People who live in the north end of the city, don’t want a new landfill near the former Elk Falls mill, says Gordon Road resident Corinne Matheson.
The owner of Mystic Woods Landscape Design led a public delegation of about 70 people who attended last Thursday’s meeting of the regional district’s Solid Waste Management Board.
“There is little information available about the potential of processing solid waste at the Campbell River mill,” she said, reading from a prepared statement. “As a result, we kindly ask that you provide information to the following questions…”
Matheson is hoping the questions are answered in an engineer’s report being prepared for the board on the potential of a new landfill and waste-to-energy site in either Campbell River or the Comox Valley.
The report is almost finished and is expected to be delivered to the board by the end of April.
Matheson’s concerns and questions include:
- Will waste be landfilled or burned?
- Will there be a waste-to-energy plant?
- What pollution will result from processing or landfilling waste?
- What are the potential conflicts with wildlife, particularly the herd of elk which reside near the mill?
- What are the potential economic impacts to nearby residents if a new landfill is built near the mill?
She’s also concerned with the esthetics of a potential landfill.
“The industrial park is an eyesore right on the highway, which has never been screened or landscaped,” she told the board. “Adding a dump facility would add to the already ugly appearance of the north entry way into Campbell River. It would be detrimental to turn a potential tourist and retirement town into the Dump Town.
“We see this as a total lack of vision for Campbell River.”