There is a beautiful piece of shoreline in Nipissing Township that some residents fear is slipping away from them. People call this place “The Rock,” and it’s been accessible to the public for as long as most can remember. However, now some are concerned that this access may be taken away, particularly if the shore road allowance is sold in the future.
The Rock spans both public and private land, and access is in jeopardy – according to the Save the Rock working group – as the shore road allowance could be sold to a private owner. Mayor Tom Piper assured residents that there have been no requests to the municipality to buy the land.
Located near Birchgrove Drive West and Sunset Cove Road, The Rock is a popular spot for locals and visitors alike, and members of the Save the Rock group want to ensure the Township works to maintain public access.
See: Nipissing Township residents want access to ‘The Rock’
It was suggested a new land survey be drafted concerning the area around PT. Broken Lot 11, Concession 19 – the site of contention – to determine exactly where these road and lake allowances are, and who owns what. The group noted this would be a great start to clarifying the issue, and this past Tuesday, October 3, David Cernanec, a spokesperson for the Save the Rock citizen’s group, came to Town Hall to request that be done.
Council wasn’t keen on that suggestion. “This council will not ask for a peer review of the survey work of the Shore Road Allowance,’ Mayor Piper made clear. He had his reasons. Council noted since nobody is asking to buy the piece of land (that could cut off public access) a new or revised survey would be jumping the gun.
Ideally, the mayor noted, if a buyer came forward, they could pay for a new survey at that time. “Council doesn’t see the point of spending taxpayer’s money for something that may never happen.”
Mayor and council also expressed concern that if a new survey is done, and the results are unagreeable to the Save the Rock group, members may escalate their request and ask the Township to review its boundaries as per the Provincial Boundaries Act.
“The purpose of the Boundaries Act is to determine and confirm the true position, on the ground, of one or more boundaries of a property, including those of a public highway,” the Ontario Government explained on its Service Ontario website.
A boundary could add some clarity to the issue, but the price, as the Mayor was quick to point out, is very high. The last time the Township investigated its boundaries, the cost was about $100,000. He reminded residents that $30,000 represented around one per cent of the Township’s budget.
Mayor Piper also emphasized that the road allowance leading to the water near The Rock “will remain in possession of the Township of Nipissing.”
Cernanec, speaking for Save the Rock, explained that more should be done to ensure future access. Whether or not someone was interested in buying the land, “we think it is the perfect time” to act.
The group suggested the Township could “declare it a cultural heritage landscape and to conserve it for future generations.” Doing something along these lines would help to ensure public access. The details would need to be ironed out, but the group thought it could be a starting point.
Council didn’t agree with that, noting it had reached out to Heritage Ontario which “didn’t even bother responding,” the mayor said. Council also spoke with Nipissing First Nation, which expressed that spot holds no significant cultural or historical importance to its community.
However, as the Save the Rock group pointed out, the Township did not consult with the Watha Mohawks, who have called the area home for generations.
The site is culturally significant to many residents Save the Rock emphasized, and preserving historical and cultural sites is one of the aims outlined in the Township’s strategic plan.
With council unwilling to spend the money on a new or revised land survey, the issue of future access to The Rock will remain a concern for many residents. There is talk within the Save the Rock group of getting a lawyer to see what options may be available to them.
A roadblock has appeared on the group’s path towards accessibility, but the journey continues.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
