Summary
Our October 18, 2013 presentation to the Township of Muskoka Lakes Council detailed dangers to in-water recreation of the proposed project, and showed that other hydro-electric generating stations do not have nearby in-water recreation so they do not have the public safety problems the proposed Bala project would have.
The proponent’s only answer is; people shouldn’t be swimming at the base of the Bala North Falls anyways. That is, the proponent refuses to accept that people always have, and always will enjoy summers in the water at the Bala North Falls.
So the proponent has a big public safety problem – as would any organization facilitating this mess of a proposed project.
Now the proponent is requesting to use valuable Township land during construction. We therefore ask “What would the municipality’s liability be for facilitating the construction of this dangerous proposed project”.
Given that the public’s continued access to this Township land is important to the area’s economy, it is clearly best that the Township refuse to help this dangerous proposed project along in any way.
Detail
On October 18, 2013 we had the opportunity to delegate to the Township of Muskoka Lakes Council on the topic of public safety. As detailed in our presentation;
- The operation of the proposed Bala generating station would be particularly dangerous because:
- It would operate in cycled operation an average of 46 days every summer. This means it would start operation at a required flow rate of about 24 m³/s at about noon on more than ⅓ of summer days. It is important to note that during cycled operation, the proposed station would run at about the same flow rate as the full capacity of the Bracebridge Falls Generating Station – which has a large warning sign: Extreme Danger, Keep Out, Swift Currents & Undertow May Occur At Any Time.
- The proposed Bala generating station would run at full capacity (which would be 96 m³/s – 3½ times that of the Bracebridge Generating Station) an average of 21 days every summer. And note that while most of the flow from Lake Muskoka now enters the Moon River through the Bala South Channel, if the proposed generating station was built, this fast water would be brought 250′ closer to the very popular in-water recreation area at the base of the Bala North Falls.
- It would operate in cycled operation an average of 46 days every summer. This means it would start operation at a required flow rate of about 24 m³/s at about noon on more than ⅓ of summer days. It is important to note that during cycled operation, the proposed station would run at about the same flow rate as the full capacity of the Bracebridge Falls Generating Station – which has a large warning sign: Extreme Danger, Keep Out, Swift Currents & Undertow May Occur At Any Time.
- Clearly, these are both extremely dangerous conditions, but would only be a risk to public safety if there were people nearby. As shown in our presentation, other hydro-electric generating stations simply do not have people, residences, docks, and boats nearby. But the Bala Falls are unique as they are popular, accessible, and people have always been and will always be nearby in the water.
That is, the Bala Falls are different, and simply not a safe place for a hydro-electric generating station. So our message to Township Council is, protect yourself and the public; don’t let the proponent’s public safety problems become your problems, don’t get involved with this proposed project by facilitating it in any way.
Our previous presentation on public safety is here.