Construction and weather don’t mix for wind turbine project on Amherst Island

You could say the wind turbine project on Amherst Island is stuck in a rut. Loyalist Township recently issued a “stop-work order” against the company building turbines based on damage done to the roads by heavy machinery.

Township officials say the machines have caused deep ruts to some roads.

“I’m just glad I drive an old car because the wear and tear on it is just absolutely over the top, said Alison MacKeen, an Amherst Island resident. “The ruts on some days have been, well, you can’t navigate them, they’re so deep and then they get frozen.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I'm just glad I drive an old car because the wear and tear on it is just absolutely over the top, said Alison MacKeen, an Amherst Island resident. "The ruts on some days have been, well, you can't navigate them, they're so deep and then they get frozen."

The township issued a “stop-work order” over a week ago. In a letter to Algonquin Power Company, the company building the new wind turbines, the township addresses the issue of deep ruts along three roads — South Shore, Lower 40-Foot and Front.

“To the best of my knowledge there’s no stop-work order in place right this moment, said Ric Bresee, deputy mayor of Loyalist Township. “We are monitoring, we have been monitoring and we will continue to monitor at all times.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "To the best of my knowledge there's no stop-work order in place right this moment, said Ric Bresee, deputy mayor of Loyalist Township. "We are monitoring, we have been monitoring and we will continue to monitor at all times."

CKWS-TV contacted Algonquin Power Company for a request for comment. There was no response at the time of this writing.