First of all we would like to thank council for advancing this project by unanimously giving third reading last December.
The first phase of our development will include dedication of land around the lake, a new trail system, wildlife viewing tower, and land for the new Cove Bay water treatment plant.
The municipality successfully completed its pilot plant testing last fall and has begun design work on the plant.
Unfortunately the Agricultural Land Commission denied our application to swap lands so that the Orchard Recovery Centre could expand. We had applied to put the new White Swan orchard into the reserve in exchange for land removed adjacent to the existing recovery center.
We will be working with municipal and ALC staff on alternate ways to achieve the Orchard Recovery Centre’s expansion. Because of this decision by the ALC, we will need to modify our rezoning application to reflect the required changes.
On the bright side, council has given us the confidence to move ahead and Municipal staff are now processing our development permit that will allow us to proceed with preliminary site work and trail construction this spring.
- John Reid and John Dowler
