News Release
Bedford Residents Want Moir's Pond Protected
(Wednesday, June 5/2002)-- Residents opposed to the proposed infilling of Moir's Pond by the giant food retailer Sobey's may take advantage of the annual "Bedford Days" celebrations later this month to focus more public attention on the controversial project.
Councillor Len Goucher and Bedford resident Don Lowther said today the citizen group is considering entering a float in the Bedford Days parade to better inform area residents about just how destructive the Sobey's project will be to the historic pond.
"Not only do we want the infilling stopped," said Mr. Lowther, "We want either the federal or provincial government to designate the pond as a part of the Moir's Pump House, which is now designated a provincial heritage site."
Councillor Goucher said opposition to the infilling is growing steadily in the community and he urged Sobey's to take these concerns into consideration.
The Councillor said "Sobey's have been a part of the Bedford community for a long time, and the people of Bedford have shopped the Sobey's store for a long time. I really don't think they want to do anything to jeopardize that relationship."
Sobey's Leased Properties Limited wants to infill the historic Moir's Pond, which is located next to its 24-hour store in Bedford, in order to dispose of pyritic slate from the site of its Fall River shopping centre. It hopes to eventually use the newly-created land for future development.
Federal regulations leave Halifax Regional Municipality and Bedford residents opposed to infilling in a Catch-22 situation-they can't fight to have the move by Sobey's stopped, until after the pond is in-filled..
Councillor Goucher said he has been told by Department of Fisheries and Oceans officials that the infilling can't be appealed through the federal government's environmental process until after the pond is actually in-filled.
Bedford MLA, the Honourable Peter Christie, recently tabled in the Nova Scotia Legislature a petition signed by 4,300 people opposed to the infilling.
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Councillor Len Goucher
(902) 476-0021
Don Lowther
(902) 835-6868
