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. $ \ bnrmnet mamrennnnegin mss Mutton Bridge repair stalls_ ontinued from page 1 â€" farmers since August, 2006. S â€" + Pes° " en 1/67 That prompted the MP to respond that § Mutton Bridge is a key link to the north _ the municipal, provincial and federal of the municipality and the Mayor and. governments "all have rules for certain members of council are acutely aware of _ reasons" and to express his hope the â€" and understand the inconvenience and _ township could work within the Fisheries . F â€" frustration that this delay will create for _ and Oceans negulations for the bridge. the residents of the Township of What he did promise was to work with | Cramahe." his constituents to get the job done "the ; The unanticipated reply from the right way". <Jp! & federal government July 17 which forced After 15 minutes on site, the MP remjed the delay of the beginning of construction _ from the scene to meet privately with & 2. resulted in a call from Cramahe Township â€" township staff « Mayor Mare Coombs to Northumberlandâ€" Later the same day, the Chronicle | Quinte West MP Rick Norlock requesting â€" received notification from Ms. Alexander | a site meeting "to seek his assistance ina that Mr. Norlock will call Transport . 7 timely resolution to the problem". Canada to see if it can make the Mutton x There was no debate at the July 27 siteâ€" Bridge a priority. He won‘t tell federal meeting at Mutton Bridge about whether . staff to bump anotherproject, but now that Cold Creek is a navigable waterway. the township is this far along on the After a quick look up and down the _ project he would like to see it get done. creek from Mutton Bridge, He stated once more in the private | . ) â€" | Northumberlandâ€"Quinte West MP Rick meeting at the township offices he can‘t do J Norlock declared, from his experience. he anything about the Transport Canada / thought the waterway could be navigated â€" rules and regulations. f + _ by a Kodiak or similar vessel, with a Mr. Patterson will submit the} ¢f portage at the bridge. engineering drawings for approval and the 4 The MP‘s comments seemed to put an township will simply wait until it hears { 4 ‘ | end to <the ‘Township of Cramahe _ from the federal Ministry of Transport. ; | s contention that the waterway was not When asked at the morning meéting s > | navigable, and therefore did not need to _ what he would do if the federal ministry > | meet federal Fisheries Department failed to approve the drawings, Mr. & \| regulations about the size of the opening . Norlock answered, "We‘ll cross that bridge â€" above the water line. when we come to it if we can‘t live within It also ended any hope that the MP â€" the federal regulations." : | might approach Transport Canada to For now, the contract has not been let â€" § | make the township‘s case that it is only . and the eight week project to replace the | replacing an existing deck, or to intervene . deck is on hold.. , + . on its behalf. R While the space above the water level is _ Wayne Patterson of J. D. Jewell ample to meetfederal regulations, the > > : » Engineering Ms. Alexander pointed out _ width between any ofâ€"the dam spans under : | that the township is not altering the the deck‘iis not six metres. If the federal , current support structure that has been in‘ government adheres strictly to the six 7 | place over 70 years, only replacing the . metre requirement between spans and the | deck. definition of the creek as a navigable s ] That did not move Mr. Norlock from his â€" waterway, the whole issue of the deck & . 7 ‘position. . replacement becomes vastly more It was clear in his responses to press complicated and will have to be . â€" questions and comments from township . reconsidered by the township. # ‘ ~officials, he was not willing to, enter an The Lower Trent Conservation open discussion of the regulations, nor â€" Authority has been provided~ with ‘ (was he willing to discuss the limitations or drawings of the current plan and the 5 application of the regulations being township expects they will have no f â€" > applied by the federal ministry after a _ difficulty approving them. If new plans are helicopter survey of the creek. required by the federal government they He did hear Ms. Alexander reiterate the â€" will have to be reâ€"subm itted for L TCA § * fact that the township only wishes to . approval. ; $ replace the deck, and her comments that Mr. Patterson‘s assertion the township 7 school buses need to use the bridge daily. wanted work to begin this week and He also. heard township Works _ finished by the fll appears to be no longer ; > Superintendent Barry Thrasher,explain _ viable. He is mow hoping ito see it done no the great hardship it has placed on area _ later than midâ€"November, as is the MP. | &3