Bala Falls Hydro Project: Part #27

Bala Falls circa 1940

The latest development is a shame or a sham.

This has gone on so long (since 2008, see below), for a dam built to exploit the water a long, long time ago (1940)! Swift River is trying to redevelop it, to harness the energy, and some locals have been vitriolic in their protests.

 The lack of development is a testament to some romantic citizens who are unprepared to move into the new millennium. The mayor introduced an agenda item in camera, that the anti-Bala Falls Hydro Dam opponents didn't like and they simply left the meeting. They were details of the rental agreement between Swift River Energy and the township. The project is a go, but still some are dragging their heels in the dust, including councillors.

Dangerous swimming, with young kids.
Two adults drowned here in the undertow.

They've been duly elected to carry out the business of the region. They should have their remuneration deducted. You shouldn't fight city hall if you are elected to city hall. Those of us in favour are silenced by fear. Well, some of us! I've been unfriended on Facebook by someone who thought the councillors were in the right for storming out and stopping the meeting.

They had options. You can object to the motion as Out of Order, if it wasn't properly presented. You can vote against it. Leaving the meeting is simply ignorant. The councillors could have raised an objection, and had the chair rule that it was inadmissible.

Walking away from a meeting is ridiculous. More tactics by this group, which has included lies, attempted bribery, ridiculous signage, blocking the work of the council by permitting this issue to

View from Margaret Burgess Park,
(which will not change after the redevelopment)
swimming will still be dangerous.

dominate the business of council.

To quote my friend, Norah Fountain,

Walking away from that duty may delay the inevitable, but it isn’t democratic, responsible or ethical.

She has written more:
Commentary: Are Township Councilors representing us well when they walk out of public session, stopping sharing of Council decisions? Read Councilor walk out undemocratic...
Bala Falls Update: It's back to court for Save the Bala Falls and Township of Muskoka Lakes... Read about Save the Bala Falls appeal

 

  Bala Falls

 Hydro Project -part 1

Sept. 09, 2008

Bala Falls Dambusters - Hydro Project part 2  Bala Falls Hydro Issues part 2.2
Bala Falls Hydro Project -part 3
Bala Falls saga - post 4
points of view Bala Falls hydro part 5
trouble in Dodge City/ AKA Bala Falls Hydro Project part 6
Verdict is in - part 7
Fearmongering Bala Falls Part 8
Bala Falls- A Guest Post part 9
Bala Falls - errors and lies Part 10
Bala Hydro Project - letter to the editor part 11
Poor old Bala Falls = part 12

Stakeholders in Bala Falls part 13
Bala Falls Hydro Project part 14
and still they fall in Bala part 15
Bala Falls Hydro Project Misinformation part 16
Bala Falls Hydro Project part 17
Look who is running! part 18
Good press or bad press? part 19
Bala Falls - a 2nd guest post Part 20
Bala Falls Hydro Project - a 3rd guest post Part 21
Appearance of bribery in Muskoka Lakes part22
Bala Falls Hydro Project Saga part 23
Hydro projects in Ontario: Bala, now Almonte part 24
Swift River Hydro Project in Bala part 25
Bala Falls Hydro Project part 26

And, this one!
Mayors behaving badly – how does yours stack up?

Bala Falls Hydro Project part #26

CTV News has been covering this issue for ages. They get people on swearing that this is a heritage site, and historical. It may have been, but that changed in the 50s when they built a dam to maintain the height of the river for profit: tourism.

Swift River Hydro Project in Bala part 25

Huntsville protestor Peggy Peterson's
occupancy

I don't understand the notion of 'energy pirates.'
The water is a clean, renewable source of energy. We've got to do much more of this or our great-grandchildren will pay the price. This area was 'destroyed' by the hydro plant in the early years of Muskoka's development.

Those who profit from summer tourists, exploited the Aboriginal Peoples, and began logging in the 1800s, needed a stable water level. This ship has sailed. The dam is already there. It already maintains a water flow, why not harness its power? Swift River did many public consultations. I attended some. There were many there who were impressed by the Community Engagement.

People who are afraid to speak out at this point, due to the vitriol, anger, rumours, Bala Falls - errors and lies, and ridiculously romantic points of view.

The North Falls Dam dates from 1873

One Swift River Energy financier is a cottager. All are business people, all are investors who want to harness the power of the water. WTH? Whites have exploited this waterway for hundreds of years. It's time to harness the power for good purposes.

The former mayor, Alice Murphy, who led the charge against this project, didn't want her view of the highway spoiled from her rich 'cottage' property. She wants the trees to remain on this narrow band of land.

Bala Falls

 The lack of clear information was sadly lacking until Norah Fountain, of Muskoka News Watch,  began asking questions.

