TEST DRIVE

There has been a bit of a flap of late over the Shelburne Fire Department's wish to purchase a new truck.  Specifically a quintuple combination pumper,” which is a fire vehicle serving five functions; including pumper, water tanker, fire hose, aerial device and ground ladders.

Costly, yes, no argument there.

But since the rural areas contribute to the fire costs in a shared servicing agreement, they have some valid questions too.

How will the big shiny new truck benefit them?  Rural area's typically have no big industries or box stores.  Will it be able to manoeuvre in rural settings?  Will there be enough water in the rural areas to be able to pump at the rate it requires?

Melancthon Deputy Mayor White had a good point which was reported in the Citizen: "He had previously said the manufacturer should bring a quint up and provide a demonstration. “Does anybody buy a car without driving it? Buy a house without touring it? I don’t think I’m being unreasonable.”  (Full article here: http://www.citizen.on.ca/news/2011-11-03/Local_News/Councillors_eye_county_buying_quint_truck.html )

Which got me to thinking.

Wouldn't it be great if Highlands could give us a test run on their little proposal?  You know that 200 foot below the water table 2,100 acre open pit limestone mine?

Foodstock gave everyone a test run of the traffic chaos caused by 7,000 cars.

What about the rest of it?

Well there is a little spot in California, who has a mine, operated by Lehigh Southwest Cement.  

The mine/quarry is called Permanente (can you guess why?) and existing operations cover 618 acres and plunge 700 feet deep. There is a plan to expand to 917 acres. Quarry officials note 238 acres have been added as buffer lands that won’t be used for mining. That leaves 61 additional acres that could be mined. Quarry lands total approximately 3,200 acres.  http://www.greenfoothills.org/news/2009a/3-25-09_LosAltosTownCrier.html

So take a peek at what that looks like, then times it by five to have sort of a test run of Highlands little proposal.