The contentious and sometimes emotional issue of Mono’s Klondyke gravel pit has resurfaced following a decision by the town to close off parts of cross-country ski trails to extract needed gravel.

It is hoped, however, that the civility and respect usually shown by Mono residents in debating issues, will prevail and an agreement will be reached between the town and Mono Nordic Ski Club, the organization that has maintained trails on town property alongside the pit for 26 years.

The club is upset that portions of its trail system have been cut off and that nearly two acres of trees have been clear-cut to make way for the extraction of gravel to be used on major road-work projects.

The town, on the other hand, says the action is necessary to protect itself on liability issues. It also says substantial savings are achieved when it uses gravel from its own pit.

Speaking on behalf of Mono Nordic Tuesday, Ross Martin conceded that the conversation was somewhat heated when the issue came up during the question period of the April 13 council meeting.

He said the club executive held a meeting Monday night and agreed to approach the town and see if the two sides can come up with a plan to salvage the affected trails.

“Our first goal was to decide how we can best recover for this year,” said Mr. Martin. “The second will be to work with Mono for further rehabilitation in future years.

“We would like to create a trail along the edge of the trees that border the cleared area,” he added. “This would allow the Yellow, North Red trail and Outer Red trails to be reconnected.

“This would mean either that a few feet of the setback limit on the west side would not get excavated, or would require rehabilitation prior to the winter season. Any banks close to the trails would also have to have fill placed to stabilize them.”

The person at the centre of the recent controversy is Mono public works director Mike Dunmore, who gave the directive for the trails to be intersected by excavation and additional areas be put off limits to recreational users.

“My position, as the signing authority for the Town of Mono, is to protect it from liability,” Mr. Dunmore told council at the public meeting. “If I took out more than five per cent of an extensive ski trails system, I would be very, very surprised.”

While he has been under the gun from recreation advocates, Mr. Dunmore was defended at council by Mono parks and recreation director Kim Perryman. “I have to say this,” she told council. “Mr. Dunmore has bent over backwards to accommodate the user groups.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with someone who’s as recreationprone as Mike.”

Mr. Dunmore has prepared a detailed report to council which outlines substantial savings for road projects when the town uses gravel from the pit.

Concerning construction work on Second Line between Highway 9 and 5 Sideroad, his report says it would cost nearly $383,000 to purchase the needed 36,300 tons of gravel from a third party, haul it to the site and compact it. By having the gravel taken from the town pit, the total cost would be $116,325, a saving of $266,640.

The Mono Nordic Club and some Mono residents have argued that the savings are substantially less and dissection of the ski trails around the pit was not justified.

There have also been concerns that in calculating the savings the cost of stripping and rehabilitating the land was overlooked.

Mr. Dunmore’s report addresses this.

“Generally, stripping and rehabilitation is calculated at 44 cents per tonne,” the report reads. “This is not the case, as current market prices and ongoing works by contractors have reduced this to well below this value.”

Mr. Dunmore has said the pit’s rehabilitation has benefitted from developers using the pit to store excess fill from their projects.

Council, meanwhile, is optimistic the current dispute can be ironed out, possibly through a public meeting.

“There are always ways we can negotiate our way through this,” Councillor Laura Ryan told the April 13 meeting. “I don’t think we have to have separate parts of the community at loggerheads.”

Added Deputy Mayor Ken McGhee: “I don’t see huge sustained mining in the future. I think we will be able to accommodate both the town’s needs and the ski club.”