Dust in the air
Souris West couple shares woes about living near Rollo Bay Holdings
Souris West couple shares woes about living in a cloud of dust coming from the heavy trucks pulling in and out of Rollo Bay Holdings.
Claude and Freda Creamer are often not able to enjoy those warm coastal summer breezes at their home in Souris West. That is because there is a cloud of dust coming from the heavy trucks pulling in and out of the dirt road across the street at Rollo Bay Holdings Inc. The company, owned by Ray and Alvin Keenan, has been growing potatoes for 70 years.
“The way they fly up and down that, you’d think it is the (Highway) 401,” said Claude. Claude has even asked the drivers to slow down as they pull into the driveway. “They just look at me and laugh and wave,” said Claude. “That is hard to take.” Claude and Freda say they can’t sit outside in their gazebo or have their windows open at least two to three times a week because the dust is so bad. They say dry weather and the wind play a big factor in the amount of dust that swirls around their home.
“It’s just a cloud coming at you,” describes Claude. “A lot of the times you are eating the dust.”
“Today it was just curling over here,” said Claude in a recent interview.
Claude and Freda built their home in 1972, several years before Rollo Bay Holdings Inc. built across the street from them.
“We’ve had the dust and the mess from them ever since,” said Claude. “It’s an ongoing thing all the time.”
Their house, driveway and vehicle are often covered with a thin layer of dust and Claude, who is 79 years old, is left to clean the red dirt off his property. Claude said their neighbours also experience it, but that they are not as vocal as he is about the dust.
He said the situation has left them feeling helpless and frustrated.
The couple has even contemplated selling their home.
“I’m disgusted, really disgusted,” said Claude on the situation. “We shouldn’t have to put up with that. “We are paying our taxes like everybody else.” The Guardian made several calls to Rollo Bay Holdings Inc. looking to speak to the owners, but no one returned the calls. In a statement made by the Department of Agriculture says the department is familiar with the issue and that a staff member has worked with the company to mitigate the concern.
“In the past, Rollo Bay (Holdings Inc.) has been very accommodating and has agreed to water the lane so that the dust wouldn’t be an issue.” However, Claude says that has not been the case in 2017.
“They used to,” said Claude. “Last year wasn’t so bad, but they are not doing it this year.”
He says he feels the only thing left for them to do at this point is sue.
“We have to do something. We can’t put up with this for the rest of our lives. We haven’t got that many more years, but we would like to enjoy them.” The Department of Agriculture says if there are any agricultural practices of concern to Islanders, they can submit a formal written complaint to the Farm Practices Review Board.
The board has yet to receive a complaint from Claude on this issue.