LAKE SHORE GOLD CORP 6.25 PCT DEBS T.LSG.DB

RE:Need not worry

[HARJAY]

I hope this doesn't affect the feeding of the mill in any significant way.
FYI - From Investor Hub a post Sept 20

Residents voice concerns about ore trucks
By Benjamin Aubé
Friday, September 20, 2013 7:19:37 EDT PM
https://www.timminspress.com/2013/09/20/residents-voice-concerns-about-ore-trucks

Quote:

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TIMMINS - A public meeting billed as an update on Lakeshore Gold’s good-news expansion of the Bell Creek mill turned into a heated session with residents voicing concerns about haul trucks driving through their neighbourhood.

“Even though it’s considered a heavy load road, (Florence Street) was never considered a road to haul ore,” said Porcupine resident Randy Demers, who spoke on behalf of more than 20 fellow Florence Street residents who attended the meeting held Wednesday at the Whitney Community Centre. “It’s a residential street. Back in 1974, the city turned that whole subdivision into a residential area. Those homes are all residential homes, and we’re hauling ore trucks there.

“I’ve been fortunate to raise three kids on that street, but now we have new families in that neighbourhood with young kids. I’m a little emotional because I care about these people and I’m representing them.”

In late August, Lakeshore’s highly anticipated expansion of the Bell Creek mill was completed. It has allowed the company to increase its daily rate of milling ore from 2,700 to more than 3,000 tonnes per day.

Two years ago, the average daily mill output was closer to 1,720 tonnes per day.

But with the increase of ore comes the inevitable increase of trucking activity.

Dan Gagnon, Lakeshore Gold vice-president of operations, who spoke at the meeting, estimated “somewhere between 70 and 100 trucks are going between Timmins West Mine to Bell Creek at 38 to 40 tonnes per day” with the new expansion.

“The last conversations over the last couple of weeks, and looking at the city bylaws and stuff, we came to understand that basically the Bell Creek complex at the other end of Florence Street (in Porcupine), that really is the only public access to the property,” explained Gagnon. “The bylaw says that we have the right to use Florence Street from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for trucking at that time.

“We want to share with you that we are looking at options other than the use of that road,” Gagnon told the public. “At this point, we have the right to use the road, but we’re trying to minimize the impact on everybody with the use of the road.“

A Lakeshore agreement to haul ore along nearby Halnor Road, which is privately owned by Goldcorp, has worked for the company over the past four years. Lakeshore contributed about $1 million per year to the maintenance of the road.

However, the increase in traffic to the Bell Creek complex has meant Lakeshore can no longer comply with the deal made with Goldcorp.

“They have restrictions on us from 5:30 to 7:15 a.m. and from 5 to 7:15 p.m. It’s their road and they call the shots. They’ve been very good with us.” said Gagnon. “At the volume at the mill now, it has become apparent pretty quickly that we need to optimize the trucking and to operate 24 hours a day to maintain the capacity.”

Gagnon’s presentation providing an overview of the Timmins West mine and the Bell Creek facility left a few shareholders present at the meeting expressing optimism for the future.

It was only when the floor was opened up to questioning, however, the heat inside the community centre rose considerably.

Demers, who identified himself as a former worker at many of local mines including Lakeshore, said despite their concerns, the residents are fully supportive of the mine’s continued operation.

“We want the mine to run,” he said. “We absolutely want the mine to run. We want everybody in the community to work.”

Still, he and a number of other residents passionately voiced their displeasure with the heavy haul trucks travelling through their neighbourhood.

Last Friday night, a driver from a trucking company made what Gagnon called “a decision on his own” to make an unregulated midnight delivery. “That guy is no longer working on our property,” said Gagnon.

But the addition this week of security guards on the road, and the installation of a stop sign to slow trucks down hasn’t eased the concerns of residents. At least three people said they’ve regularly seen trucks either roll through the stop sign or pass school buses at high speeds.

“This is an insult to us,” said another resident. “Four years ago, this is exactly where we were with Lakeshore.

“We told them about hauling on Florence Street, and there was a deal made with Goldcorp (to use Halnor Road). So was it going to be a big surprise to Lakeshore that we were all going to be back here? Why are being put through this again?”

Words became heated at some points, but cooler heads eventually prevailed. Both sides agreed that a meeting between Lakeshore management and Florence Street residents should happen sooner rather than later.

Coun. John Curley, who was among those who attended the meeting, said he would bring the issue forward with other councillors to look at other options.

Nearby Murphy Road has long been considered a possible alternate route. But it is also privately owned. The fact that multiple people own parts of the road has complicated negotiations over the years