Questions and Answers
1. Does the City/Region need more regulations for new and future businesses to protect groundwater?
David Wellhauser: More comprehensive and definitive regulations are required to protect groundwater. The current development problems on the Waterloo West side moraine are ample evidence that existing regulation is not adequate. Further, a political decision was made some years ago that the region would rely on groundwater as opposed to a pipeline from Lake Huron. Accordingly, consistency demands that groundwater supplies be aggressively protected.
John R. Turvey: Yes
2. Do you support a bylaw restricting the non-essential, cosmetic use of pesticides (for lawn and garden care)?
David Wellhauser: I strongly support a ban on non-essential cosmetic use of pesticides. I also believe that Waterloo Council must enact its own by-law. The danger of leaving this to the Regional is that indications are that the Regional by-law is likely to be less rigorous than appropriate.
John R. Turvey: Yes
3. The issue of a new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph is still simmering. What is your preferred solution? (ie leave existing road as is? widen existing highway? put in commuter train between K/W and Guelph? build new highway, etc.)
David Wellhauser: The least disruptive approach is to widen the existing Highway. On the long term municipal government should be analysing the cause of increased traffic and solutions which don't require throwing hundreds of millions of dollars at the problem and deteriorating the environment. One low cost initiative would be to explore the feasibility of staggering business hours in large businesses in Guelph and Kitchener, which generate significant commuter traffic. This would be a cost effective way of reducing congestion by spreading existing traffic out over a longer period. Unquestionably there is a problem with heavy traffic on Highway 7. However that problem is restricted to a relatively short time in the morning and late afternoon.
John R. Turvey: Yes, widen existing highway
4. What are your recommendations for alternate transportation (ie bike/hike trails, buses, LRT, GO train)
David Wellhauser: We should be creating a universal bus pass for the Region priced to encourage a larger volume of passengers. Increasing volume on current routes would not be that expensive as many fixed costs are static regardless of volume. Let's start with the simplest most cost effective solutions before committing to mega projects such as LRT which will cost tens of millions of dollars.
John R. Turvey: bike/hike trails, Yes buses, Yes LRT, Yes GO train No
5. What are your solutions for gridlock?
David Wellhauser: See above re staggering opening and closing hours of major businesses. In addition, encouraging use of bus transportation through a universal bus pass and making the streets more cycle friendly by more bicycle lanes and bicycle parking lots would help.
John R. Turvey: LRT
6. Do you support defining an urban border that puts an end to urban sprawl to protect farmland and natural areas?
David Wellhauser: I am enthusiastic about stopping urban sprawl. I support the Region's policy of permitting development to a defined boundary (a hard edge) and preserving a rural environment on the other side of the line. A good example of this is now found on Benjamin Road where urban development extends to one side of the road and the corn fields and farms of a Township remain in tact on the other side.
John R. Turvey: Yes, the region's growth management strategy is a good approach.
7. Do you believe that our size should be limited to our carrying capacity (ie groundwater resources, geographical barriers, impact on natural environment)
David Wellhauser: It is unrealistic and irrational to continue encouraging unlimited growth, both in this Region and in the world at large for that matter. Ultimately continued growth will only hasten the degradation of the environment and exhaust available natural resources. Bigger is not necessarily better. Unlimited expansion destroys the environment. This is too expensive to permit to continue indefinitely. It is interesting to note that a large scale fighter plane factory was located in Northern Ontario at either the Lakehead or Sault Ste. Marie during the Second World War. This factory was obviously well off "the beat and track". However one of the factors in locating it in the North was to make it safer from any foreign enemy incursion. That plant turned out over 3,000 Hurricane fighter planes. Surely today environmental protection should be as high a priority as defence in 1939-45.
John R. Turvey: Yes
8. What measurable initiatives can you take to improve air quality locally?
David Wellhauser: Improvement of air quality - The first step I intend to pursue is a by- law banning vehicles idling at drive-thru's. I also intend to look into the feasibility of restricting or banning drive-thru businesses. We will all be more fit as well as healthier if we encourage people to get out from behind the wheel.
John R. Turvey: Education, public participation; encouraging groups and individuals to develop their own projects, rewarding the innovative and effective.
9. How do you envision reaching zero waste?
David Wellhauser: Municipalities should encourage composting organic waste on the sites where the organic waste is created. This would include composting programs in multi-residence dwellings. Municipalities should encourage the packing industry to return to reusable containers, particularly glass containers, which can be recycled after they can no longer be reused. Tax incentives should be offered to entities which voluntarily reduce the amount of waste they send to the landfill. The current charges for dumping at the landfill should be revisited to determine whether it is practical to surcharge entities which make excessive use of landfill sites. To be candid zero waste is a difficult goal to achieve. However, that shouldn't reduce our enthusiasm for doing the best job in reducing waste as current technology permits.
John R. Turvey: Education, public participation; encouraging groups and individuals to develop their own projects, rewarding the innovative and effective.
10. How do you see the City/Region 20 years from now?
David Wellhauser: I hope to see a City of Waterloo which consists of open spaces as well as developed areas with better air quality. I also expect that the City will be developed to its boundaries.
John R. Turvey: Wiser, more environmentally conscious, less smog, healthier; a model to the world.
11. Should Cambridge fit into the Region's future? If yes, how?
David Wellhauser: It is in the interests of everyone in the Region that Cambridge continue in it. It is better to promote policies and programs of wider application than fragmenting the Region. I believe there are more likely to be economies of scale in a larger Region.
John R. Turvey: Yes, as now.
12. How do you propose to obtain the maximum level of forest coverage for this area?
David Wellhauser: An excellent example of how the City of Waterloo can cooperate with volunteers to reforest Waterloo, is found on University Avenue along the banks of Laurel Creek near the Willowdale Park. Some years ago on a Saturday, City crews brought in small trees and shrubs, mulch and top soil. A large group of enthusiastic volunteers planted the trees and shrubs. We now have a heavily planted natural habitat area which encourages wildlife and is a pleasant break from what is often congestion on University Avenue. Future partnerships between the city and volunteers can reforest and regenerate other areas in the same manner.
John R. Turvey: Encourage a broadening of the 10,000 trees project involving more communities and more public participation. Broaden the reach of Communities in Bloom. Encourage groups and individuals to develop their own projects, rewarding the innovative and effective.
13. How can you best work with community groups and concerned citizens to achieve environmental sustainability?
David Wellhauser: There is no single quick fix to our environmental challenges. The City should commit however to placing the environment first. There currently is a policy in the City of Waterloo to give a high priority to environmental considerations. Making the environment a high priority is not enough. We should adopt it as one of our "prime directives". For example, there is ample evidence that concrete sanitary and storm sewer pipe is more environmentally friendly both in its manufacture and application. Notwithstanding that the City still permits the installation of plastic type utility pipes. The City should pursue an environmental environment whereby members of the community are encouraged to bring forward their suggestions (such as my thought about the use of concrete pipe) to council and city staff who should, as a matter of policy, adopt all environmentally practical suggestions.
John R. Turvey: Education and participation; encouraging groups and individuals to develop their own projects, rewarding the innovative and effective.
14. How would you support and develop lifelong environmental education in the City/Region?
David Wellhauser: I would partner with the local school boards to create a program where students at all levels could participate in hands-on remedial and preventive work. I would seek input from local experts in the field such as Conestogo Rovers which is an internationally renown environmental engineering firm, to identify sites in the community subject to environmental degradation but capable of remedial work by large numbers of individuals of all ages. Getting people involved as early as possible is the key to developing life-long environmentally sensitive attitudes among our citizens.
John R. Turvey:
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