June 20, 2023

Eugenia residents comment on Eugenia Lake access properties during Grey Highlands Committee of Adjustment meeting

BY SOUTHGREY.CA STAFF — A group of local residents turned out via Zoom to comment on two public road access points to Eugenia Lake during the Committee of Adjustment meeting on June 13, 2023.

Residents near Eugenia Lake have used these access points since the lake was first created in 1914. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) would like to sell two access points because they do not have a local presence to manage these properties. Proposals discussed the possible severances being added to adjacent property owners.

This option would take away local access from multiple property owners and from residents in the Municipality of Grey Highlands that has existed for more than 50 years.

A number of private citizens made their voices heard at the Committee of Adjustment Meeting of Grey Highlands on Tuesday, June 13, 2023. They spoke with about their desire to continue to have access to Lake Eugenia to launch their kayaks and canoes, to fish from the shore and to go for a swim. More than a dozen letters were read aloud to the Committee members and many people called in to speak via Zoom.

Erika Dick, resident of the property adjoining the Point Road access point wrote to OPG and shared these thoughts with the Committee: “Lake Eugenia is a beautiful lake and we want to protect it. We are grateful for the public beach on the other side of the lake. It serves the needs of many people. But it would be wonderful to continue to have this small access for our local residents and neighbours. Our lakes and rivers should be for everyone to respect and enjoy. We believe we can find a way to protect the lake and to continue to allow access.”

Marg MacLure, who lives across the road from the Point Road public access point said:  “I would like to propose that the Committee recommend public consultation with local residents to ascertain how the community and OPG and the Municipality of Grey Highlands might co-ordinate their efforts to resolve this issue to the advantage of the community as a whole.”

Jonas Sykula, President of the Plantts Point Property Owners Association stated: “We feel strongly that the Committee of Adjustment take into consideration the concerns and solutions of all our taxpayers both on and off the waterfront. We are disappointed that the community members were not notified or consulted in this process,” and “we are asking that the Committee of Adjustment deny or defer the severance of this property to allow the residents an opportunity to explore alternative options. This would benefit the community interests as a whole over one individual property owner.”

For almost three hours the Committee of Adjustment listened to each caller. Every call or letter was asking that the public road allowances be kept open for public use. One caller gave an example of how emergency vehicles need access quickly at different points on the lake. Another caller from a nearby farm, talked about how for 50 years their family had used the Point Road lake access to swim and launch canoes.

At the end of the meeting, the Committee of Adjustment unanimously voted to defer a decision on OPG’s application for severance, and the Committee recommended thatCouncil take time to consider purchase options for the properties and to provide greater clarity.

For many years the residents around Lake Eugenia has had an excellent relationship with OPG. But in the last 4 years this relationship has become strained as OPG has attempted to sell the public road access points to private individuals. All the homeowners located across the road from the lake would no longer be able to enjoy any convenient access to it. In addition, many other local people in Grey Highlands who have used these amenities for more than 50 years would be similarly affected.

At the Grey Highlands council meeting on June 21, 2023 council will be discussing matters related to OPG lands in closed session.

 

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