Dear editor:

With respect to The Lake Report, can we put Parliament Oak to bed, please? Enough.

It’s happening and I look forward to its majesty — others don’t and that’s fine. What I take issue with is the constant misinformation stirred by Garth Turner, SORE and the Residents Association (a minority group) and others blaming recent flooding on the development.

The flood at the Legion was caused by a culvert blocked to allow the Regent Street culvert repair and then not removed by the contractor. It was not caused by Parliament Oak construction, despite wishful thinking by some.

As recent reporting by Mr. Hummel explains, Parliament Oak is permitted to pump filtered storm water, i.e. clean water into the sewage system, as is the Royal George. This is standard for major construction.

The town’s sewer system is more than capable of handling this and during the storms was operating under capacity.

To understand this in simple terms, we have a big hole (Parliament Oak). Water flows drawn by gravity, i.e. into the hole, not the other way around.

Parliament Oak may have actually saved further flooding. How do I know this? I have consulted with professionals and have done my research.

Bonita Cawker
Old Town