Lake Nipissing access on auction block?

[kickingfrog]

http://www.nugget.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2898554

 

 

Lake Nipissing access on auction block? Two councillors pushing for review

 

Local News

 

By DAVE DALE The Nugget

 

Public access points on Lake Nipissing may get assessed next year for potential sale, official park designation or to be left as they are.

 

Coun. Dave Mendicino said he and Coun. Daryl Vaillancourt will ask council to adopt a motion directing staff to review 44 access points.

 

"It's something that has been brought up on a yearly basis," Mendicino said, "and this might be a good time to get the information available for council."

 

 

The vast majority of access points are road allowances within residential zones, he said, adding that an initial inventory was conducted in 2006. He said the list doesn't include any of the existing parks or public beaches.

 

"I went and saw most of them during my first term," Mendicino said. "Some have been taken over by the abutting owners, but some have very unique characteristics and I would hope staff recommend they be designated as parks, and some could be sold as residential lots."

 

The topic was raised last week during the community service committee's budget briefing.

 

Dave Linkie, the city's chief administrative officer, told those in attendance there are a few that are wide enough for a single detached dwelling and worth $100,000 each as waterfront building lots

 

"But it's going to be very, very controversial," Linkie said, noting staff will need instructions from council to proceed with a study and come back with a report.

 

"Some are very well used, some we will need to keep for our own needs, while some are being encroached on," he said, describing how private fences and even a garage sit on a number of city properties.

 

Jerry Knox, managing director of community services, said at least two stand out in his mind as deserving consideration as parks.

 

The Ethel Street road allowance has unique sand dunes and another one on Campbell Avenue referred to as "first rock" by local residents, he said.

 

"It would be a crime for anything to happen to that one . . . it would be my recommendation to keep them as parks," Knox said, adding there are others which don't serve anyone's interest but the people living beside them.

 

"We know there's public interest and we'll have to have some sort of consultation," he said.

 

There are four within close proximity in one area, Knox explained. "And we'll have to look to see if maybe there's a reason for it."

 

Mendicino said staff, if council chooses to adopt the motion when it's brought forward early in 2011, would want to wait until spring to properly assess the access points when the snow is gone.

 

"As part of their due diligence, they'll inspect the properties again," he said.

 

The process would involve a report coming back to council before it's referred to committee for "fulsome discussion" before recommendations would be brought to council for a decision.

 

But there's no guarantee it will get to that point.

 

Coun. Tanya Vrebosch-Merry already said at the budget meeting she's not interested in selling public access.

 

"Just a heads up," she said, "I'm not in favour of selling any lake access but I'm interested in knowing about encroachments.