If the OMB appeal decision upholds the town’s rezoning to allow for a pyrolysis plant in town, work to create a local consortium to operate such a plant at 1 Hershey Dr. will begin, says Chris Saumure, representative of Tweed Hershey Drive Inc., owners of the facility.
Saumure confirmed the consortium doesn’t exist today, but said: “It will be. We’ll find out who wants to join in.”
The local businessman said he feels strongly that this type of incineration business is the way of the future, and has a place in Smiths Falls’ future growth.
“I think good things are happening in this town we just have to work together,” Saumure said.
Mark Greer, appellant in the OMB appeal against re-zoning the former chocolate plant to allow for pyrolysis, is adding this new possibility to the list of concerns he and other area residents have with the proposed business operating in the industrial park.
“How does he think that he’s going to start it up,” Greer questions.
Should the re-zoning stand, Greer said he suspects a group of concerned citizens will come together to monitor the project as it goes forward.
“Not right yet. That happens later. We want to find out what happens here,” Greer said of the OMB appeal process.
The possibility of a local consortium operating such a plant did create some questions on the part of M.C. Denhez, who heard the OMB appeal April 15 inside council chambers at town hall.
“Oh my. OK,” Denhez said.
He noted the personalities involved in the proposed operation are not the concern of the OMB who will make its decision backed on whether or not the policy and the proposed use are in harmony with each other.
Greer said felt the hearing went well.
“I think we got the point to him that we wanted. It’s just being investigated and that’s really what we wanted,” Greer said.
Saumure has said there has been a great deal of interest in 1 Hershey Dr. from businesses ranging from food processing to manufacturing.
“The flood gates have actually opened up this spring,” Saumure said. “We’ve got to create jobs. It’s as simple as that.”
When the plant is filled with a mix of businesses, Saumure said he plans to reopen the chocolate shop (he described it as a kiosk) where items from the plant businesses will be featured.
“So that we can get the chocolate shop back to where it was before,” Saumure said.
Article source: http://www.insideottawavalley.com/news-story/5559390-local-consortium-may-keep-pyrolysis-plant-on-hershey-drive/
