Council OKs huge wind turbine on Grouse; Large tower will be visible from all over region
A controversial wind turbine 65 metres high near the peak of Grouse Mountain that would be visible for miles took one step closer to reality last night.
A passionate debate on the pros and cons of the big windmill ended with North Vancouver District council voting 4-3 to issue a permit to Grouse Mountain Resorts to build the turbine.
A spokesman for the resort noted time was running out in the construction window to have the turbine up and running in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics, to demonstrate the green-energy initiative.
When completed, the turbine will provide 20 per cent of the resort’s electricity needs — enough to power 400 homes.
Some councillors were worried about the threat to wildlife and the esthetics of installing the huge white windmill in the middle of a mountain skyline.
Coun. Mike Little predicted people will get used to the sight of the huge blades spinning.
“I think people will see the windmill on the hill for about two weeks and then it’ll just disappear into the horizon,” said Little, who voted in favour.
Coun. Janice Harris was the strongest voice opposed.
“The main issues are the environment and noise pollution,” said Harris.
“There is likely to be some bird and bat deaths,” she said.
“It’s an issue for soaring and migratory birds and it’s a clear and present danger to bats,” said Harris, who criticized the turbine as “another tourist attraction” for Grouse Mountain Resorts.
“It’s simply a net loss to the environment,” she said.
Coun. Lisa Muri put forward a motion to defer the decision until more public input had been received, but it failed.
“This is [an issue of]green energy versus protecting wildlife,” she said.
But Mayor Richard Walton, an environmentalist, said: “We have to take some risk and we have to take some leadership,” and led the vote in favour of issuing the permit.
Andy Ivens
7 October 2008
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