Central Elgin, county clear-cutting roadsides

Vegetation such as shrubs and grasses represents such a clear and present danger that Central Elgin is going to start mowing roadsides from fencerow to fencerow.

Councillors voted 5-1 on Monday, April 20, to approve a new policy to cut vegetation the full width of every municipal and county road within Central Elgin, half to be done one year and half the other. Deputy Mayor Sally Martyn was the only one to oppose the change, saying that the mowing would eradicate habitat essential for all sorts of wildlife, including birds, butterflies and reptiles.

But five others, Mayor David Marr and councillors Harold Winkworth, Fiona Roberts, Dan McNeil and Dennis Crevits backed Physical Services Director Lloyd Perrin, who claimed that even the shade from vegetation could cause a roadbed to thaw unevenly in spring, leading to pavement breaking up.