'Catastrophe waiting to happen': Mount Albert residents decry proposed pit

Rice Commercial Group proposing to fill former Overholt Pit on McCowan Road

Yorkregion.com
February 27, 2020
Simon Martin

When Jonathan Arnold brings his three and five-year-old kids down their driveway to catch the bus, he worries for their safety. McCowan Road has gotten quite busy with dump trucks in recent years, with Strada Aggregates operating a site on the road. Now Rice Commerical Group is seeking to fill the former Overholt Pit right across the road from Arnold’s house on McGowan Road.

“There is no escaping the danger outside our door,” Arnold said. ““There is no good reason to fill this pit other than it makes (company CEO) Mike Rice rich. It’s time to say enough is enough.”

More than 50 Mount Albert residents have signed a petition stating their opposition to pit and they gave East Gwillimbury council a piece of their mind at a public meeting Feb. 19 about the site.

Many moved to McCowan Road for the peace and quiet of the rural community.

“We have solar panels on our roof. We have geothermal on our backfields. We raise our own chicken, beef, lamb, eggs and vegetables. Do you think we’re the type of people that want to listen to truck traffic everyday?,” Arnold said.   

James Henry moved to McCowan Road 10 years ago for peace and quiet but that solitude is hard to realize as trucks start driving by at 4:30 a.m., he said. "I’m disappointed that we are going to get this little hole filled,” he said.

Carmen Lunardi bought property on McCowan Road to build his retirement home, but now he is wondering if he actually wants to retire in the area saying there probably is more peace and quiet at his home in Newmarket.

Others voiced their concerns about the effect that 150 trucks a day -- the maximum under the proposed plan -- would have on safety. A spokesperson for Rice Commercial Group said the proposed maximum trips a day was reduced from 200 to 150 to help alleviate traffic concerns.

“These guys are blowing by houses. There is no respect for the speed limits,” resident Michael Kramer said about the current truck traffic.

That sentiment was echoed by Robert Pratt who wondered what is going to be done about speed limit enforcement on Davis Drive.

The pit is totally unsuitable for the area as there is a dog park and the York Regional Forest along the road, resident Janet Rae said. “The road is not built for it,” she said. “It is a catastrophe waiting to happen.”  

Mandy Goreski said truck volume from the existing gravel operation on McCowan Road is already causing major congestion problem

“The majority of residents do not want this,” Alexis Kidd said.   

Other concerns raised by residents at the meeting included the integrity of their wells and dust.

Council members listened to the public comment but held their cards close to the vest.

“It’s not an easy decision for council. It’s a decision we are not going to make lightly,” East Gwillimbury Mayor Virginia Hackson said. “We are not going to rush this.”

According to a town staff report McCowan Road has the capacity for approximately 7,000 vehicles per day. Future projected traffic on the road, not taking the proposed new fill operation into account, show the road is approximately at 10.6 per cent of capacity. The fill operation would increase that to 14.8 per cent with an extra 300 trips from dump trucks.

The staff report also says that if it gets permission to fill the pit, Rice Group will implement improvements at the intersection of McCowan Road and Davis Drive, including a left-turn lane from Davis Drive to northbound McCowan Road. An improved, right-turn taper lane is also proposed at the entrance to the site on McCowan Road.

The town also says that if the project is approved speed display boards will be displayed in both directions on Mount Albert Road as a traffic-calming measure.

According to a 2018 traffic study, trucks represent 18 per cent of traffic on the road.

Many residents suggested that the entrance to the site should be on Mount Albert Road and not McCowan Road. But according to town staff, providing a driveway via Mount Albert Road was investigated and was determined to be impossible because the property is owned by another party.

Council will make its decision at a future council meeting.