Recently, she was pushed by a male citizen, while trying to ask questions, take photos, and seek clarity on the issues. It is shameful.

A minor assault is one thing, but telling me I shouldn’t care about Bala because I’m from Torrance? Ouch.

Mob mentality, I’m so sad for you and for my beloved Bala, Norah. It’s shameful that citizens cannot respect you. You have been faithful at covering this issue through thick and thin; snow, rain, sleet and hail. And hell.

Shameful, in this day and age and with recent news stories, that a man would shove you.

Who overcomes by force hath overcome but half his foe.  ~John Milton, poet (1608-1674) 

Their duly elected provincial politicians have created plans for the town, and the municipal politicians, business owners and rich cottage owners, are fighting them. At what cost?

This is a discouraging word for visitors.

Tourism. Signs that clutter and shame those who live in a democracy. New residents who avoid the area due to this controversy. I laud you for covering this ridiculous example of a small town that doesn’t tolerate differences of opinion. I am so glad to have moved away, despite being a landowner in Bala for 50 years. My parents are rolling in their graves in Muskoka, with a town slowly dying and fighting over meager plots of land.

The signage has been frightening. Realtors have told stories of potential residents being frightened off by this signage.

Now, a filmmaker has a video trailer out, protesting the rebuilding of the hydro dam.

It's hilarious! "...trying to stop a hydro plant from destroying their town". There was a working hydro plant. They shut it down. It did not destroy the town then. Economics will destroy Bala. There isn't enough for tourists to buy, do or see. Tourists breeze through on their way to the cottages. Businesses are closing. There is little employment. THAT is destroying the town.

This is where two bodies were recovered

It's a lovely picnic spot.

Taking toddlers here to swim?

It's a working dam right now

People have this romantic image of the falls. They want to swim in the falls, which has proven dangerous. There are beaches about. People leave garbage, I've seen old diapers left behind.

The signage is clear

NIMBY meeting

They are concerned with the trees in 'Project Area #1'. When they built the highway through, they took away a fair number of trees. The highway used to go under the railway bridge, the lower right of the 'Y'.

What they protest? The loss of 24 trees on Turtle Isl.,
middle forefront

This photo was taken, by request,
from the former mayor's property in 2009.
She doesn't want her view spoiled.

Purks Place, which is leased land. This is where peggy Peterson has been 'occupying' a spot. She lives in Huntsville.

The ancient building is falling apart. It looks so sad. The town has gone through many iterations. The Kee has been there for years.

Purks Place - boat rentals, bait, etc.
Moss on the roof.

The Balacade is for sale. 

Bala Hydro plant in the 50s

nasty signage

The same month of the 2 drownings

Bala Falls

Hydro projects in Ontario: Bala, now Almonte part 24

Things are heating up in Almonte, with people protesting the hydro redevelopment of a dam. It reminds me of the big protests in Bala. The signage is scary for tourists. Those against the dam in Almonte have created models and illustrations of the project. There is much signage protesting the Enerdu Hydro Project in Almonte.

Almonte's dam is huge, and the banks of the river overflowed in the quick spring melt.

The old dam building, flooding foreground

Poor Barley Mow buildings -flooded

Then there is Bala, Ontario

The municipal election (Ontario: Oct. 27 ) in Muskoka Lakes is getting ridiculous. It all revolves around the redesign of the Bala Falls hydro dam. Now disengaged, the dam used to provide power but was considered too small to keep going.

Swift River Energy has applied for and gotten acceptance to install a dam. Bala cottagers and residents have protested for years. It's resulted in bad signage and people not wanting to live there.

People are choosing not to live in Bala, the signage scares them, the fighting amongst a duly elected body is wrong. All of this for a small piece of land surrounded by expensive 'cottages' and the mayor who wants to keep her pretty view, across the bay from the dam.

Muskoka Lakes has real issues: drug abuse, employment, sustainability, and the like.

Bird flipping gesture just the latest in ongoing Bala Falls saga

A photo showing Swift River Energy Ltd’s Bala Falls Project Manager Karen McGhee flipping the bird to a Save the Bala Falls supporter has been sent to the Moose...

I'd be ticked off, too! McGhee and others had been followed around town, and Sandy Currie (an anti-Bala Falls Hydro Project protester) taking photos of people in public places, saying he just 'happened' to be there is just wrong.

Then it gets worse:

Muskoka Lakes election candidates asked to take polygraph tests Re: Bala Falls

Candidates in this year’s Muskoka Lakes Township election race have been challenged to take polygraph tests to prove they ‘aren’t on the take’ with developers. The latest in the Bala Falls controve...