July 7 - Community Update
770 Acres Hits The Airwaves!
Kudos Kudos to Punkeydoodles Steve Todd, a local musician who has written a song “770 Acres” about the Wilmot Fight For Farmland that already has thousands of plays on YouTube. This week Steve and our song was featured in an extensive interview by Mike Farwell on 570 News, and also on the Craig Norris Morning Show on CBC Radio KW, with upcoming interviews by Martin de Groot on Promenade Community Radio Magazine, and Jeff Stager’s Agriculture Show on CKMS 102.7FM.
Check it out and enjoy the music “770 Acres” Song Written By Steve Todd:
Update and Clarifications on the Fight For Farmland
Recently, Regional Officials have stated publicly that land negotiations are going well, and some properties have been acquired for the proposed industrial mega-site. We want to clarify and provide some perspective on this. While there have been lots of high-pressure tactics from the Region to sell, the vast majority of landowners are standing firm that their properties are not for sale and they are determined to continue farming and living on this spectacular rural landscape. The couple of small residential properties the Region has acquired represent less than 1% of the 770 acres. The remaining 99% of landowners, who are part of the Fight For Farmland Group, have not sold their farms, homes, or land. This small fraction of land acquired should not be a cause for concern. Less than 1% is not a significant enough amount to justify the Region’s and MPP’s Mike Harris Jr’s claims that negotiations are going well.
Updated Elected Official Contact List on Fight For Farmland Website
Thank you to everyone who has been contacting our Wilmot Township Councillors. In response to your requests, we have added an easy-to-navigate directory with contact information for councillors beyond Wilmot Township. You can access this directory of Regional Councillors, Mayors, and MPPs on our website. Let’s continue to make our voices heard and remind them that WE ARE UNWILLING HOSTS!
Townhall Video Recording
In case you missed it or would like to share it with others here is the recording of our townhall meeting for you to follow along with. Also, check out our website for some new interviews with some of the farmers and landowners in the Fight For Farmland Group.
Reminder: Wilmot Township Strategic Plan Survey
We encourage everyone to fill out the survey being distributed by a consultant hired by Wilmot Township for the development of the new Wilmot Strategic Plan. The last field in the survey asks for additional comments. Please emphasize that 'We are unwilling hosts' and highlight the need for transparency, open communication, and respect for the Countryside Line. Wilmot Township’s prime agricultural land is not suitable for one of the largest mega-industrial sites Ontario has ever seen. Make your voice heard by completing the survey:
Rallies & Local Demonstrations
While council meetings are less frequent in the summer, please mark your calendars for the upcoming meetings:
Wilmot Township Council: 60 Snyder’s Road West, Baden - Monday, July 29, 5:30 pm (council meets at 7:00 pm)
Region of Waterloo Council: 150 Frederick Street, Kitchener - Wednesday, August 28, 6:30 pm
If you are interested in speaking as a delegation at a council meeting, please email us at wilmotlandowners@gmail.com.
Lawn Signs and Door-to-Door Canvassing
We are nearing 3,000 Fight For Farmland lawn signs around communities and throughout Waterloo Region. Please contact us through the website if you know of anyone who would like a sign. We will be continuing our efforts to get more signs up in St. Agatha, Kitchener, and Elmira over the next couple of weeks. Please e-mail wilmotlandowners@gmail.com if you can volunteer to help.
Call For Photographers
It is a spectacular time of year with crops flourishing and the land lush and green. We are looking for people to help provide photographs of the area under the threat of development. Please share any of your favorite photos and images of what is important for you in Wilmot so that we can use them on our website and in upcoming publications. If you are interested in taking photos, please let us know in advance so we can assist with property access. You can email your images to: wilmotlandowners@gmail.com.