Ranchers Beef plant to proceed in MD of Rocky View
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 9, 2005 | 4:27 PM MT
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MD of Rockyview Reeve Al Schule talks about approving the Ranchers Beef plant.
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Resident Grant Galpin discusses why he opposes the plant.
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A slaughterhouse opposed by residents in the city's northeast will be built 500 metres away in the MD of Rocky View, after the company met the conditions imposed by the region.
The Rocky View council had asked Ranchers Beef to adhere to 39 conditions, including odour and waste water control measures.
Reeve Al Schule says they were provided with acceptance of those conditions Tuesday.
"It's something very needed in Alberta," Schule said. "The area's an excellent place, due to the fact there is so much industry. The sulphur plant is there, gas plant there. There can't be a housing development for miles.
"I can't think of a better location than that."
The plant, which was originally proposed for Calgary's northeast, is opposed by a number of residents in the area, including Saddle Ridge. It is now 500 metres away from that original location.
There were concerns about property values and odour, and resident Grant Galpin says those concerns haven't been adequately addressed.
"They were supposed to prepare a full air and odour protocol, which includes exactly how they were going to monitor odours, how they were going to hold Ranchers Beef accountable on the issues that we raised," he said. "And we have seen nothing."
Art Price, with Ranchers Beef, says odour will not be an issue once the plant is up and running, which is expected by early next year.
"As we said in the start of this, this plant has no inherent smell issues that could be recognizable by anybody in any residential development, in a high-density residential development," Price said. "There are none."
Schule says those opposed weren't aware of all the facts.
"The quality of the plant," he said. "Also, it's not going to be a rendering plant, so any fear of smell is not going to be there."
Calgary residents opposed to the project, who attended hearings on the plant, have no way to appeal the decision. Galpin says the local community association will take its concerns to their MLA and Agriculture Minister Doug Horner.
Construction is expected to begin immediately.
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