Editors Note:
The Letters to the Editor printed in this issue have been received through the online submissions to our Russell Banner website. One submission came directly to our office. Both methods are certainly acceptable.

To the Editor,
I am writing as Chair of the Cottage Cove Association. Our entire community sits directly south of the proposed gravel pit, and every home lies within the 1 kilometer buffer commonly used across Canada to separate gravel operations from residential areas. Some homes are as close as 400 meters. For a project this close to where people live, the proposal submitted to the RM was extremely thin, with almost no detail about how the operation would run, what protections would be in place, or how long the activity would continue. It is difficult to understand how a project with the potential for long term damage to the valley could be presented with so little information.
Residents have asked for basic due diligence studies that are standard in many municipalities, including a dust study, a noise study, a traffic and safety assessment, a visual impact assessment, an environmental impact review, and a cumulative effects assessment. We have also asked for clarity on where this gravel is needed, how it benefits the immediate area, and how those benefits outweigh the risks to residents, the valley, and the tourism corridor. To date, none of that information has been provided.
Another major concern is the lack of any plan for the existing pits in the area. Several have been left open with no clear reclamation or beautification strategy. Before approving a new pit, residents believe it is reasonable to expect a plan for restoring the land already disturbed.
It is also important for the public to understand that this is not just a Cottage Cove issue. Multiple provincial and regional assets lie within the impact zone, including campsites in Asessippi Provincial Park, recreation areas along Lake of the Prairies, the Shell River corridor, and the broader valley community.
One of the region’s largest tourism draws, Asessippi Ski Hill—which also serves as a major summer wedding venue—also falls within this zone. All of these areas are close enough to experience the effects of noise, dust, lighting, fumes, and visual disturbance. With prevailing northwest winds blowing directly toward Cottage Cove and the recreation corridor, these impacts will be felt daily.
The cumulative effects of multiple pits in one valley cannot be ignored. Noise does not exist in isolation. Dust does not exist in isolation. Diesel fumes, lighting, truck traffic, and visual disturbance all stack on top of one another. Without long term planning or limits, residents fear this could be the first step toward the valley being gradually torn up over time—and once that happens, the natural character that draws people here, cannot be restored.
At its core, this is a question of stewardship. In simple terms, stewardship means taking care of the land so it stays healthy for the people who live here now and for the generations who will come after us. A gravel operation in the middle of a recreation and tourism corridor does not align with that responsibility.
These concerns are not political. They are about protecting a shared provincial asset and ensuring development decisions reflect the long term interests of the region.
Thank you for providing space for community voices on an issue that will shape the future of our valley.

Sincerely,
Tim Barlow
Chair,
Cottage Cove Association