Monday 5 March 2018

Swift River Bala Falls Hydro Dam

Bala Falls Hydro Update #34 <= yes, I've done 34 posts. This links to the list, which begins Sept. 9, 2008, when we lived in Bala.
Seriously, it's taken this long.

Doug Ford, running for the leadership of the Ontario Conservatives (the Liberals are in power), traveled to Bala Falls for a photo-op and a chance for publicity. Politics interests me. Amazing, the ethics of milking this issue for political opportunity. 

You must know Doug Ford. His late brother, Rob Ford, was the infamous mayor of Toronto. Doug is still in politics, his family of millionaires aren't busy enough! A month ago he thought he'd run for mayor of Toronto. With the #MeToo movement sinking the previous leader of the party, Ford decided to abandon that ship and run. 
It's a dangerous place to swim.
We cottaged in Bala from 1960 - 2010.


27, Conservative leadership hopeful Doug Ford said the Bala falls hydro electric project is a farce and a scam by the provincial Liberal government. Ford went on ... The Ministry of Natural Resources gave Swift River control of Crown land known as Margaret Burgess Park to build the plant. The ministry ...

This project is on its way. It's been going for 12 years! Ford claimed he was going to stop the project. This is the latest from Swift River


  • Improve water level and spring/fall flood control
  • Have low environmental impact due to synergy with existing structures
  • Annually offset 20,000 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to 3,888 cars and light trucks off the road
  • Create over 80 new jobs during construction
Swift River Energy Limited is a 100% Canadian owned company established in 2004 with a mission to develop the North Bala Falls Small Hydro Project, small, low-impact, run-of-the-river hydroelectric generating facility. The team is composed of individuals with decades of experience building and operating a wide array of facilities in complex and challenging environments.

Mar. 1, 2018

  It looks lovely! This is a plan for development to reharness the power of the river, which includes an observation deck. I've been a supporter from the beginning. This is progress.

5 comments:

Olga said...

In my opinion, billionaires should not be given political power of any kind. Look at the stranglehold they have in the U.S. where out Supreme Court has given corporations "personhood" and therefore the right to free speech, a.k.a. the right to flood politics with enough money to have most elected officials beholden to them.

Anvilcloud said...

I finally looked up the location and was quite surprised.

William Kendall said...

As long as it doesn't detract too much from the falls, it's okay.

As for Doug Ford, combined with his verminous late brother, those two were the worst people ever elected to any position in Canadian history. He can join his brother in hell, the sooner the better.

JFM said...

Money and politics do not mix well!!!
The USA is proof of this.
When will politicians learn to listen to the people that they supposedly represent...I give-up~

Red said...

I'm afraid that Doug Ford is an ignorant buffoon like Trump.