City considers the sale of Pointe Des Chenes trailer park
Tuesday, October 23, 2012 by: Darren Taylor
City Council discussed the future of Pointe Des Chenes Park at its regular meeting Monday.
The property is divided into two areas; one a day use area, the other a trailer park operated by the Lions Club of Sault Ste. Marie.
The City has a partnership with the Lions Club in regard to park operations, with the City having paid for most of the capital expenditures over the years.
However, a motion put forward by Councillor Paul Christian and seconded by Councillor Marchy Bruni points out that $45,000 in park upgrades will have to be made soon, the motion asking the City to draw up a report outlining possible long term alternatives for the facility—perhaps even selling the property to the private sector.
Christian said sale of the property “would be a way to save money.”
The Ward One Councillor said “We’ve all enjoyed the park, it’s a great asset. The Lions Club is operating the trailer park and doing a good job. Bottom line is we are sitting on this great asset, and it’s costing us money.”
“This is just a report I’m asking for” Christian emphasized.
“Perhaps we should sell it? Generate some revenue?”
Christian also assured Council that he would like to see an opportunity for public input on the matter.
Council voted 8-4 to defer the matter, with Mayor Debbie Amaroso and other Councillors pointing out there were no Lions Clubs officials present at Monday’s Council meeting for discussion.
Lions Club officials will be called for input at a future meeting.
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Beej 10/23/2012 8:51:54 AM ReportWhat's with the hillbilly redneck photo?
diggie 10/23/2012 8:52:12 AM ReportWOW - Christian and Bruni, you guys take the cake for being cheap! Stingy. Maybe SSM should only have one councillor per ward. $45 000 for a park upgrade and you just want to sell it instead; to whom, a developer!! That park is a part of SSM and the city should upgrade it without making a big deal out of this.
Hard-working-girl 10/23/2012 9:13:16 AM ReportI would be sad to see the city sell this. Geez, give the upgrades. This camp is always hoping. Sell it because it needs upgrades and we are cheap?? but, lets put money to other things we don't necessarily need..... backwards if you ask me. What a stupid idea. So the private sector can do whatever they want, raise prices, get rid of camping...nice idea. Way to go city counsellors!
firefly42 10/23/2012 9:23:02 AM ReportI think the city would be crazy to sell this prime piece of Water Front Real Estate. It is definately worth the upgrades. Brainstorm ideas to make it more profitable.
CandB 10/23/2012 9:42:17 AM ReportMaybe some Americans can buy the property and put a fence around it limiting any local enjoyment. Sound familiar? This same thing happened with gros cap. City councillors are the ones that are overpaid!
honda1984 10/23/2012 9:43:10 AM Reporti think that the city needs a place where people can go in the summer to swim pinic camp...etc maybe if the grader opperators plowing the streets in the winter would drop there blades a bit in the winter and do the roads properly like the old days then we could afford to make the up grades with the money saved in plowing
AnnieP 10/23/2012 10:02:44 AM ReportOne of the best things about living in Northern Ontario is being able to go to a public beach without driving for more than an hour! Shame on you for even thinking about blocking public access to this beach. It is one of the few places that people who are living in apartments or with low income can come and let their kids play and run in the sand and enjoy a day out. Not everyone has a cottage or can afford a trip to the Caribbean!
yippi49 10/23/2012 10:16:45 AM ReportI bet there is someone in the background already pushing for this property.
Wicket 10/23/2012 10:26:19 AM ReportIf this property gets sold, you can bet that it will be developed with expensive homes and not be a public park. It is prime land and the buyer will make sure that it doesn't have to remain available to the public .
PlasmaX 10/23/2012 10:34:43 AM ReportThey should divide the land and sell the trailer park ... private ownership could probably make it more profitable. Take the money from the sale and use it to fix up the day use area. I agree that the day use area should never be sold - no owner/company is going to keep it as a picinic area for the public to use.
Just Curious 10/23/2012 10:36:25 AM ReportIf the idea is being tossed around you can bet somebody is trying to make big bucks out of it. Pte Des Chenes has been a part of Sault Ste Marie since before it was a city,are these councilors nuts??
riverman 10/23/2012 11:32:38 AM Report"The Ward One Councillor said 'We’ve all enjoyed the park, it’s a great asset. The Lions Club is operating the trailer park and doing a good job. Bottom line is we are sitting on this great asset, and it’s costing us money.'”
