Further Great Gate Debate fails to change policy; gate remains closed

By a narrow 5-4 vote, Kincardine council has decided to stick with its policy and keep the gate closed between Upper Lorne Beach Road and Victoria Street in Inverhuron, when Highway 21 and Bruce County Road 23 (B-line) are closed because of a snowstorm - except in the case of an emergency.

Arguments on both sides of the Great Gate Debate were presented to council in committee-of-the-whole last night (Aug. 12), but to no avail.
 

The policy, adopted Jan. 16, 2008, states that the emergency access (gate) is to be used upon special request from Bruce Power to allow buses and/or emergency vehicles to transport essential staff during the closure of Highway 21 and the B-line. There is a procedure to follow to allow the access gate to be opened, and those openings are to be very short durations, supervised by the South Bruce OPP as staffing permits.

Chief administrative officer Murray Clarke told council last night that in 2011, the municipality assumed Upper Lorne Beach Road. The following year, an agreement between the municipality and Bruce County was signed for winter maintenance of portions of the B-line and Bruce County Road 15 in conjunction with the emergency access policy.

"Prior to implementation of the policy, Bruce County Road 23 was typically closed at MacCaskill Road (during a snowstorm)," said Clarke. "The process is under way to renew this agreement. If a decision is taken to abandon the current policy, it is expected that in severe winter storm conditions, the OPP would revert to the practice of closing the county road at MacCaskill Road. Consequently, the section of county road from MacCaskill Road to Lorne Beach Road would be off limits to all motorists, other than emergency responders and county road equipment."

He said that Jan. 23, 2015, the stakeholders, including the OPP, Bruce Power and municipal staff, met again to review the policy. All agreed that the policy worked well and should remain as written, as an "emergency route" for Bruce Power employee buses.

Clarke said both the Kincardine and Tiverton fire stations have a key to the gate, as do the public works crews. "By creating the road connection with the gated access, we have improved the ability for emergency services to respond; previously, there was no alternative access during road closures."

As for opening the gate to traffic during storm events, Clarke said there are concerns, including the following:
 

• The design and contours of the road are fine for an emergency access, but inappropriate to become a major residential or minor collector road handling high volumes of traffic on a regular basis
• The route ceases to become an "emergency" access road if large volumes of traffic restrict access for emergency services
• If the weather is that bad, people should shelter in place and not drive anywhere
• The road width (on Victoria Street) does not allow for the simultaneous passage of a plow or fire truck and another vehicle which could lead to a hazardous road blockage in adverse conditions

Clarke said staff is recommending no change to the current policy.

Michael Smith of Ratepayers First, agreed with staff, and said a survey of Inverhuron residents indicated that most also agree with leaving the policy as is.

Ken Young, who has lived on the B-line for 55 years, emphatically disagreed, urging council to open the gate when Highway 21 is closed to keep the community safe.

"Why are we catering to Bruce Power employees only?" he asked. "Why is the gate open to them and emergency vehicles only? This affects the whole community. The OPP would revert to closing the B-line at MacCaskill so nobody north of there could use it? That sounds like a threat to me.

"We are just asking that the gate be open when Highway 21 is closed - that's the only time. Michael Smith's survey had 56 respondents. In January, we presented a petition with 255 signatures in favour of our proposal."

He took offence that the proposal was not even considered as one of the options. "You have to make things safer for the people of this community. Try it for a two-year trial period - when Highway 21 is closed between Kincardine and Port Elgin, the gate at Upper Lorne Beach Road is open; once the highway is open, the gate is closed."

Robert Taylor, a resident of Victoria Street, stated once more that those most affected by a change in this policy, do not want increased traffic on their road, and want the gate to remain closed except in the case of an emergency.

He urged council to concentrate on safety issues with Highway 21 and the B-line, rather than opening Victoria Street to the public during a snowstorm. "The OPP closes roads in the winter for the safety of motorists in very poor weather. Stay off the road so police can deal with the problems that are already there."

Terry Boyd of Inverhuron asked to speak and was granted permission of council. He said the policy does not address the health and safety of the residents of Inverhuron.

"What protocol is in place for them?" he asked. "My daughter suffers from MS and is in a wheelchair. She attends the Kincardine Day Away program twice a week. The weather can change dramatically. Last winter, we received a call that the police were going to close Highway 21. Why is there no protocol to address situations like this?"

Deputy mayor Jacqueline Faubert said she spoke to emergency services and there is no way that Boyd's daughter would have been stranded in Kincardine. "We need to make this information more widely available," she said.

As for where the OPP would close the B-line on a stormy day, Faubert welcomed South Bruce OPP constable Paul Richardson, acting staff-sergeant, to field that question. He said the road closures are based on the road conditions, not whether this emergency access policy is in place.

Regarding proper procedure, mayor Anne Eadie said the OPP and emergency services all have protocols they follow during severe winter weather and road closures.

Richardson said the local public works department and council provide road access so the police can respond to calls. "If we need that emergency access, we can use it."

With reference to rural students being stranded at schools in Kincardine, Eadie said there used to be a policy to billet children in town. Councillor Linda McKee said that's still in effect.

"So, if council changes this policy, will the OPP throw a fit?" asked councillor Randy Roppel.

"No," said Richardson.

"And not Bruce Power either," said Roppel, adding that the roadway in question is a through road so the gate is no longer needed. "We're putting ourselves at risk if someone dies because that gate was closed."

"What if somebody dies because we opened the gate?" asked councillor Laura Haight. "It's just for Category A employees at Bruce Power, not everyone, and for emergency services. As chair of the police services board, I am supporting the policy as is."

"I agree," said councillor Maureen Couture. "If the roads are closed, nobody has to go anywhere; stay at home."

Faubert said if the decision were made to open the gate, then the police could end up closing Victoria Street as well. She suggested another option might be to return Victoria Street to a private road and not maintain it any longer.

In a 5-4 vote, committee-of-the-whole agreed to stick with the current policy. That recommendation comes to council for approval Sept. 2.