Feature Article February 6, 2002
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NF Seeks Canonto-Palmerston Area Leaseby Will CybulskiRecreation area, beach, nature trails! These assets are all there, waiting to be developed, if North Frontenac can negotiate a long-term lease with the Mississippi Valley Conservation. A 240-acre parcel of property that ties Canonto Lake to Palmerston Lake is being sought by the Township, but caution is being used to protect the municipalitys interests if the plan goes ahead. Mayor Stan Johnston wants to ensure that, if and when the site is developed, it isnt quickly taken back by MVC because it has been turned into a more valuable commodity. At Councils meeting on January 28, the Mayor indicated that he hoped to see a 20-year, annually renewable lease for the land signed with MVC. In that way, North Frontenac would always have a long-term window of notice if the agreement ever falls through. The acreage will need work to bring it up to recreational standards, but there are willing volunteers waiting to turn the area into an enjoyable, handicapped-accessible, multi-use recreational area. The Crown Lands Access program and the recently formed Recreation Committee are both seen as possibly having tie-ins with such a project, so further discussions will be needed to determine who does what if the municipality and MVC can come up with a done deal. Mayor Johnston stated that the tax loss would not be that significant if the land is turned over by MVC, and the property would not likely ever see any development without the municipality, due to MVCs lack of expendable dollars.
