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Oct. 12 Nov. 13, 2013
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Work to start at Wasdell Falls – finally By Kim Goggins If all goes as planned, a hydroelectric generating station at the Wasdell Falls Dam will operate again exactly 100 years after the original one first began in 1914. After three years of meetings, discussions, environmental assessments, testing and site preparations, Coastal Hydro Power, which owns 50 percent of the Wasdell Falls Power Corporation, has started to blast the bedrock near the dam to clear the way for excavation of a new channel on the southwest side. For Paddy and Doug Taylor, whose property abuts the upper and lower levels of the dam, this comes as good news. Both have been involved with meetings and discussions over the last three years, and were even lead reviewers of the environmental assessment that has taken place. They say the thousand-page document adequately addresses the concerns that local riparian residents initially had when talks about putting the dam back to work to generate electricity started getting serious. “The environmental report is so thorough on all of these issues,” Paddy told The Villager. “They’ve worked closely with (various) ministries and with all of us. There
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The Wasdell Falls Power Plant initially generated hydroelectricity between 1914 and 1955.
are really no outstanding issues that I’m aware of.” Issues that have been discussed and dealt with include the pickerel spawning ground at the foot of the falls, noise, as well as water level and water flow, once three turbines are in place and running. “We need to operate the dam in line with the existing operational protocol that the MNR has determined. So, we’re restricted by how much water can pass through. We’re not going to be changing the water levels or the water flow in the area. We will stick to what the MNR has done,” said Joe Slater, Continued page 21
Business profile ��������������������������� 5 Local volunteers ������������������������� 6 News in review ���������������������������13 Recipe of the month ���������������17 Community happenings �������22
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