Residents ask questions during the Otter Creek Wind Farm public meeting at the Baldoon Golf and Country Club. July 19, 2016. (Photo by Natalia Vega)Residents ask questions during the Otter Creek Wind Farm public meeting at the Baldoon Golf and Country Club. July 19, 2016. (Photo by Natalia Vega)
Chatham

More Wind Farms Going Up In Chatham-Kent

Chatham-Kent could be seeing more wind turbines soon.

A public meeting was held at the Baldoon Golf and Country Club Tuesday night to let residents get a closer look at the proposed Otter Creek Wind Farm project.

Information boards were set up around the room with officials from Boralex Inc., stationed at different areas.

Residents looking at information boards set up during the Otter Creek Wind Farm public meeting at the Baldoon Golf and Country Club. July 19, 2016. (Photo by Natalia Vega) Residents looking at information boards set up during the Otter Creek Wind Farm public meeting at the Baldoon Golf and Country Club. July 19, 2016. (Photo by Natalia Vega)

Local resident Beverly Evans says the way the information was presented should have been different.

"I don't believe this type of forum is good," says Evans. "Nobody's speaking out. They (Boralex officials) are speaking to individual people and so far the two we've spoken to said 'I don't know we'll have to get someone else.'"

When it comes to the installation of wind farms Evans says she doesn't like the idea because it takes away from the landscape and has concerns with the issues brought up by Water Wells First in Dover township.

"I've hated them (wind farms) since we first started seeing them in Dover and going towards Windsor," says Evans.

Director of Development for Boralex Inc., Adam Rosso says the Otter Creek project is still in its early stages.

"The purpose of this open house is to review the REA process (Renewable Energy Approvals) as a kick-off meeting," says Rosso.

He says they are addressing concerns on water wells, by creating a database with information on where each water well is located so that it can be considered when deciding where to install wind turbines.

"We don't want to impact anyone's water wells with anything that we do," says Russo.

He says they're estimating that 19 turbines will be installed, but the locations have yet to be decided.

Councilor Leon Leclair attended the meeting and says he has heard concerns from residents regarding wind farms possibly doing damage to their water wells.

He says has also spoken to engineers working on the Otter Creek project and has been told that if there's an area with a lot of wells, they may use different methods of installing the wind turbines (instead of pile driving ) or change the location altogether.

"I support the wind mills coming in," says Leclair.

He says the last three wind mill projects in Tilbury, North-Kent and this Otter Creek project will bring in $7-million that will be invested into the community.

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