A third information session was held at Cochrane High School (CHS) on Oct. 25, unveiling a new location for the proposed Evance 9000 5kW small wind turbine that the school’s Sustainable Development Committee wishes to enact on school property.
The former proposed location for the 18-metre high construct, with a rotor diametre of five and a half metres, was behind the school gymnasium. As a response to the concerns of numerous residents in the Cochrane Heights area, the group has moved the location another 100 feet, west of the football field scoreboard.
With students manning info booths, the community was invited out to listen to student perspective, check out the research done by the school on the green energy initiative and discuss among themselves the pros and cons of the highly controversial project.
But not all concerns were satisfied.
Twenty-year Cochrane Heights resident, Wally Wolan, is not pleased with the project being built in his community.
“This is a very well-orchestrated publicity campaign,” said Wolan, expressing concerns about what he feels is a lack of research with respect to the health, safety and noise effects of wind turbines in residential locations, as well as the visual impact.
“It’s still going to be visible over the school . . . a lot of information presented here as fact is being provided by the company (Evance) who are selling these turbines.”
Sunset Ridge residents, Geoff and Sher Bidlake, disagree.
“I’m completely for it,” said Geoff Bidlake, also a father of four. “They might not get it right the first time, but it’s a step in the right direction and this is getting the ball rolling for future generations.”
The Bidlakes see the project as an important student-led green energy initiative. They were also satisfied with the research on health, safety and noise impacts on humans and wildlife, as provided by the school committee at the information session.
Brenda Samborski, one of the founding members of the No Turbines in Town coalition and a concerned Cochrane Heights resident, commended the students for their efforts, although the group remains frustrated and unhappy about the project.
“The students stepped to the forefront of a very controversial issue and they really did a good job with their efforts in a really difficult situation,” said Samborski.
“But we are all very disappointed. We still adamantly oppose the project and we don’t think it’s appropriate to place it in a school field . . . at the end of the day, there are a lot of people in this community who just don’t want it here.”
Project engineer, Stuart Torr president of Integrated Sustainability, has been working with CHS since day one on the project.
He feels that CHS has gone “above and beyond the requirements of the application process” with respect to their due diligence in keeping the community informed; Torr also feels the media coverage of the issue has been unfairly negative and over-inflated.
“My belief is every time you do something for the first time, it’s a hot topic . . . this part of Canada hasn’t embraced renewable energy yet.”
Torr also said that despite the significant costs to relocate the proposed CHS turbine near the scoreboard, he commends the school for trying to ease community concerns with this new placement.
The costs of the project, including proposed maintenance, will be covered by corporate sponsorships and student fundraising.
Torr’s background is in renewable energies and he has previously been involved with one other small wind turbine project. He is confident that placing a small wind turbine in a residential area will pose no health, safety or noise concerns to humans or animals.
For 16-year-old Grade 11 student, Emily Schumacher, being part of the CHS sustainable development committee has been a tremendous learning experience.
“I think (this project) is a great thing to do because it’s part of a learning curve in terms of what we’re capable of,” said Schumacher.
According to CHS principal Susan Poole, the project is currently under consideration by the Rocky View Schools board and superintendent Greg Bass, awaiting further review prior to being submitted to the Alberta Utilities Commission for review.
The No Wind Turbine coalition can be contacted at [email protected].
Questions about the project itself should be directed to CHS Sustainable Development Committee teacher head, Stephanie Bennett at 403-932-
