Problems with Deer Lake park
Former councillor questioning development of town’s municipal RV campground
When Jean Young looks around the Deer Lake Municipal RV Park and Campground, she doesn’t really like what she sees.
Young feels the park developer has changed the nice, friendly municipal park into something that will just be an RV parking lot with a small public area.
When she dives deeper into what’s happening, the issue becomes more than that.
“The bigger issue is that regulations and the town plan is not being followed in any way shape or form,” said the former town councillor.
“The legal ramifications are almost as concerning to me as the pretty parts.”
Young and her daughter, Sara, are frustrated at the lack of stewardship from all government levels and have been voicing their concerns.
“And we’re not getting any answers from the federal, provincial, or municipal governments.”
Young decided to start looking into things when she heard a rumour the town was going to sign a 45-year lease with Deer Lake Park Limited.
She said it’s basically selling the park, but her complaint is not with the company and leasee Jon Stirling but with the province and town for allowing it to happen.
The 45-year lease was approved during an April 5 council meeting and Young believes that many town regulations are being violated and she’s appealed that decision to the Western Regional Appeal Board.
She’s also filed an access to information request with the town for any and all information pertaining to the park since 2018. Her investigation has her thinking that work is going ahead at the park without any regulation or permits.
PERMIT PROCESS
One she did find (https:// www.gov.nl.ca/ecc/files/ Alt11678-2021.pdf) was issued by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Municipalities in March to the town.
Outside of the regulatory process, she is also concerned about the impact of construction the land and water around it.
Young said the floodways are being impacted and the edge of the water is now a big berm. It’s located on a salmon river and an archeological dig in the area hasn’t been considered. There’s also an island that is a protected zone and she’s fearful of what will happen to it.
Stirling has heard the concerns of Young and seen the negative comments that are being made on social media.
“Change I guess isn’t always accepted,” he said.
He said there is a lot of misinformation out there especially with regards to permitting.
“It’s not truthful what’s being spread around.”
He said those looking for the environmental assessment won’t find it because it was not required and that’s why no permits were required.
“It’s a 60-plus-year-old campground working on the same footprint.”
And because it’s in the middle of construction people are not seeing what it will be like once completed.
He wants people to know that everything being done at the park is for the betterment of the community.
“We want to make it a destination and a location for Deer Lake and the west coast and that was how our proposal was put together.”
DOUBLING LOTS
Taking into account unused space from the existing footprint, he’s increasing the number of lots at the park from 40 to about 100. The lots will be fully serviced.
Non-invasive plans for the island include the addition of trails and some glampingtype cabins that will be solar powered and have composting toilets.
He also wants to make use of the island and its waterfowl habitats to educate people through summer camps and school tours.
He’s put in two stormwater duck ponds to mitigate issues with ground water and snow melts. These could be used for canoeing and kayaking.
The shoreline has been raised and any trees that have been moved during the construction will be transplanted.
Economically, the park will provide over 100 seasonal part-time and full-time jobs and will bring in over $3 million to the local economy during the operating season.
Mayor Dean Ball also said the construction taking place at the park is happening within the existing footprint and the proper permitting is in place.
If anything happens outside that, he said there is a process is in place to get any necessary permits first.
“This developer is putting in a state-of-the-art park. Something that our residents will be very proud of,” said Ball, adding the critical comments being made about it are unfair.
“This is a multi-milliondollar project he’s doing here and we can’t forget that in order to make something better, there has to be construction. And until we start to see the grass and the trees be put back in place, it is a construction site.”
So, he’s asking residents to be patient.
“We are going to get this park put back in place. This is going to be a beautiful addition to our community.”