01/22/2026
For the past 2 ½ years WOTL Citizens for Responsible Growth has been actively challenging Council’s plans to build out our water infrastructure based on their fanciful growth projections. Several hundred of you attended the meetings that we and the Wellington Community Association arranged and many of you wrote to Council expressing your concerns. We have endeavored to keep you up to date on water/wastewater developments and issues of significant impact to our community.
So far we have been proven correct in that population has remained largely steady and, as you may have read recently in the Wellington Times, building activity has not just stalled, but slowed down significantly in the past 4 years. With the departure of several of the senior County staff who had been largely responsible for creating this fiasco, it now seems that cooler heads are reassessing the situation. Our efforts have prompted Council to adopt a more practical approach to future growth and needs.
Now we are dealing with departures from our own ranks. As many of you know, Helen Prolas moved back to Ottawa and Dorothy Bothwell will soon be moving on too. Both Helen and Dorothy played key roles both in confronting Council and providing you with regular updates.
Dorothy drew on her experience as a former Councillor to rigorously question the assumptions and data presented by Council and its staff. Through her persistent efforts, she became a frequent delegate at Council meetings and a consistent and formidable presence, challenging decisions and highlighting issues for the community’s benefit. We wish Dorothy well in her upcoming move and thank her for her tremendous diligence in bringing Council and staff to account.
Given these leavings we have decided it is time to wrap up WOTLCRG, although as individuals we can continue to support and liaise with the WCA on this and other matters.
As we move forward, it will be vitally important for all of us to actively support candidates in the upcoming local elections who are committed to exercising restraint in municipal spending. We encourage everyone to back those who will insist on a fiscally responsible approach to investments in water and wastewater infrastructure—one that is grounded in practical and sensible growth projections, rather than unrealistic expectations.
By electing representatives (thank you to Councillor Engelsdorfer for all his efforts!) who prioritize careful planning and prudent financial management, we can help ensure that our community continues to thrive without unnecessary financial burdens.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has” Margaret Mead
Kevin Hanbury, Co-Founder and Member, WOTLCRG
