After reading the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy’s (EBC) Precipice publication Fall 2020 I was “gobsmacked”. The EBC are fighting a build on Sadler Creek Road in Northern Bruce Peninsula by a senior who wants to build a cottage. She wants to realize this dream for her family and late husband’s memory. Her daughter and son-in-law are helping her to accomplish this. Zoning was approved by council but the EBC filed an LPAT appeal.
In my opinion, there are muddy representations in the newsletter like “they will have to destroy a whole grove of ancient cedars”, “disturb endangered Massasauga rattlesnake” and there is mention about the rare Hill’s Thistle.
Let’s imagine in our minds a grove of ancient cedars – what comes to my mind is the ones cascading down rock faces which are thousands of years old, I believe, which we saw in “ Episode 3 Striking Balance”. This is not what we’re talking about here. We have a property nearby and the cedars are no more then 100 years old. The Massasauga Rattlesnake is well and good and flourishing amongst the residents nearby and it needs to worry more about the owls or four-legged predators preying on them as they cross roads or other four legged predators.
Saying this property is near Sadler Creek is a stretch too. It may be in an ANSI, but the Creek is quite a distance away, and I have to walk in about 2,000 plus feet to get to it from the road on my property. So, if Mr. Barnett has donated funds to fight to protect Sadler Creek I’m guessing he lost the Creek?? Because you can’t see it… only Lake Huron from this waterfront property.
With respect to the Hill’s Thistle, there are none on the subject property. But, I did have to advise the EBC to stop advertising our lane to access their Harkin’s Reserve because the Hill’s Thistle does grow there and we did not want it trampled.
Are donations really being solicited to fight builds on adjacent properties to EBC reserves? One is led to believe that the mission of this organization is something else entirely. Does the EBC executive director really mention he donated funds in his own newsletter to which he likely gets a donation receipt?
I hope everyone googles this newsletter ( https://escarpment.ca/downloads/number-48-fall-2020_fv.pdf )because it also says the EBC has a cottage and will share it with up to 10 families on Alvar Bay near Tobermory – on Lake Huron, with rattlesnakes, bears, and I bet Alvar? If you pay to do so. I guess it’s okay for the EBC??
If the EBC loses they say “the bad guys win”. Does that mean our elected officials… council, mayor, Sauble Conservation, town planner, a senior and her daughter, who saves lives working as an operating room nurse doing open heart surgeries, and her educator husband are “Bad Guys”?
Well, if they’re the bad guys, I’ll take them and I’ll pass on the EBC.
Not only did I have to email and tell the EBC to stop advertising our lane on their website but I had to have by-law remove a nature reserve sign erected on our frontage which did not conform to bylaws and was misleading to say the least, because it was fronting our property, not theirs. I also am thankful for trail cameras. Dandy little things which aren’t easy to see. This resulted in a clear warning to stay off our property. I guess no trespassing signs and a locked gate aren’t enough?
So I hope this family gets to build.
If the EBC took steps to prevent ATVs, fires, etc. on their Harkin’s Reserve I think that would be a better use of time and money than interfering with an adjacent property. Also parking, other than on the roadway, would be a good idea.
I guess Mr. Barnett should remind himself that it’s not so nice to refer to good people as “Bad Guys”. We only hope that we have the virtues this family has. I salute these frontline workers, especially during covid, who are saving thousands of lives, our educators, and seniors who deserve our respect.
Carol Porter,
Georgian Bluffs
