By John Francis, Bruce Peninsula Press
Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula’s Council made an important decision at its October 15 Meeting. The former St Edmunds Township office — which housed Tobermory’s daycare until earlier this year — will be demolished. The building has had chronic — and increasing — flooding problems in recent decades. Mitigative measures would have been expensive, with no certainty of success.
The Meeting Place building, which is located on the same large, municipal property, has also reached its design life expectancy. The property, adjacent to St Edmunds Elementary School, also houses community gardens, a skate park and an off-leash dog park.
An excerpt from Recommendations in the CAO Report on the property (located at 3 Centennial Drive, Tobermory):
“That Council approves the demolition of the vacated Primary Place Building located at 3 Centennial Drive and the initiation of engineering studies to construct a new multi-use facility that will serve as a hub for The Meeting Place, a Welcome Centre, parking lot, and seasonal shuttle system; and,
That the allocation of $160,000.00 for the necessary assessments and plans, funded through the Municipal Accommodation Tax and Parking Reserves.”
The Comments section of the CAO Report explains the situation and the proposed time line:
“The Meeting Place and Primary Place buildings have both reached their expected lifespan. As structures age, they often face escalating maintenance costs, safety concerns, and inefficiencies related to modern building standards.
Several assessments and designs will be necessary to ensure a comprehensive and efficient planning process. Including;
• An archaeological survey, in consultation with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) to preserve cultural heritage.
• A detailed parking lot and site grading design to manage stormwater effectively.
• A review of the Groundwater Under the Direct Influence (GUDI) well treatment system.
• A septic system review and potential redesign
• The preparation of Request for Proposal (RFP)/Design Build Tender Documents
• Contract administration will also be ensured to facilitate oversight during the construction phase.
Overall, the cost of these assessments and plans is estimated at $100,000.00. To have a completion and ribbon-cutting date by May 2026 it would be recommended that this project be approved to commence in 2024 with the demolition and design work.”
CAO Peggy Van Mierlo-West explained that the building has been vacant since the spring and that as long as it is still standing, it requires staff time to monitor it.
Council were concerned with the budget implications of building a welcome centre and a replacement for the Meeting Place but eventually agreed that there is no reason not to demolish the building.
“It’s going to be interesting at budget time,” Mayor Milt McIver commented.
Pollution in Stokes River
A delegation of Stokes Bay and Hardwick Cove residents told Council about the algal bloom that occurred in 2024.
“This summer, we witnessed the progression of high runoff throughout July to mid-August, culminating in algae blooms that permeated the waters from the shores of Hardwick Cove right out to Knife Island and beyond.
Undoubtedly there was a change in the chemistry of the water that we have never witnessed before. We’ve traveled the base of the Stokes Bay River and have spoken with local residents and confirmed and documented a cataclysmic change in the Stokes Bay River.”
In a normal year, the presenters explained, spring runoff clouds the bay for a few weeks but everything is “crystal clear by June first”. This year, things just kept getting worse, with algal blooms coating shorelines and beaches in green sludge through the entire summer.
They asked Council who is responsible for water quality and what can be done to remedy the situation.
Mayor McIver assured the presenters that staff were listening to their complaints and would report back to Council.
73% Provincial Grant for Tobermory Water System?
The Government of Ontario is offering a program called the “Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund” or HEWSF. It offers provincial funding to offset up to 73% of the cost of water systems that enable housing.
Tobermory’s drinking water problems seem like a particularly good fit for this program. Unfortunately, the closing date for completed applications is Nov 1, 2024. MNBP has been working with Ontario Clean Water Association and engineering consultant WSP to get an application completed in time for the program deadline.
An excerpt from the Public Works Manager’s Report to Council:
“Staff feel that there seems to be the most interest in supplying water to the Tobermory area, which would service the downtown core and bring water mains to potential new development. This project would make a suitable candidate for HEWSF funding opportunity and Staff is recommending that we apply for funding to complete the Schedule C EA and design and construct a new water treatment plant and distribution system for the Tobermory area. This project is a great potential to bring municipal water to existing developed lots as well as the vacant lots.”
Falconry Trial to Combat Canada Geese at LH Beach
Canada Geese have been problem at Lion’s Head Harbour for years. They foul the beach, the lawns, the marina and the harbour. The beach, in particular, can become unuseable when the geese are at their most abundant.
Various mitigative measures, including dogs, decoys and plantings, have been tried, but none has been particularly successful in driving the geese away.
A licenced falconry company, operating out of Allenford, uses hawks to discourage geese and other inconvenient birds (gulls, cormorants).
Council voted to fund a trial program this fall, and to include falconry in future budgets if the trial is successful.