Two municipal island access properties on Bigwin Island, one of which had been considered for public access, will be sold by the municipality on the open market.
Last February, staff were asked to review a list of municipally owned properties and determine whether any were suitable for development.
At the June 3 Lake of Bays Council meeting, staff returned recommending the sale of the two island properties:
- A 1.73-acre lot located at 32 Bigwin Island with 720 feet of frontage on Lake of Bays and assessed at $821,000. This property was considered for public used but staff recommended against it.
- A slightly undersized 0.58-acre lot at 540 Bigwin Island with 160 feet of frontage on Lake of Bays and assessed at $336,000.
Previous councils have been interested in maintaining public parkland on the island and on March 14, 2023, council asked staff to undertake a feasibility study for developing a park on Bigwin Island.
“Park staff have advised that maintaining and monitoring a park on the island would be very challenging,” said Carrie Sykes, Lake of Bays Director of Corporate Services/Clerk. “Trespassing was also a major concern for the Island association. Subsequently, staff are not recommending council retain this land for the purpose of a public park.”
Instead, staff recommended that the municipality divest itself of the two properties and place them on the market through its realtor of record.
Councillor Nancy Tapley said she did not think the assessment for the properties was very high. Sykes said that is because the assessment has not been reevaluated by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation since 2016, but noted that the properties would be sold at current market values.
Councillor George Anderson wanted to know if people had ever used or were aware of the property. Township Superintendent of Parks and Facilities Scott MacKinnon said people on the island use the property as they walk back and forth along the island. “I don’t think very many people are aware it even exists,” he said.
Councillor Bob Lacroix said he is in favour of selling the properties. “I know in 2014, I think it came up before, and we decided to keep it, but nothing has happened since, and in reality, to keep those properties, you know, to buy a boat for parks to go out there and clean up the garbage that’s going to be there constantly and if we ever put a dock there and allow people to use it, I think it would add a lot of hardship to parks and recs [department] so I think it’s in the best interest of the Township to try and get as much money as we can for it and sell these and use the money for a good cause,” added Lacroix.
You can find the staff report HERE.
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The island lots “a hardship for staff to maintain? Hunh? Isn’t that their JOB, for which they are well paid? Public waterside parks are few and far between. Public island waterside parks, even more rare. Keep the lots. Use tax money for enjoyable Public experiences. Selling these lots is short sighted.
Why would you sell it! Leave some destinations for us poor folks. Do you need the money!?