'No waterfront casino,' message heard loud and clear

For nearly two hours, citizens in a packed council chamber took turns at the podium to voice their absolute displeasure with the idea of building a casino on the waterfront, a matter that would be an eventuality, they said, if the Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) allowed the rezoning of the former Kenroc site on Memorial Drive to happen.

Among the concerns, included the moral positioning of a casino near a children’s playground, a family site and what some called, the gold of North Bay.

“The waterfront is our golden mile,” said Janet Zimbalatti, a long-time anti-casino lobbyist who has presented to council on several occasions, explaining her beliefs on the negative economic impact it would have on the local charities. “We’d be giving away a substantial amount of revenue generated by our citizens at a casino and when it leaves, it leaves.”

Another speaker, a nearby resident, like Dr. Stephane Gauthier spoke about all of the impacts he foresaw should a casino be built on that land, especially for him and his family. 

“I think, unanimously, anybody in that region of the map would not want a casino in their neighbourhood. You can also outline that square and see crime go up, property values drop,” he said. “I think the only businesses that will thrive there are hock shops and payday loan businesses. I think the location is very poor, it would be absolute folly.”

Many other area residents agreed and spoke up about their quality of life being threatened should a casino be built on Memorial Drive, including John Ball and Monique Peters, who both talked about the trails being threatened and the natural beauty of the lake and waterfront being disturbed.

Many questioned the ability of the casino to draw tourism to North Bay, being that it would be one of the smaller casinos as part of the OLG Northern Gaming Bundle and that it would be the lake—not the casino to draw people to North Bay.

However, as tensions rose, the committee was clear that a decision was not being made that night, only a vote on having staff prepare a report for city council—which would be making the ultimate decision on the matter.

“While I’m against putting a casino in that location,” Deputy Mayor Sheldon Forgette said, “I would rather council have more information than not,” explaining his vote in favour of staff preparing a report for the location—which passed almost unanimously.

All presentations made by the public were recorded by staff and the concerns will be part of the report made to city council, for all three parcels of land voted by PAC, including the two being rezoned located on Pinewood Park Drive.

See related stories: No casino at the waterfront group urges

See also: Waterfront casino supporter speaks up