A recommendation to not snowplow Acres Road from Kerr Line to the boat launch at the Ottawa River has been passed by Whitewater Region council.
There are three portions to Acres Road, and the third portion, which is currently not plowed, has no homes on it, noted physical services manager Janet Collins at the Jan. 24 council meeting. She said it is a seasonally maintained road allowance.
“I am recommending we do not commence plowing,” she said. “There are health and safety risks” to employees.
Explaining, she said that portion of the road can get significant snow drifts.
Councillor Chris Olmstead was concerned that if the road is not plowed, residents do not have access to the Ottawa River, noting there is no access to the Ottawa River between the Acres Road and La Passe boat launches.
Mayor Hal Johnson said during the summer months, Acres Road is well maintained right to the boat launch.
“That part of the road is very, very difficult to maintain in the winter,” he said.
Councillor Charlene Jackson agreed, preferring there be no winter maintenance.
“It’s not in the best interests to have access there for winter,” she said. “People can snowshoe, ski or use their four-wheeler, to go over the snow.
“We are not required to open it. There would be a huge cost factor to plow just for fishing.”
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin said the township is trying to draw people to the area, and yet not giving them access to the Ottawa River.
He noted on recent weekends, there have been as many as 10 people ice fishing in that area of the Ottawa River.
“We keep talking about recreation and promoting tourism,” he said. “That is the only place to get on the Ottawa River” besides at the Westmeath and La Passe boat launches.
He suggested possibly the grader could go down that portion of Acres Road once a week.
If there is ice fishing on that portion of the Ottawa River it will bring “a pile of people back,” Coun. McLaughlin said.
Ms. Collins noted that once the road is maintained, there is a liability to continue to maintain it to a certain level.
Coun. McLaughlin noted while there are no homes on that portion of the road, there is a farmer who feeds cattle down the road. He uses his own blower to clear a path and questioned if that would be a liability.
Ms. Collins said there will always be some liability, and she has not been approached by anyone to keep that portion of the road opened.
Council voted not to maintain that portion of Acres Road during the winter months with Councillors Olmstead and McLaughlin voting against.
