WHITEWATER REGION (Cobden) — On September 4, the Transportation Services Committee recommended the Council of the Township of Whitewater Region approve the award of Tender 2019-21 Screen Sanding & Pit Overburden Stripping to Buchanan’s Sand & Gravel Limited at a cost of approximately $28.6 thousand for sand screening, plus around $8.4 thousand for pit overburden stripping.
The 2019 operating budget was approved in the amount of $35 thousand. Buchanan’s total bid after HST Rebate is $33,397.65, which is within the allotted budget. H & H Construction Inc bid around $92 thousand, R.G.T. Clouthier Construction bid around $76 thousand, Bonnechere Excavating Inc. bid around $109 thousand and McCrea Equipment Rentals bid around $52 thousand.
Motioned by Mayor Moore and seconded by Councillor Chris Olmstead, it was carried to award Tender 2019-21 to Buchanan’s Sand & Gravel Limited.
The Township annually tenders for screening of sand at the Township owned aggregate pit, located at 1033 Government Road. The Township must strip the overburden and undertake clearing and grubbing to access the sand material. They must also provide a buffer around the active pit face in order to meet health and safety requirements which are in keeping with the Aggregate Resources Act. This work is not necessarily undertaken annually but on an as-needed basis.
The Township states they were made aware of Bank Swallows nesting in the banks of the pit and was required to obtain permission from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP), because the bank swallow is an at-risk species.
According to the Township, they obtained a letter of advice which permitted the destruction and removal of bank swallow nests outside of the breeding season. Their breeding season is generally April 15 to August 31, or the date when the young are last seen in the nest, whichever is later.
Moving forward, the Township says it will look at methods of preventing the birds from building nests in the pit face by physically blocking access to nest sites using materials such as chicken wire, tarps or netting, creating visual deterrents by hanging flagging tape and sloping the banks in a manner that deters building of nests.
If unsuccessful, moving forward on an annual basis the Township states they will need to ensure that activities are conducted outside of the bird’s breading season.
