A wind turbine project planned for the northwest corner of Clearview has been cancelled.
This week, the Ontario Power Association (OPA) confirmed to the Echo that the Skyway 124 Wind Energy Project, which was to be located between Singhampton and Maple Valley, has been terminated.
John Cannella, Media Relations Specialist at the OPA would not provide reasons for the termination, citing confidentiality issues, even though the OPA’s contract with Skyway is no longer in force.
However, Jan Minduik, member of a local citizen’s group opposing the project, speculated in an email this week that Skyway abandoned the project because of the high cost of connecting to the grid and because the original proposal of 15 turbines had been reduced to only three.
Derek Tennant, President of Skyway, said the termination was the result of a “mutual agreement with the OPA.” He would not elaborate.
In 2009, Skyway proposed erecting 15 industrial wind turbines – which it later reduced to three – along the 11th Concession of Nottawasaga, east of County Road 124.
The proposal has been fought by a Singhampton community group since the beginning. “I am ecstatic,” said Minduik, who is a member of the group.
The group believes that wind turbines create health problems, reduce property values, destroy the landscape and increase hydro costs.
By distributing pamphlets, holding meetings and hosting guest speakers, its members sought to educate residents of Clearview about the disadvantages of the proposed turbines.
“Our community has been an unwilling host to industrial wind turbines ever since 2009. We fought long and hard as a group to make sure our community did not become invaded with industrial wind turbines,” Minduik said.