Tag Archives: Rotary Trail

Showdown on Rabbit Canyon Trail (Revised)

30 Tuesday Mar 2021

Posted by in Parry Sound, Reflections

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(The text has been lightly edited to correct grammatical errors and add a couple of clarifications. These changes are noted in italics)

What seems like a title for a Zane Grey novel is the best description I could come up with concerning a dispute between the Town and a property owner regarding property access and development. Until last week I had no idea a Rabbit Canyon Trail even existed, or at least not the name of the trail. Then the Town of Parry Sound’s news release kicked things off.

The Rabbit Canyon Trail refers to the small ungroomed foot and bike path that leads from Waubuno Beach past the old pumphouse to the Tony Agnello Water Treatment Plant. I have walked and cycled along this path hundreds of times over the past decade. A small portion of the trail is located on private property located to the northwest of Waubuno Beach. The image below highlights the property (red) and shows the two trails. The trail closest to the shore is the Rabbit Canyon Trail. The property in question is about two-thirds of an acre with an MPAC assessed value of $95,000.

Rabbit Canyon Trail

The history of the property is recounted in the Town’s news release pasted below.

My understanding is that the property was sold to an individual in 1998 as part of a larger deal that involved Town property on what is now Baycrest Drive. The sale of the larger property was made on the understanding, if not the condition, that the property would be developed as residences. This has been the case with almost all of the lots developed. The Baycrest Drive development has an approximate MPAC assessment value of $10 million. That is worth about $150,000 annually in tax revenue and perhaps another $25,000 a year in water services. My back of the envelope calculation suggests that the development has been worth about $2 million to date in property taxes with the promise of a similar ‘tax annuity’ going forward. That is in addition to the original purchase price paid by the Developer. It should be remembered that the Town has been collecting property taxes on the lot in question for more than two decades. (Note – this transaction was revisited by Council in 2006.)

The Developer and the Town entered into an agreement that has for the most part worked out well for all involved. The neighbourhood is one of the most desirable, and high priced, in the Town and has been a magnet of sorts for upscale folks interested in living in Parry Sound. While many professionals, like those who work at the hospital or in law offices, have chosen to live on a waterfront property in one of the neighbouring municipalities, a number would prefer to be closer to work and not have to worry about a well and septic. Beyond Baycrest Drive there are relatively few upscale residential options in the Town besides condo living. This relative scarcity of options has certainly helped the Developer in finding buyers. At the same time the Town has benefited from having upscale accommodations to attract necessary professionals. Housing is perhaps the number one challenge in the area, regardless of price. We are short on services because professionals from the GTA, and I include tradespeople here, who want to be close to nature can’t find reasonable accommodation, at reasonable prices.

The Developer it seems would like to develop the property that spans the two town trails. They had an agreement in principle to be permitted to construct some sort of a ‘bridge’ over the Rotary Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail to access the property from Baycrest Drive. The Town, in reading their news release, has decided that while they may have agreed in principle to the access now feels that it is not now in the ‘public interest’ to permit it. I can understand their position. 

But, the Developer has delivered on the promises they made as part of the original agreement. Can the Town unilaterally decide that they will not honour this part of the agreement? It’s not as though there isn’t documentation regarding the expectations of both parties with regards to this property.

But, the Developer has a piece of property that is both desirable and undesirable as a residence. Yes, it does in theory have a view of the Big Sound, but the property is also sandwiched between two trails and on land that folks have come to use as a public park. Does any homeowner really want people on the trail checking out what’s going on in their yard and house at all times of the day and night? And building a ‘bridge’ to access the property will require a right-of-way from property from a Baycrest Drive, impacting lot value there. The logistics of building a bridge also seem difficult, expensive, and frankly, unrealistic. After a ‘landing spot’ for the bridge there isn’t that much land to work with for anything more than a bunkie.

The Town doesn’t want to negatively impact the Rotary Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail, an Amazing Place, with a bridge running over it. There won’t be much traffic or sound, but it really won’t provide a sense of nature. Would a bridge over the trail be any worse than the multiple trestles that crisscross the Town?

