The Ontario Ministry of Transportation has closed HWY 35 south of Ronville Road due to a washout. Road crews are on the scene.
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I believe that this unfortunate washout is likely the result of our premier disregarding the dam management plan undertaken by the Town of Huntsville. Every property owner within the precinct was made aware of how the dam project worked.
A beaver dam on your property meant you were ‘dam responsible’. The town indicated they would send people, or possible do a fly over with a ‘dam aware’ drone, to evaluate the soundness of the structure and alert the property owner as to the dam integrity. If it was deemed questionable the town reserved the right to cross private property to get to the dam site. A ‘cease work’ would be issued. If the property owner couldn’t or wouldn’t deal with the dam, the town would. If it was necessary to remove the structure, it would be done by the town. The people who allowed the rodents to dam their creek would get the dam removal bill.
There was some talk of issuing a license to allow such dam structures to be built on ones’ property. A sort of ‘dam license’. That dam addendum was dropped as it was considered unworkable. Most of the dam workers, the beaver, could neither read nor write and would be unable to complete the dam test. This could be construed as unconstitutional since the town would be denying the beavers the right to make a living. It was becoming a bit of a dam quandary.
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There were a few other ‘dam points’ considered, but the dam by-law was felt to be clear (as mud) and the town never wanted it to get too ‘dam’ complicated.
I think the photo at the head of the Commentary section “Just how government works” was taken after Premier Ford was made aware of the town’s dam by-law.
Some people have been inconvenienced for sure but no one was injured That’s a good thing.
Beavers are Canadian and fabulous engineers.
Looks like the exact same place it washed out back in the late 1980’s. Those darn pesky Beavers at work!
I’ll bet their dam was built without a permit.