Since when is a public park supposed to turn a profit? Bellevue Park does not operate at a surplus. Do they want to privatize that as well? I doubt they would sell the Pointe des Chenes trailer park without the conditon that it be maintained as a trailer park, but what makes them think someone else could turn a profit on the property if they can't? And if there is potential for a profit to be made there with a proper business plan and a different managerial strategy, why would the city want to download that opportunity to the private sector?
And while I'm on the subject of parks like Pointe des Chenes and Hiawatha, why is there no shuttle bus to provide transportaton to those without vehicles to allow them access to these beautiful areas? Inner city youth, seniors and others with accessibility issues should all have equal access to these city services. These parks should not be available only to the elite who have access to private transportation.
iLash 10/23/2012 11:35:51 AM ReportI can't believe they would even say that out loud!! How many people use/been to there! Selling it would be a shame! Put the 45,000 in updates! I'm sure it has generated income over the years! The camp part is not free.
iLash 10/23/2012 11:40:29 AM Reportp.christian@cityssm.on.ca
Public email to voice your opinion to these two council members!
m.bruni@cityssm.on.ca
jimbobdog1 10/23/2012 11:55:31 AM ReportThis is typical short-sighted thinking that we can always associate with politicians. "We want to be seen as cutting expenses so we sell off the peoples' heritage to raise a few dollars in the short term and beggar the future". All politicians seem to have the same viewpoint. It is up to the people to keep them in check. Lets get to it!
Beej 10/23/2012 12:28:07 PM ReportThey won't sell it, it was just yet another stupid idea from the halfwits that run your city council.
The idea will be shot down in flames.
This is just the latest of many more lame brained ideas to come.
They need to clean house and get a few councilors on board that haven't already been lobotomized.
geterdun 10/23/2012 1:30:57 PM ReportHonda 1984: For your info a grader does not plow that road it is done with a plow truck....And that has absolutely nothing to do with this park the road will always be plowed people live out there.......???Also Prince township has now contracted out the road west of town line up airport road to base line.
As for the park just sell it....who really cares anymore anyway??? let the rich guys take it and build condos for their friends ..just like St Marys paper and the rest of the water front property we use to have.......
Also couldnt agree more with the comment about two councillors in each ward....we dont need two for each ward its a total waste of money.one councillor for each ward is more then enough.Now thats a good way to save money get rid of six of them to start......With the money you save,you can open a new trailer park right down town across from the casino, in that empty lot were people drink and urinate,you know the one thats been empty for like 20 years .LMAO... You know the one that the OLG said they would build that huge casino creating jobs and stuff LOL?? NO we get a tent LMAO!!!Sault city councillors couldnt make a buck for this city if they tried unless of course there was money in it for themselves...... 45,000 dollars is a drop in the bucket to the amount of tax money these people are collecting from us, so why is this a big deal??? someone should ask them what it cost to send all those councillors to Italy??? 100,000 dollars maybe,, and what did we get from that???? NOTHING!!! Now that was money well spent ehhhhh??? City councillors waste more money in a week than we live on in a year....So how the hell would they know whats good for this city and its people??? Tell me that ??? nobody cares about this city anymore do what ever you want everyone is leaving anyway....You cant even get a doctor to stay here LMAO.....
hopergurl 10/23/2012 1:31:59 PM ReportI think if it gets sold and stays a campground there could be sum well needed upgrades that I'm sure the city is not goin to spring for. And maybe give others a chance to get there trailers n there :)))
Point Blank 10/23/2012 1:34:27 PM ReportNever mind selling it to save the $45,000 in expenditures! What they should really be considering is spending 2 or 3 times that amount and upgrading the whole damn park! The place is disgusting! Both the campground and daypark. The washrooms are filthy and falling apart. The campground is small and outdated. They should spend the money to bring it up to current standards. Have proper size lots, with full hookups. If it weren't so filthy, perhaps more people would use it. Selling it is just a way for the City to get out from the responsibility of maintaining it properly.
shorty38 10/23/2012 2:09:25 PM ReportGood Day All:
I have never been to this Park, having said that for over 60 years I have heard from friends and relatives about going to Pointe Des Chenes in the summer, all their reports were good. They would go there to swim and have picnics.
