Proponent says they will instruct the OPP to arrest people attending MRPOA’s free annual Canada Day event
On June 30, 2015, the Moon River Property Owners Association was notified by this Notice of Trespass that the proponent would instruct the Ontario Provincial Police to arrest anyone attending this year’s free cake, ice cream, and music Canada Day celebration in Margaret Burgess Park. This is the Crown land owned by the province, directly north of the Bala north falls, which has been the site of this fun family-oriented event for the past four years.
Not only is this park the same as it has been for the past 50 years (no construction, no changes), but the Township of Muskoka Lakes has recently accepted the proponent’s offer to not impact or change Margaret Burgess Park, in return for the proponent being able to instead use the Township’s Portage Landing to facilitate their proposed construction.
The proponent is therefore not only reneging on their agreement, they are needlessly controlling use of this public land. This is worrisome as the MNR is giving the proponent complete control of this and other prime public land in Bala for the next 40 years.
Over 60 members of the public attended the Township of Muskoka Lakes Council Special Council meeting on July 3, 2015 expecting the issue of the proponent reneging on their accepted offer would be discussed and that the MRPOA could delegate on this issue as their event was the next day. However, instead of either, the Mayor had the OPP called to Council chambers, as reported in Built Heritage News.
The proponent refused our requests to provide evidence they have authority to issue such a Notice of Trespass (we received a similar notice for an unrelated event the same day), or to inform us how requests for permission to use the park are to be submitted, how much in advance, and for what types of events.
This proponent is out of control and must be stopped.
Even More Support from the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario
In addition to the support of; the community, the Muskoka Lakes Association, the Moon River Property Association, and theWahta Mohawks First Nation, the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario has now increased its support.
The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario has been involved in preserving Ontario’s architectural and environmental heritage since 1933. They know that the construction of the proposed generating station at the Bala falls would destroy the cultural heritage landscape and in the past have awarded us their Margaret and Nicholas Hill Cultural Heritage Landscape Award, and written letters of support, such as this and this.
And now, you can receive a charitable tax receipt for donations to SaveTheBalaFalls.com, instructions are here.
John Wright, of North 45 Communications has created this video.
What is all this about, and our concerns
For over ten years a proponwent has been pursing an opportunity to develop a hydro-electric generating station at the Bala falls (Bala is 25 km north-west of Gravenhurst and about two hours north of Toronto).
Anybody can visit Bala, and fish, or swim, or wade in the usually-serene Bala north falls for free. Even the parking is free. You can have a picnic in Margaret Burgess park, and there are restaurants, boat rentals, and interesting stores in within walking distance.
But the proposed generating station would change all that. Most of the public waterfront would be used by or made too dangerous by the proposed generating station. There would be fencing everywhere, 94% of the water would go through the proposed generating station leaving only a trickle over both Bala falls. There would be years of construction, and the proponent would clear-cut all the trees from the Heritage-designated Portage Landing just south of the proposed construction site. The proponent refuses to compromise, and has actually increased the size of the proposed generating station and changed to the far more dangerous cycling mode of operation.
We well understand that hydro-electric generating stations can be a very good source of energy as they don’t produce nasty emissions or waste, but there are many other environmental concerns.
In this situation, the problem is that despite years of asking, the proponent for the proposed station at the Bala falls will not answer our questions, such as:
- Would the proposed station be safe. This includes safe for the in-water recreation that has been part of Bala for over 100 years, such as swimming and boating upstream and downstream. And would it be safe for fish and not harm the fish habitat.
- Would the proposed station be beautiful, as this area is. The few drawings and renderings provided by the proponent have all had such major omissions and errors that they mislead rather than inform. And the proponent has not been able to confirm there would be no barbed-wire fencing or that there would not be warning sirens sounded daily.
- Would there be enough water over the north and south falls that people would continue to be drawn to Bala (nobody would come to see where the falls used to be). The proponent refuses to compromise and both falls would be reduced to a trickle throughout most of the year. This would be ruining the economy of Bala to provide a $100 million dollar subsidy to a private developer.
Other ways to help Save the Bala Falls …
- Subscribe to our e-Newsletter (click on the link near the top-right of this page).
- Follow us on Twitter at @SaveBalaFalls, we’re also on Facebook at Save the Bala Falls.
- Learn about the issue (the most recent articles are on the right, at the top).
- To hear an excellent explanation of what is wrong with electricity pricing in Ontario, and how this proposed project would be an example of that, listen to Allan Turnbull’s interview, near the bottom here.
- You can make a donation to this effort here.
- Contact us if you have any questions or comments.
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