in close proximity to each other although in different municipalities. But, in principle, they are worlds apart.

The barbecue, with its scrumptious home-made pies, is in a sense symbolic of the community spirit that built, among other things, the Honeywood Arena where it is held. The consultation at Horning's Mills is meant as part of a process to allay the fears of some residents of Melancthon and Mulmur that a quarry proposed by The Highland Companies would disrupt or destroy their heritage, their farms, and the spirit on which the community was built.

The barbecue, with the exception of a recent year in which a neighbour spread pig manure upwind from the arena, has always been a joyous event.

The open house might not be. The 300 or so members of North Dufferin Agricultural and Community Taskforce (NDACT) are adamant that a quarry should not proceed. Their public presentations have portrayed the scenario as one of "either/or," farms or open-pit mines.

In Melancthon, where the township council requires public questions to be submitted in writing prior to regular meetings, the most recent questions were largely accusations based more on emotions than on pragmatic queries.

If the Horning's Mills open house follows the same pattern, one must wonder whether it would be more productive just to go a few miles north and enjoy the tender steaks and home-made pies at Honeywood.

The Highland Companies have made it possible to do both but setting the openhouse hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Horning's Mills community hall. It is "designed to accommodate as many peoples' schedules as possible," said Highland spokesman Michael Daniher.

"The drop-in format, the five hour timeframe and the availability of technical consultants will enable people to spend as little or as much time as they wish on matters that are of interest to them "

Rehabilitation is likely to be a concern of NDACT. Is it possible to return a mined-out quarry to productive potato land? Longtime area farmers say it would not be. Highland has committed itself to rehabilitation to "agricultural uses."

Mr. Daniher said the final details of the quarry plan "are in the process of being developed (and) the application itself will be subject to a thorough review process involving further opportunities for public consultation."