It sounds to me that some of the city's council members, mayor, as well as other persons are doing a McGuinty deal. Sell it off, grab the cash and blow it on a non needed something.
Oh well, to hell with the people.
thesharr 10/23/2012 2:15:54 PM ReportHere we go,more user fees,how much you want to bet a fee will be inplace per vehicle for Pointe Des Chenes beach use,wanta bet.
thesharr 10/23/2012 2:28:18 PM ReportHere's an idea,the $5.00 charge per vehicle at the SAH that the poor people of the soo,elderly,sick and visitors have to pay,should go to pay to expenses from time to time where needed.With all that land around the hospital we still have to pay to park,this isn't Toronto where land is unavailable,please.You want to charge for parking,charge at the Essar Center where the healthy, able bodied people go for pleasure,not the sick and dying,think about it...
Prrrrrrr 10/23/2012 2:46:28 PM ReportSpeaking of the parking lot at the SAH
I heard the hospital is privately owned, did I miss this part when the hospital was being built?
Is that why there are plaques all over the place?
the coach 10/23/2012 3:22:46 PM ReportBruni and Christian....wake up. Why don't you want the park around anymore, $45 gs. If anything that needs to be repaired it is the way some of our city council thinks. Get another job.
Blackie 10/23/2012 4:36:54 PM ReportLets get a report on selling Bellevue Park it has a much higher value than Point des Chenes has to a developer.
Blackie 10/23/2012 4:41:30 PM ReportI was told Pointe des Chenes was donated to the city to be used as a park at no charge to the people that use it. If this is so can the city sell the park? Belvue Park Can be sold
ackw 10/23/2012 5:00:11 PM ReportThis property should cleaned up and put to public use instead of a trailer park boys knock off. apples 2 apples
Stugatzu 10/23/2012 7:00:01 PM ReportThe million dollar question that isn't being asked is: how long has the RV/Trailer park been neglected to warrant a $45,000 maintenance cost? When you fail to maintain something yearly... the price to bring it back to "good" condition increases as each year passes. Like the saying 'pay a little now, or a lot later'
Shame on any council member that is in favour of this.
mn98 10/23/2012 10:40:11 PM Reportwhat ever happened to the days where the working man goes to work, works hard, earns his keep, saves money, and then contacts a contractor to build him a home?
now, the only guys saving money are the contractors. the keep people working, but at what price? not much to them!
the contractors of this damn city are the only ones making money! they buy up land, put up new homes, and turn around and sell them making a killing! screw gore street, or jamestown, or even bayview. no money is ever REALLY put back in this city. just new stuff to flip and make a buck at the expense of what SHOULD be a hell of a city! but yet we're screwed since the contractors are the only ones creating jobs! 45,000?? this is absolutely insane! im ashamed of living here!
we are to live in fear since only the select view have their names published in police beats, not to mention the cliques and corruption with the police!! the revolving door "hug-a-thug" program...
this is surely just a rant, and im far past the point of making sense anymore lol... much like the ideas of city council
45,000??? c'mon man! if its all about saving money, fire these councilors and hire me, im cheap! lol
AceOfBass 10/23/2012 11:19:04 PM ReportHaving just returned from the budget meeting and talking with Councillor Bruni of Ward 5 there was no intention of selling Point Des Chene Park.
I like most people read the local media reports and was upset at such an crazy idea
j.r.98 10/24/2012 2:29:47 PM ReportWhy don't they take the money from ummm.... the Surplus Equipment Auction Sale that is being held this Saturday, October 27th, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the Public Works Centre on Sackville Rd.
Stuff like Transit Buses, generators, Rototillers, as well of lots of other tools and such will be Auctioned off. Where is this money slated to go?
Blackie 10/25/2012 11:40:48 AM ReportStugatza the article doesn’t say the $45,000 is for maintenance, it says it is for up-grades.
What up-grades cost $45,000?
And ACKW as far as I know the trailer park is for public use. If you have a tent or trailer you can use.
Note: Comments that appear on the site are not the opinion of SooToday.com. Keep discussions civil and on topic. Refrain from obscenity and don't post anything that your grandmother would be ashamed to read. Those who do not abide by these guidelines will have their membership revoked without notice. If you see an abusive post, please click the link beside the post to report it.
