Bought or thinking of buying in the west end? Read this

[mart242]

UPDATE: It looks like Mattamy barrhaven will also have a dump problem of its own... see http://www.buildinghomes.ca/communit...ead.php?t=3995

Are you thinking of buying in the west-end or have you already bought there? Here are some important facts that you should know about the Carp dump. I thought that I'd help potential buyers with clear and concise info. As a buyer, you should be informed about all of these things and the sales rep never do. I have bought in JacksonTrails and when I did, I wasn't informed properly of what was happening with the Carp dump. I am not saying that you should not buy (hey, I did), I'm just saying that this is information that any potential buyer needs to know.

As you might know, or not, this big mountain at the right of the Scotiabank place is a dump. Yes, it's a mountain of garbage, and it stinks.



Lots of people don't know that it is. If it's your case, now is the time to get informed. The dump doesn't look high on the first picture so here's how high it really is (23 stories high):



Some might say: well, I'm buying in Kanata (or Nepean), not Carp or Stittsville, why would I care? Here's why you should. This map shows the complaints received about the dump smell.



Note: I know, the new residential areas don't have much color (ie: complaints) on them. That's because no one lives there or drives by there. The latest odour complaints statistics and maps can be found there:
http://www.nodump.ca/odourreports/

Here is a map that shows the new residential developments in the west-end. Note how a good part of it is right under the odour plume.




Now, the really important stuff:

The sales rep might have told you "Don't worry about the dump, we don't smell it and it will be closing in 2009 or 2010". That's not true: Waste Management (the operator of the dump) wants to expand it to 3 times as big as it is now so that it lasts another 25 years. Yes, 3 times as big. You saw on the odour complaint map how far away it smells. Imagine with a dump 3 times as big. If you buy in the west end, it will impact you. A few other interesting facts about why it shouldn't be there in the first place are included there: http://www.nodump.ca/nodumpflyer.pdf


If you've already bought in the west-end (like me, I bought in Jackson Trails... after being led to believe that it would close in 2010), well you have to do something about it and make sure that it doesn't expand. Go to www.nodump.ca for all the details and join the fight:

- voice your opinion to your councillors, the ministry of the environment, the mayor, your MPP, the news papers, your friends. Tell people about it.

- Tell your builder / potential builder that they should voice their opinion and say publicly that they are against the dump

- Complain using the www.nodump.ca odour complaint form everytime you smell the dump, either driving by, visiting someone or shopping somewhere.

- Sign the petition and have your friends and family sign it http://www.nodump.ca/petition.pdf (before March 12th 2007)

- Volunteer your time if you have some. I know that nodump.ca is always looking for voluteers. So is ottawalandfillwatch.org and the various associations in the areas surrounding the dump

- Donate some $$$ if you can (to print and distribute flyers, signs, pay for legal stuff, ...). All these associations are looking for money

If you have any questions, please ask.

Note: the source material I used all comes from www.nodump.ca. I believe that they have their material is accurate. The maps I used were from a presentation made last night which included the mayor, some councilors and Norm Sterling. The full presentation is there:
http://www.nodump.ca/coalition%20pre...206feb2007.pdf

[mart242]

Some more info since I couldn't post more images in my first post:

Here's how big the expanded dump would be. If it was downtown Ottawa, it would go from Elgin to Lyon and from Wellington to Gladstone.

[GreyingJay]

Excellent info, mart. I hope that people submitting comments on the WM ToR are using those maps and population figures.

Now THAT post is what should have gone out by way of flyers sent to neighborhoods in Stittsville and Kanata. Clear and concise.

If you're thinking to yourself "but I never smell the dump" -- think carefully, are you sure? You might have thought it was manure from nearby farmer's fields, or something from a local sewer. It might have been faint, or very strong, depending on the weather and winds that day. "Look for" the smell, and chances are there will be days when you can smell it. And when you do, report it!

[mart242]

Thanks. I'm hoping that nodump will change the flyer. See the other forum.

I have read this information, and have visited the nodump.ca. I was just curious why there are no names on that website. When you want to contact someone it goes to a generic address. Why is that? Do the folks that are on the executive have something to hide. They are criticizing waste management for not being trasparent, and yet on their own website, they are not.

[mart242]

Originally Posted by goupnorth

I have read this information, and have visited the nodump.ca. I was just curious why there are no names on that website. When you want to contact someone it goes to a generic address. Why is that? Do the folks that are on the executive have something to hide. They are criticizing waste management for not being trasparent, and yet on their own website, they are not.

Post that on the nodump.ca forum. I'm sure someone will answer you about this one.

[mart242]

Suggestion for those who think that "yeah, the landfill will be fine, I'm sure that waste management will do a good case study and the ministry of the environment will only approve it if it's fine". Take a look at the Terms of References (what WM will study) and how many holes it has:

ToR: http://www.nodump.ca/information.html
Example of comments from someone: http://www.quickfileupload.com/456262

What WM did is a joke. The first batch of comments (similar to those above) were completely ignored.

Deadline for comments is tomorrow night, by email or fax.

[mart242]

Quick reminder: the petitions are due next month so don't forget... you can also send what you have filled now so that nodump can take care of them and count them.

[yuppy]

Hello,

It seems that ppl @ nodump are still working very hard at protecting our interests with regards to the issue in this thread!

Here's something else you can do:

Generate a letter to the politicians in 1 minute!! Very easy stuff! Takes no time and has the potential of making a huge difference. You can generate a letter based on issues that concern you...or you can even re-write the whole thing! Total freedom!

Provincial elections are creeping up! Once you enter your postal code you'll be able to click on '?' beside a politicians list and you can find out who your local Federal and Provincial representatives are!

[mart242]

Originally Posted by yuppy

Generate a letter to the politicians in 1 minute!! Very easy stuff! Takes no time and has the potential of making a huge difference. You can generate a letter based on issues that concern you...or you can even re-write the whole thing! Total freedom!

Another thing: you can even submit a letter if you are not directly impacted by the carp dump or if you live outside Ottawa. Just select the appropriate option in step 1 of the letter generator.