But, I think the Town wants people who do business with it to believe that the Town’s word and agreement can be trusted, even if it is little more than a handshake. This is now in question for an agreement that is much more than a handshake. Two current members of council were on council in 2006 when it revisited the agreement or understanding with the Developer. Did they at the time have no intention of honouring the outlines of the agreement? Or, did they have every intention of honouring it but now find it more ‘convenient’ to ignore it. There are communities in Canada who have well over a century of experience with governments preferring not to honour earlier agreements because it is not in the ‘public interest’.

Arguably the town holds the hammer, if not the sickle, in this situation. They have apparently simply said ‘nyet’ to the counterproposals offered by the Developer to address the impasse. I have not found that to be an effective way to do business. Failing to honour earlier agreements means that new developers will be more cautious in trusting the word of Staff and Council. If they are smart, they will attempt to gain their own leverage that can be pulled out when the Town backs off its commitments.

It seems to me that there is an agreement to be reached that may require all the parties to give a bit more than they would like. In the business world this is known as ‘taking a haircut’. But they can then move on to more important activities that benefit the Town and their own business. 

I would suggest that if Staff and Council can’t handle this type of negotiation with some professionalism and ‘class’ they had better buckle up for when developers get ready to develop the property traversed by the Voldemort Trail. This the trail system that ‘shall not be mentioned’ on the other side of Salt Dock Road. There have been multiple no trespassing signs posted on the private property for more than a decade. This hasn’t stopped folks from treating it like municipal property. Securing legitimate public access to this trail if development on the property were to start will probably require the Town to exchange some waterfront rights to the actual North Shore Rugged Trail. I can imagine the screams that will be heard from people if the Town were to suggest that they won’t negotiate.

Let’s get this done, it’s a no-brainer. It’s time to head down to the barbershop and get a trim. Let’s not turn this into a Zane Grey sequel, ‘Shootout at Rabbit Canyon Trail’.

Disclosure: I have no financial or other material interest in the outcome of this issue, but I would like to have continued access to the Rabbit Canyon Trail. I would also like to see evidence that the Town does live up to its agreements, even if they are a handshake. It’s the basis of trust that permeates all parts of municipal government, and our trust in their decisions and actions. I have spoken to the representative for the Developer regarding this issue. I have not spoken to the Town. My experience has been that the Town will not discuss the issue with me because I am not a party to the matter. My understanding is that they won’t even speak with the developer’s representative in a constructive manner.

North Shore Rugged Trail User Group Needed

13 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by in Boating/Recreation, Parry Sound, Suggestions, Town Council

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It seems a good time to establish a North Shore Rugged Trail Users Group. Anyone interested? If yes, please contact me at parrysounds@gmail.com. Let’s start a discussion of how best to support the North Shore Rugged Trail as it seemingly has become the centre of business interest.

Background:
The Town of Parry Sound recently passed a by-law (here’s a link to the agenda preview summary, it’s Item 10.5.1) that confirmed the Town’s willingness to negotiate the relinquishing of certain rights to portions of the North Shore Rugged Trail to help support development of the privately owned property that lies inland from the trail. Very limited information was provided in the by-law and the supporting documents regarding what was being considered. There was a suggestion that any concessions would be limited.

Here is a link to the draft bylaw and supporting documents that was approved by Council 2016-11-01.

The Trail:
The North Shore Rugged Trail is an interesting Town of Parry Sound asset. It is a rugged trail that runs from the Smelter Wharf along the coast past Zhiishiib Rock, Thunder Creek, and Monument Point all the way to the Parry Sound / McDougall boundary. If you have hiked it you know how special it is, rugged for sure.

