Some Midland residents worry a planned waterpark could negatively impact Little Lake Park’s ecology.
Ken MacDonald said he can’t understand why town councillors approved a plan last week allowing a private company to set up an inflatable waterpark over the next three summers on the Midland lake without first consulting environmental officials about potential adverse effects.
“It sounds like this is a done deal without any public participation in the decision,” said MacDonald, who noted he was taken aback to learn the town didn’t even reach out to the Severn Sound Environmental Association (SSEA).
“When something like this comes in there should be an environmental impact study. Sometimes, we have to think about our footprint. It’s a sensitive area and just one more thing that will impact the ecology of the park.”
MacDonald sent an email outlining his concerns to Mayor Stewart Strathearn, Deputy Mayor Mike Ross along with Ward 1 councillors Jim Downer, Beth Prost and Jonathan Main. However, he said only Main responded.
“It seems to me the town thinks there’s no cost,” he said. “It’s our parkland...I’m not sure we have to bring in people to make money off our parkland.”
MacDonald, who is a long-time member of the Midland-Penetanguishene Field Naturalists, said the lake is home to a large number of waterfowl and shorebirds, including great blue herons, green herons, trumpeter swans, wood ducks, buffleheads, red-necked grebes, kingfishers, and mallards as well as aquatic critters like otters, beavers, mink and snapping turtles.
“It’s hard to visualize, but the (park’s) west-end is kind of like a natural wonderland,” he said, noting a splash pad would make a lot more sense since it’s land-based, doesn’t require lifeguards and would also be fully-owned by the town rather than allowing a private developer to potentially make a profit on publicly-owned parkland.
“We have a resource that’s used by residents and it’s not something to be exploited.”
Waterfront Recreation Specialists, the company behind the $154,000 initiative, projects a gross annual revenue of $170,000, with 10% of that, or a minimum of $10,000, going to the town each year over the three-year term.
Irene Roche, who moved to Midland from Barrie 1 ½ years ago to a home in Smith’s Park, said the town seems interested in selling out the park’s serenity and non-commercial nature.
“I just found it unbelievable that they would approve that,” Roche said, adding she can’t believe council wouldn’t consider the repercussions the enterprise could have on the park in terms of increased vehicle traffic and congestion, parking and commercialism if it’s successful.
“It’s so serene right now. It’s hard to put into words the beauty of the park. Little Lake was one of the reasons I moved here. It’s so peaceful and you can actually hear loons at night.”
Roche said council also failed local residents by approving the waterpark too quickly without giving those paying their salaries a chance to voice their concerns.
“When out-of-town friends and family come to visit I take them to the park,” she said. “There are ancient trees and all of this atmosphere that makes it special. As soon as this monstrosity is out there in the lake, everything changes.”
Main said he’s awaiting a response from town staff regarding MacDonald’s questions related to environmental concerns and the SSEA.
“I have been thinking about this from my conversations with Ken, and I think that the concerns with the temporary floating play structure would be similar to the impact from docks and watercraft,” Main said, noting the impact on the ecosystem could be minimal, especially if it is located near the existing manicured beach and away from the naturalized shoreline areas.
“The impact on the environment is always a legitimate concern for the town so we'll make sure this is properly reviewed and monitored.”
But both Roche and MacDonald wonder why the town didn’t consider a location on Midland Bay, which features both deeper water and more boat traffic and, therefore, is less attractive to certain waterfowl species.
“Why wouldn’t they put it on Georgian Bay as part of the area they’re revamping?” Roche asked, referring to the town’s development plans for the former Unimin site. “It’s better water depth and you don’t have the same types of wildlife.”
As well, MacDonald said it’s disturbing the town entered into a three-year agreement rather than a more palatable one-year trial.
“I'm sure the council in giving the go-ahead to this proposal are thinking, ‘well, if he can make a go of it, more power to him. It's no cost to us and might generate a bit of revenue. It can't be worse than the Ski-Doo competitions we've already allowed there,’” he said before noting: “Little Lake is worth fighting for and preserving.”
