Time for new faces on town council

September 19, 2014 · 0 Comments

I believe all things in life can be categorized as right, and wrong.
Seven years ago, my wife and I purchased 35 acres and dreamed of converting 18 of those acres, a former shallow pit, into productive land.
We planted 6,000 trees. That failed. We decided to restore the land to its former use — farmland. We offered the land to a well-known farmer who agreed to prepare the soil and farm it correctly. We created topographical maps to show the grades to respect the natural irrigation, and agreed to restore the drainage to our neighbour’s property.
After the pit was abandoned in the early ‘80s, part of his land was rendered useless for farming due to poor rehabilitation.
Today, more than two years after starting the process, the pit still stands, the trees continue to struggle and die, and I am no closer to the goal and adding 18 acres of farmland to our community.
That folks, is wrong. Why? Obstacles. Many obstacles.
I have been searching for a champion — someone to wave the flag at Town council, and at Credit Valley Conservation to find solutions, not obstacles.
Two weeks ago, I received a flyer in the mail from Barb Shaughnessy. She is running for Regional councillor in Ward 1. I was impressed with her priorities. They align with mine. With all due respect to the incumbent members of Town council, it’s time for change. We need fresh ideas and a renewed agenda to protect our farmland, respect the existing taxpayer/homeowner/landowner and leave a legacy which supports the claim that we are indeed the greenest community in North America.
I will be supporting Barb in the upcoming election. That, to me, is right.
Brian Gordon
Caledon village