I hike the trail no less than once a week, and as often as five times a week. It provides for the best views of the Big Sound, sunsets, and Parry Island. While hiking the trail I often come across people who are taking the opportunity, minutes from their home, to get away from it all and challenge themselves a little with  hiking over the rocks and around, or through, the water. The North Shore Rugged Trail is quite unlike the Rotary Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail, the trail that runs from Champaigne to Salt Dock Road. While the Rotary Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail welcomes people to take a stroll and relax, the North Shore Rugged Trail demands more physically and mentally, with the corresponding rewards. Nor is the North Shore Rugged Trail like the Voldemort Trail (see link), the informal trail that runs inland from Salt Dock Road and is a favourite of people walking their dogs. The Voldemort Trail is not mentioned in any of the Town’s official trail documents because it is an informal trail that passes over private property for which permission has never been obtained by the Town, or the users. To the credit of the property owners they have been generous in not restricting access or prosecuting those who do use the trail. It seems it is these property owners who would like to secure certain considerations regarding the North Shore Rugged Trail to better develop their property. The Town is interested in seeing the property developed so as to increase the assessment base.

The Challenge:
It is unlikely that the North Shore Rugged Trail would be deeded over to new property owners with no access for the Public. The question of course is what kind of concessions will be necessary to incentivize development, and how will that impact public access. Who will have input and who will decide?

My major concern is that I believe Town Council and Staff have no familiarity, or love for the North Shore Rugged Trail. While I have seen members of Council and Staff on the Rotary Algonquin Regiment Fitness Trail from time-to-time, I have never, in the hundreds of times I have hiked the North Shore Rugged Trail, seen anyone from Council or Staff on the trail. It’s my sense that they know no more about the trail than can be gleaned by looking at a Google Maps view, their distant childhood memories, or perhaps some of my photos at ParrySights (click the North Shore Rugged Trail tag for images). There has been no investment by the Town to promote the North Shore Rugged Trail or to even provide a map or guide for its exploration. Is this a conscious effort to deter people from using the trail because it is rugged? Perhaps Staff and Council believe that it is in the Town’s interest to restrict or limit use of the trail so as to limit liability. That would be a shame.

A formally constituted North Shore Rugged Trail Users Group, involving people who know and love the trail, would be able to secure a seat at the table in any negotiations to restrict public access to the trail. I would also like to sees a Users Group take a leadership role in keeping the trail tidy and suggest opportunities to make it more user friendly. (The trail does not suffer from the issue of litter and trash as is the case with the Voldemort Trail, but from time-to-time stuff washed onto the shores from the Big Sound needs to be removed.) Those of you who regularly use the trail are familiar with how Thunder Creek often makes the trail impassable unless you are willing to get wet feet, or venture further upstream. This gets to be a problem in the fall and early spring when the water is c-c-cold. Wouldn’t a footbridge be nice?

Interested? Drop me a line. Perhaps the group can form in alliance with other local nature groups who may not have the same love and appreciation of the North Shore Rugged Trail but are committed to supporting trails and ongoing public access. We all need to work together.

“They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot”

The Town’s lack of interest in the North Shore Rugged Trail is perhaps best illustrated with the photo below of the sign leading up to the trail. There was money for a new artist’s station, a sign announcing the new station that covered up part of the map, but not a new map?

Let’s make sure that the North Shore Rugged Trail gets the protection that it and it’s users deserve. I can be reached at parrysounds@gmail.com. Or if there is already an initiative underway let me know how I can help.

“Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got til its gone”

redwood1890-20161112-dsc_0321

Garbage – A Different Side of the Issue

14 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by in Parry Sound, Suggestions

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As you know I have been a proponent of giving the Salvation Army and other non-profit organizations a break in dealing with the garbage that is generated as part of their community services. This posting looks to the people of Parry Sound to do the right thing themselves.

Exhibit A – Taken 2012-02-14 (Valentine’s Day)


Exhibit B – A Close Up

Yes it’s what you think it is. While people are good enough to pick it up, it would be appreciated if they would carry it out with them. I know there are no garbage cans along the fitness trail once the snow flies, but it really isn’t too much trouble to carry it in the hand not holding the leash.

If your dog was able to carry it to the trail, you should be able to carry it out.

This is not a problem unique to Parry Sound. A trail close to where I lived in Austin was regularly dotted with these packages. In that case I wonder if it wouldn’t have been better to leave it where it landed and not bag it. It would have returned to nature in short order.

It’s a different issue here, where the snow provides a delightful contrast. But please let’s pick it up and take it home. It all ends up in the same place.