Mono Council is continuing to wrestle with liability issues that could arise at the town's gravel pit, now shared with the Mono Nordic Ski Club, which maintains crosscountry ski trails on the same site.

At its meeting Tuesday, council was presented with a letter from town solicitor Jeffrey Wilker in regards to the presence of the trails.

"We understand that Town Council has requested our advice as to whether or not the Aggregate Resources Act and its licensing regime precludes the continued use of part of the licensed property by the Mono Ski Club," the letter said. "Our answer is that the licensing regime does not preclude the continued use by the ski club."

What was foremost on council's mind, though, was not the right of the club to use the property, but how to ensure its safety.

"What we have to do is make sure the pit is safe all year around," said Deputy Mayor Ken McGhee, "and what we need to do to keep the pit open, as well."

The letter also said there will be a need for additional fencing, but was vague in its reference to how much and what type.

"I would like to have a cost for the fencing and for what it will cost us 10 years down the road," said Councillor Bob Shirley.

While the club's activities and the gravel extraction have co-existed in relative harmony for close to a quarter-century, a recent surge in infrastructure funding has led to more local road construction and a need for more gravel from the pit.

The call for more intensive gravel extraction came after the town got quotes that compared the price of using gravel from their own pit, to hauling it in from another location. The 36,000 tonnes of Bgrade gravel needed to rebuild Mono's Second Line from the paved portion north of Highway 9 to Five Sideroad will cost $116,201 from the town's pit, as opposed to $383,700 from a private location.

The ski club has countered that the savings, of $260,000 at first glance, are more realistically in the area of $50,000.

It has quotes from the Craig Pit at Hurontario and 5 Sideroad of $3.75 and those from the town pit of $3.22, the latter including hauling and packing.

As far as Mayor Lorie Haddock is concerned, the amount of savings is irrelevant, as long as some savings are to be hand.

"Let's save money where we can and build the roads we need to build," said Ms. Haddock in a recent interview.

"If, by owning the pit, we're saving $50 or we're saving $500,000, it is still viable"

Club spokesman Usman Valiante, noting that council had voted to contribute $64,000 toward refurbishing the Centre Dufferin Recreation Centre in Shelburne, contended that council should consider buying its gravel elsewhere.

"The basic question for all Mono residents is whether the destruction of the Monora trail system (and all the attendant recreational, economic and social benefits to the Town of Mono) is worth marginal (if any) aggregate cost savings?," said Mr. Valiante in a correspondence, adding that the town could consider the extra costs of importing gravel as a contribution to the club and the recreation aspects and benefits of Mono.

Mr. Valiente has maintained that the topography of the trails, with their particular elevations and curves, make the area around the pit "a world class" cross-country skiing facility.

He added that the pit, as well as the Monora Park ski facility, has produced four local skiers who are serious contenders for a spot in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Altering the trail system through extraction, he said, will mean that the facility will not be as good, regardless of what rehabilitation takes place.