Patricia Corrigan-Frank, representing the Beach Preservers in Port Elgin, gave a deputation to Council on May 25th regarding the proposed Cedar Crescent Village development (CCV) for the main beach in Port Elgin.
The group has been adamant in its stand against the development with respect to its proposed size and footprint on the dynamic Port Elgin Beach.
Corrigan-Frank presented the results of a survey that the Beach Preservers have been running in order to determine the view that residents and visitors have toward the proposed development.
Corrigan-Frank said that the group is concerned about the waterfront. “I do not understand why you (Council) are negating the visitors when, in the last Waterfront Master Plan, it stated that the visitors had to be consulted. That is why they were included in this survey of over 1,800 survey emails … if this isn’t enough, perhaps the town should do its own survey, and show us that 80 per cent of residents are in favour of this development.”
She also explained that all survey results were collected through the ‘Google’ platform and the results were validated by a top firm. “We feel that the 1,400 residents and the 400 visitors in the survey should be taken seriously. There should be something that proves to the people that this is something they want.”
Deputy Mayor Mike Myatt said that some of the information presented was interesting. “I have been listening from the beginning and am very interested in what the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA) staff have to say with the permit application. This is a process and we have to let the process unfold. Until the SVCA makes its decision, there are still a lot of questions that have to be answered. Regarding the site size, we (Council) still have some control and one of the issues is the train.”
According to Phil Eagleson, Director of Protective Services, the train is still being considered. “The tracks in Northshore Park have still be preserved and the train is still a consideration.”
“SVCA’s decision will certainly have an impact as to where this development heads,” said Myatt. “When we get the site plan, let’s have another discussion as to the size. I look forward to those discussions and will continue to ask questions.”
There had been a meeting of ‘stakeholders’ and the town on February 5th but Corrigan-Frank pointed out that the meeting had only included five residents who live near or across the street from the proposed development. She said that there should have been several others involved such as the Volleyball organization and the Lifesaving group. “A representative should have come from each group to get the views of each groups that will be impacted and to have them make suggestions. It’s not just the Beach Preservers.”
Myatt asked Mayor Luke Charbonneau if there would be a future opportunity to consider the site plan control and for Council to hash over the site size and other issues once the location has been confirmed and once the SVCA has made a decision.
Mayor Luke Charbonneau responded saying that the reason not a lot has gone on with respect to Council’s decision making is that the SVCA decision is critical to moving forward and that a lot of engineering work still has to be done for a final design and that’s why it hasn’t been done. “Those steps haven’t happened yet and there is another step that has to be taken by this Council to approve the site plan and we don’t know when that will happen. It depends on what is a routine process for a big project and the SVCA takes its time.”
Myatt added that the process should be kept as open and transparent as possible.
When it comes to the train, Corrigan-Frank added that the group had heard nothing about it and that there was nothing in the proposed plans about the train. “The key investor who was to look after the train, is no longer with the investor group. That’s why we have asked is it still in the plan?
According to the Beach Preservers’ survey:
- Overall 80% of respondents wanted to see changes in the location, footprint, height, and size of the Cedar Crescent Village.
- Respondents want a restaurant, more beach space, more parking, a few retail shops, and a marina store.
- NO conference centre was wanted in the 2019 survey or in our survey.
