Ordinarily we would not publish an article which had been placed elsewhere. But this is an important issue; and, as the article had originally been commissioned for “The Tiny Cottager”, we are running it as it was checked, edited and approved on May 5 for this publication.

- Paintball in a quiet rural setting?
- Snowmobiles competing with hikers and skiers?
- Is there enough water?
- Will sewage end up on the shore?
- 1400-1500 vehicles a day at Concession 3 and Crossland Road?
- Parking and crowding at the beach?

A packed public meeting was held on December 1, 200l to consider a major amendment to Tiny’s year-old Official Plan and a zoning bylaw amendment. This would see the north half of Lot 25, Concession 2 (located at the dead end of Concession 3, west of Crossland Road) changed from its current status as “Rural” land, with sections above and below the Nipissing Ridge designated “Environment Protection II” and “Greenbelt” to “Major Recreational.” Donald Stubbs, an Aurora dentist, is the applicant, and his proposal includes 339 trailer sites, 10 camping sites, group camping, a lodge, cabins, recreational centre, paintball area, laundry, tuck shop, mountain biking, snowmobiling, and many other sports, catering both to “park” residents and daytrippers.

“Ultimate Escapes,” a wild card in this proposal, is Mr. Stubbs’ marketing concept of bringing groups of recreation seekers from Aurora and environs to use the property and surrounding areas for “Adrenalin Sports” — mountain/recreational biking, windsurfing, paintball, wall climbing, scuba and dogsledding. He envisions “school bus transportation” as “cars can be left at Aurora office base.” (The full text of “Ultimate Escapes” can be accessed on the Federation’s website, http://www.tinycottager.org, where it appears as an addendum to the Report on Council for December 1/01.)

The Georgian Bay Snowriders snowmobile club has been approached and they “strongly support” the proposed development, as “he [Dr. Stubbs] is endeavouring to bring new users of the Tiny trail system to the area.” (February 20, 2002) The proposed lodge would welcome snowmobilers.

To date, none of the consultants’ reports have clearly addressed the added traffic, water use, disruption to the natural landscape and wildlife associated with the “Ultimate Escapes” concept and the open invitation to snowmobilers. However, consultants’ and peer reports have addressed environmental concerns under the broad headings of servicing (water and sewage), traffic, noise, and the deer yard.

SERVICING - Jagger Hims Limited, Environmental Consulting Engineers, Mr. Stubbs’ consultant on servicing the site, estimates that “220,200 litres per day of water will be required to support the full development on the site” and the “peak daily designed sewage flow should be 222,200 litres per day.” (June 14, 2001)
Dixon Hydrology, consultant for the Township, recommends (March 1, 2002) that “Aquifer testing is required at Maximum Day withdrawal rates to determine the availability of groundwater and the impact upon private water supplies in the area.” In addition, the report sounds the alarm if sewage created at the park is not treated. “This is permitted only if it can be demonstrated that the sewage disposed into the ground will enter a surface water body and will be dispersed in the surface water.” Dixon Hydrology has several concerns about this, most notably, “The surface water body they are discussing is a stream that is apparently supported by discharge of groundwater; this stream then passes amongst private lands on its way to Georgian Bay. Conceptually, what would result is poorly treated sewage travelling overland through backyards to the lakeshore and being dispersed in longshore drift along the beaches.” And again, “It is inconceivable that all of the sewage discharged into the ground on the site will end up as surface water on the Stubbs Property. A portion of sewage entering the groundwater system would continue as groundwater under downgradient properties.”

Also, Simcoe County is concerned about the maintenance of existing stormwater drainage patterns.

TRAFFIC - The Township engineer notes in his report on the traffic impact of the Park (November 28, 2001) that the “average daily vehicle usage would be in the order of 1400 to 1500 vehicles per day” at the intersection of Tiny Concession Road 3 and Crossland Road. He also expresses concerns about the traffic impact on Tiny Concession 3 from County Road 6, or Concesssion 4 West, or indeed, all surrounding roads and facilities. He voices concern over campers leaving the site to visit nearby beaches and attractions, and the subsequent parking and crowding problems.

There is also a disagreement about who should shoulder the costs of road upgrading: the Township or the applicant.

NOISE - This concerns the paintball proposal only and the Stubbs consultant admits, “I am not aware of any other similar study completed in Ontario dealing with the impacts of paintball on residential uses.” (September 17, 2001) The proposed solution is a 135 metre setback from adjacent residential properties, less than satisfactory to isolate what is a war game activity, usually confined, as in Wasaga, to at least 50 acres. Council is being asked to consider approval of the paintball facility for a three year trial so that “its use and impact on neighbours could be monitored.

The temporary use permission could be extended, with Council approval, at the end of the three year period.” (Nick McDonald, February 10, 2002) Why should area residents be guinea pigs for a recreational activity of a sort currently located on the outskirts of Wasaga Beach, in a fully serviced area devoted to amusements for daytrippers and vacationers? At Wasaga, $30 will buy you a paintball gun, mask and 50 bullets filled with red dye. What will the “greenbelt” look like after 3 years of this?

DEER YARD - According to Stubbs’ own consultant, deer expert Jim Broadfoot (February 20, 2002), about 215 deer “use the area for the entire winter during most years.” In addition, he states that “loss of forest cover, construction of permanent structures, and/or frequent unmanaged human activity within the area identified as significant winter deer habitat poses significant risk of a gradual loss of deer yard function in this area.” “Ultimate Escapes,” with its invitation to daytrippers to dogsled and hunt, and the enthusiastic endorsation of the proposed development by the Georgian Bay Snowriders spells even more trouble for the deer.

The proposal is generating a huge file at the Township offices, which can be accessed by taxpayers and other concerned parties. There will be a second public meeting some time this summer to give seasonal residents a chance to comment on the ramifications of this proposal on the environment and lifestyle now enjoyed by homeowners and cottagers in Tiny.

Note that this proposal will contribute very little to the township’s tax base (less than the taxes paid on one substantial cottage on the shore) -- but there will be substantial costs for fire protection, policing, by-law enforcement, and road maintenance.

See the presentation the Federation gave at the public meeting on the Stubbs Proposal on http://www.tinycottager.org under the Council Report for December 1st, 2001