Seems Kincardine residents aren’t paying too much attention to Hydro One’s proposed Bruce-to-Milton transmission line extension.
Aside from the 20 stakeholders in attendance, there were very few citizens who came to an open house last night at the Governor’s Inn.
But Gary Schneider — Project Manager for the Bruce-to-Milton extension — says that doesn’t mean there is a lack of interest in the project.
Schneider believes many residents who were concerned before are quite satisfied with the response they have been getting from Hydro One.
While things are quiet in Kincardine, it maybe a different story in Hanover where another open house is taking place tonight from 4 P.M. until 8 P.M. at the Hanover Regional Aquatic Centre.
There has been opposition from landowners in Brockton, Hanover, and West Grey to the proposed route of the extension.
But Schneider feels that after working with the affected landowners in acquiring the necessary land they have come up with a compensation package that would satisfy them.
He says the offer is based on a fair market value determined by a third-party appraiser.
He says they are also offering incentives to sign early so they can quickly get the project underway within a certain timeline.
Schneider says the compensation package has been endorsed by the Power Line Connections group that represents hundreds of affected landowners living along the transmission lines.
Schneider says they will put out a draft environmental assessment study for public viewing by the end of the summer.
He says they will then submit that study to the Ministry of the Environment for a review and approval.
He hopes to get that and approval from the Ontario Energy Board by early 2009.
Schneider says if everything is in place they hope to start construction by the spring of 2009.
There will be another meeting in Holstein tomorrow at the Ergemont Optimist Centre from 4 P.M. until 8 P.M.
