http://www.muskokaregion.com/news-story/5592128-bala-falls-hydro-plant-impact-already-hurting-local-business/
Bala Falls hydro plant impact already hurting local business
RESIDENT'S COMMENTS UPSET COUNCIL
Cassandra Ford
Gravenhurst Banner
Linda Hutton tried to sound like someone who wasn’t hurt and upset.
She didn’t do a good job.
The co-owner of the Bala Falls Museum – she owns and operates the museum with her husband Jack - expressed her sorrow at the economic hit she said the business would take over the presence of the controversial Bala Falls hydroelectric plant in her town.
“An Ontario tour marketer was going to bring a tour throughout Ontario to all the sites Lucy Maud Montgomery lived, worked, or in the case of Bala, holidayed. It was going to be a spiritual tour … it was going to deal with everything about Lucy Maud Montgomery.”
But, according to what Hutton says has transpired, the tour is nothing more now than a lost opportunity. She said the tour organizers have recently withdrawn Bala from the itinerary because of the presence of the proposed hydroelectric plant.
“It is also because the hotel is up for sale because she was going to host a lunch at the Bala Bay Inn. She is so particular about her tours she said she will not come to any place where there is construction.”
Bala’s Museum has become known as one of the best Lucy Maud Montgomery museums in Canada. Montgomery stayed in Bala for two weeks in 1922, and, according to her journals, ate her meals at a boarding house in the town, which is now the Bala Museum.
The plant project could start as early as this summer, if Swift River officials receive the proper approvals and documentation in time.
Hutton said the cancellation of the tour stop will mean the loss of several thousands of dollars in revenue for the museum, dollars that could eventually determine the fate of the business, which is due to celebrate its 23rdanniversary this summer.
“One bus tour a week for us during July, August, September and part of October … each time a bus tour comes in the door, we are talking about t least $500, that is a very minimal amount. So that is $500 a week through our entire season, and our season goes to Cranberry Festival,” she said. “It could mean (the loss of) a minimum of $7,500 this season.
Hutton made these declarations following a presentation given to a Muskoka Lakes committee of the whole meeting on April 21 in Port Carling by local businessowner Cassandra Ford.
Ford addressed the committee, stating she and her husband Martin own three commercial properties in the township, but on this day she was speaking to the councillors on behalf of a number of Bala businesses, not just their own.
She presented documents that indicated that blasting for the power plant and any loss of retail parking to accommodate stage by Swift River could cost area businesses an estimated 20 per cent and upwards in revenue in some cases.
“I have been speaking to the new owner of Don’s Bakery and they are estimating a 40 to 50 per cent loss on their business with the loss of the Portage Landing parking,” she said.
Ford said in her documents that according to a study done in 2010, 81 per cent of Bala’s business is generated from May to November. She added that if local businesses only generated $2 million (“which is a very, very conservative number,” she said), a potential 20 per cent loss from the projects presence would result in $400,000 in just one year.
“Swift River’s claim, from your website, is there is $10 million of local investment. That is a huge amount. My question is where are these new jobs? Are they actually for people from Bala? Are they people from Muskoka Lakes or are they imported trades?” she asked.
Ford said that local business owners want to meet with the project’s working committee to have their questions answered.
“Your construction impacts us, so we want to understand what the impact is to our business and we absolutely expect solutions for losses,” she said, turning to address Swift River vice-president Frank Belerique who was sitting in the audience.
Swift River had brought a new deal to the committee that day for the use of township lands for project staging. The deal, which was originally $100,000 for the lease of township lands neighbouring the project site was upped to $125,000 for up to 24 months and $5,200 per month for more municipal land and if the lease is longer than 24 months. It also included $5,000 per year for community groups and charities to compensate for losses from not having use of Shield Parking Lot during the annual Cranberry Festival.
Ford and another businessowner spoke against the proposed deal – which the council eventually rejected – saying the township is not getting enough from SREL.
Bill Purkis of Purk’s Place told the committee Bala businesses pay more than $500,000 in property taxes every year, yet “this arrogant developer thinks they can take over all of Bala’s municipal parking for two years, for only $100,000?”
Committee chair Gault McTaggart warned Purkis twice to refrain from what he felt were derogatory statements made by the businessowner about municipal employees, who Purkis referred to “seemingly uniformed.”
“I say seemingly uniformed because our interim director of public works knows full well the economic life of Bala ebbs and flows and the extent of the use of Don’s Bakery parking lot. Our interim director of public works lived in Bala for many years. During that time, our interim director of public works often shopped at Don’s Bakery, but undoubtedly he was clever enough to buy his baked goods before the large crowds …”
“I am sorry Mr. Purkis, but I am going to have to ask you not to refer to our staff with what I find is in a rather disparaging way,” McTaggart said.
Purkis denied he referred to employees in that manner and continued his presentation. When he continued to discuss municipal employees during his address, McTaggart again interjected, saying he could not let the presentation continue.
“You may feel you are not disparaging our staff, but I do,” the chair said. “You are definite offside in your remarks.”
Purkis did manage to finish his presentation, asking councillors who has voted for “this repugnant attempt to obstruct Bala businesses.”
At one point of the meeting, Coun. Sandy Currie asked Belerique if SREL would agree to compensate local businessowner for any loss of income or profits.
Belerique said no.
Hutton said if the project were to go ahead this summer, it could mean that the tour would not be able to come to Bala for at least three seasons, given the project’s anticipated 18 month construction schedule and subsequent clean up and site rehabilitation.
“In three years from now, we are not going to be financially viable,” she said. “So Bala loses that opportunity and the world loses that opportunity to see how Lucy Maud Montgomery is connected to Bala and we lose a substantial amount of money that would be very important for our operating costs.”
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