SCOTCHTOWN RECREATIONAL PARK
Some confusion over who is responsible for what.
A local councillor is questioning why the federal government remediated municipal land without permission.
“I need to sit down and talk to our staff but I think we also need to sit down with the federal government and talk to them about this,” said Dist. 11 Coun. Kendra Coombes.
Recently Scotchtown resident Jeff McNeil requested a floodlight be placed at the Summit Recreational Trails pond on Daley Road. That request has now turned into a land debate.
Malcolm Gillis, director of planning for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, confirmed the site for the proposed floodlight belongs to the CBRM according to Land Registry records. The document on file is a plan prepared by Devco identifying lands they turned over to the former town of New Waterford in 1983, with an accompanying deed.
Gillis said it is the position of CBRM’s recreation, parks and grounds department that the federal government did not consult the municipality about remediating the site and now the CBRM will have the responsibility for maintaining the site, at significant cost to taxpayers.
“I’d like to see residents get the light but this has turned into a complicated situation now and we need to get all the information we possibly can from staff,” said Coombes.
The councillor said she likely will put in a request for the floodlight but first wants to talk to municipal staff and a meeting has been set for today.
“To a lot of people a light may seem like a simple request but it’s not when you talk about the money, the manpower, the liability and the fact the CBRM didn’t plan this park. “Of course I would like to see (a floodlight in place, but) it’s complicated now.”
A spokesperson with the Department of Public Services and Procurement Canada said
they are researching the issue — including claims the property was remediated without permission.
Jeff McNeil said he is waiting to see what follows today’s meeting.
McNeil said he has heard concerns about CBRM liabilities but he believes it’s no different than if someone falls in
the water at the CBRM-owned Collierylands Park.
Although some residents suggested setting up a Gofundme to pay the costs associated with the pond, McNeil said it would be too much work as there would be insurance liabilities as well.