THE OBSERVER
» Saturday, April 23, 2011
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Kings in a tough spot after dropping a pair > STORY ON PG. 19
VOLUME.....16 ISSUE..........16
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2011
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Candidates square off as election heads into home stretch
Kitchener-Conestoga still leaning Conservative; national projection sees another minority Elizabeth Bate
W
ith pollsters continuing to predict another Tory minority, it was business as usual at the KitchenerConestoga all candidates debate held at the Woolwich Memorial Centre Apr. 18. Jets, jails, early elections
and coalitions seemed to be the topics of the evening, and with each new question asked, both the Conservative and Liberal candidates managed a dig at the other to resounding audience applause. After an audience question regarding the Conservative ownership of Lib-
eral candidate Dr. Bob Rosehart’s domain name, debate moderator Joe Pavia had to cut off comments, telling candidates if they wished to discuss the topic further they would have to “take it outside.” “I think this is classic case of what is wrong with Ca-
nadian politics. Most people turn off their television when these attack ads (come on),” said Rosehart. “Politics is a contact sport.” Although constituents may be familiar with the faces of Rosehart, Conservative candidate Harold Albrecht and NDP representative
Lorne Bruce, the debate was the first public forum for newly-appointed Green Party candidate Albert Ashley. He was convinced to be a candidate after calling the national Green party to volunteer as a can-
> SEE ELECTION ON PG. 09
Visual impacts prompt review of Jigs Hollow pit Council requests more information following presentation by concerned residents Steve Kannon
A
neighbour’s take on the visual impacts of a proposed gravel pit near Winterbourne – a stark contrast to the version presented by the applicant’s consultant – has Woolwich councillor rethinking a decision made by their predecessors. In a presentation to coun-
cil Apr. 19, Jan Huissoon showed a series of photos of the landscape Conestogo and Winterbourne residents can realistically expect if a bid by Kuntz Topsoil, Sand and Gravel goes through. He was joined by to other area residents calling on the township to reconsider its tentative approval for the project. Councillors were swayed
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by their arguments, opting to look at an enhanced, peerreviewed visual-impacts study. That may have to be done in the context of an overall reconsideration of last November’s vote by the previous council. Along with the photographs, Huissoon’s illustrations of what the site would look like with berms and
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gravel stockpiles in place hit the mark. The previous council’s decision came without enough information to assess the negative visual impacts on the valley, he said, painting a picture of a horizon filled by a gravel pit operation, including piles of gravel 20 metres in height. “If the previous council
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Opinion...............10 Business.............13
had been aware of these [views], they would not have passed it.” If approved, the Kuntz pit, which would occupy a third of the valley, could lead other landowners to seek gravel licences, he added. In light of this information, and the absence of a
> SEE GRAVEL ON PG. 08
Living Here..........15 Sports................19
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