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No lease renewal for Poplar Beach cottages By Liz Dadson |
Huron-Kinloss council To Comment on this article Click Here |
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Despite a lengthy and in-depth report presented by the Poplar Beach cottagers, Huron-Kinloss council has decided the leases on the cottages will expire on Sept. 25. The cottagers, led by Miles Dadson and Carl Mowbray, had until Aug. 20 to present a good case for why the leases should be renewed on the seven cottages that front on the beach, west of Boiler Beach Road. At the council committee meeting last night (Sept. 8), they had a report presented by Brian Luinstra of Huron Geosciences, which recommended installation of holding tank systems as the preferred option for dealing with septic issues on the properties. A third-party review of the report was done by Steve Burns of B.M. Ross and Associates, and the Grey-Bruce Health Unit. Both agreed that the best solution was holding tanks. About 40 people filled the public gallery at the township council chamber last night, with as many in favour of renewing the leases as there were against. In communications to the township, several residents have declared the leases should not be renewed because the cottages are too close to the water and are creating problems with water quality and enjoyment of the beach by the public. Pete Richards, a neighbour of the cottagers, said he had gone walking that day (Sept. 8) and it was cool and windy, not hot and sunny, and he could still detect the septic-type smell which has been increasing over the years along Boiler Beach Road. Allan Hayes, a cottage owner for 13 years, attributed the smell to a lot of seaweed that washes up on the shore and is left there to rot.
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Bob Fenlon, associated with the cottage at the north end, said he was
walking the beach Sept. 8 and smelled no odour. He said there is plenty
of run-off from properties above the road, as well as drips from cars on
the road, which all gets washed down to the beach and often it forms a
pond which they used to call "Pink-eye Pond" because it had an
unpleasant smell.
He said four of the septic systems have passed inspection, while the other three are being inspected next week. "We're willing to put $15,000 to $20,000, alone, into a septic system," he said. Barb Wilson, a cottager, said the township is going to lose a lot of money if it allows these leases to expire. "I hope the taxpayers and the residents of Huron-Kinloss realize they're going to have to absorb that loss. Usually, council is looking for ways to bring revenue into the municipality." By a 6-1 vote, council agreed not to renew the leases. Councillor Lillian Abbott was the lone voice in favour of renewal. Dadson said he was disappointed with the outcome because the cottagers had done a lot of work and thought they had made a sound case for renewing the leases on the cottages. The group will now contact its solicitor regarding the next step.
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