December 14, 2011
Town backs efforts to
block sale
by Vance Gutzman
Deep River is opposing the sale of a controversial right-of-way in
Laurentian Hills.
Acting upon a recommendation from its planning and development
committee, town council endorsed a resolution last week to oppose the
sale by the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) of a right-of-way,
located near Deep River's western border, that provides public access
to the Ottawa River.
The right-of-way in question was a long-standing issue with the
previous council in Laurentian Hills, and resurfaced again recently
when a group calling itself the “Waterfront Heritage Committee”
published a letter to the editor of the NRT, calling on the MNR's new
district manager to reconsider a letter which the former mayor of
Laurentian Hills sent to his predecessor in September 2010.
Mayor David Thompson referenced that letter in addressing last week's
resolution, calling the former mayor's three-page missive "impassioned."
Thompson then went on to say Deep River has its own reasons for
opposing the sale.
"We are an adjacent landowner," Thompson pointed out, adding that Deep
River is studying a proposal to loop a watermain down McAnulty Road
(where the right-of-way) is located.
Access to the town's drinking water could open the door to increased
residential development in that area, Thompson said, adding it would
make sense to have a public right-of-way to the river for the new
residents.
"Water access is very important to our municipality," Thompson stated,
adding that the timing of the resolution is right, considering that
there is a new district manager of the MNR in Pembroke.
"There is an opportunity here to try again," Thompson said.
"The public good must supersede the private interests."
Councillor Terry Myers noted that alternative solutions to the vexing
right-of-way have been proposed in the past, and Deep River's
resolution could serve as a catalyst for further study of them.
"Unless the current sale is stopped, there will be no compromise
solution," Myers said.
"The first step is to stop the sale, then look at the alternatives."
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