How much TLC should Lions Lookout and Memorial Park receive?
At its June 28 meeting, Huntsville’s General Committee agreed to hire WSP Canada (formerly MMM Group) at a cost of $10,300 for a public consultation process to determine what residents want for the future of the area. There’s no question that it is in need of some repair. What’s still to be determined is how far beyond basic upkeep the Town should go.
The matter first came to General Committee in April with staff requesting direction from councillors on whether to proceed with budgeted maintenance or look at options to beautify the area.
Staff returned to committee in June with a recommendation to “facilitate a public meeting and present plans and recommendations for revitalization of Lions Lookout and Memorial Park at a cost of $10,300 plus applicable taxes funded through Parks Capital Reserves.” Their report also noted that this consultation could include discussion of a boat ramp along the Muskoka River.
MMM Group completed a Master Plan for all of Memorial Park – which includes both Lions Lookout and Camp Kitchen – in 2011. (Read the plan here.) The proposed process would be an extension of that plan, noted Steve Hernen, the Town’s Director of Operations and Protective Services. “It’s an extension of the study with concept drawings and a discussion with council and the public to see if that’s still the direction they want to go, and to give us some current pricing so we can make some decisions come budget time.”
Both Deputy Mayor Karin Terziano and Councillor Bob Stone objected to spending more funds when an in-depth study has already been done, with Stone suggesting the Town do its own public consultation.
Councillor Det Schumacher said that he’d prefer to have a consultant do that work. “Who have we got who is going to do conceptual drawings and pricing that we can make an informed decision on?”
Deputy Mayor Terziano added, “I realize the plan (from 2011) is a little outdated but there’s a full costing section in it and there’s some extremely good ideas. My concern is we’ve never taken this plan and said is there anything we want to implement… This plan is quite detailed and we should revisit it.” She also noted that the only recommendation from the plan that has been implemented is the veterans’ memorial near the entrance to Lions Lookout.
A concept plan for Memorial Park from a master plan created in 2011
Initially Mayor Scott Aitchison suggested that the Town could perhaps do it’s own public consultation, with a consultant providing concept drawings and pricing, but later said that they likely wouldn’t save much money that way. Regardless of the process, he said he would like to see more done with the park and with Lions Lookout specifically.
“I think it’s one of the most visited places in our community by tourists and cottagers and I think we can do an awful lot more to make it something that looks obvious that we care about it,” said Aitchison. “What I am envisioning would require substantial investment, frankly, but I think if we never start planning to do these things we never will. I think it’s one of the preeminent vistas in Ontario and it should have the investment that suggests we believe that.”
He encouraged everybody to review the design elements suggested in the 2011 report.
A majority of committee voted to accept staff’s recommendation with Terziano and Stone voting against it.
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Once again, I’m on the side of the naysayers. If you try to constantly re-invent a perfectly good wheel, you run the risk that it will end up square, and no progress will ever be made.
If this town administration can not deal with a simple thing like this maybe we should hire a consultant to run the town for us and maybe get something done for a change here that should be very simple to deal with.
I agree with comments above.
I agree with comments above. $ 10 G would go a long way at the Lookout. Keep it simple, and take care of it. Get it done instead of talking about it.
It is sad when we seem to continue to pay for consultants for everything and when the report holds common sense ideas the Town rarely listens. Maybe instead of paying for consultants the money can just be put towards the project directly.
All these nodes I don’t get, put up a sign saying the land was bought to remember the men lost in the first world war and be done with it. Clean up the lookout and perhaps put a picnic shelter at camp kitchen . There now you have your consultation , lol and it was free.
Just clean up the lookout and take care of it regularly. Maybe some new fencing, paint and a little pavement repair. Again spending money on consultants and drawings and what ever, such a waste. Spend taxpayers’ money on repairs that are really needed in this town.