Dear Representatives,
I am a long time resident of Bala, and happen to live in the middle of Lake Muskoka and the Moon River. The Bala Falls are the most valuable asset which our town has had since its incorporation. The falls serve as a magnificent backdrop for both local residents and seasonal visitors from which to discover the many ecological and socio-cultural treasures of our town. Furthermore, the bio-diversity which is found among the rocks, the water, and the shoreline of both the Lake which feed into the falls and the River which receive its flow are an integral part of our local and regional heritage.
The effort of the Provincial government to find homes for renewable sources of energy is a first step towards a much larger environmental shift which is taking shape in Canada and throughout the world. Yet, mindful placement of these faculties needs to take top priority. In the case of the Bala Falls, there seems to be a significant lack of value being placed on the fact that our main natural asset is also the main site to which we present our thousands of visitors every year. Yes, the Falls could serve as a model site of the new renewable, but at what cost to the town? There would most likely not be one single person in the population of Bala and surrounding areas who have not enjoyed sharing the other type of renewable energy at the falls. This type of energy is called inter-generational energy. We all know that the human relationship to the environment is need of some new solutions, but why destroy a resource that serves to enhance the quality of life for families. We seek new types of fuel for the next generations, but perhaps we need to take look at what we already have and fight to educate others about protecting assets that already exist.
Thank-you for your time and consideration.
Wendy (Stimson) de Gomez
BA, Political Science, MES, Masters of Environmental Studies (candidate)