Skip to content

Will Pointe Estates be reincarnated?

The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority held an unadvertised, unscheduled meeting at City Hall today.
AlagashCanalMay2010sm

The Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority held an unadvertised, unscheduled meeting at City Hall today.

Members in attendance at the meeting were Chair and Prince Township Reeve Ken Lamming, Vice Chair and Ward 2 Councillor Susan Myers, member and Ward 3 Councillor Brian Watkins, as well as Ozzie Grandinetti, citizen appointee and Linda Whalen.

Ward 6 Councillor and a founding board member of the Sault Ste. Marie Region Conservation Authority Frank Manzo was not at the meeting that began in the Thompson Room at about 4:50 this afternoon.

The public portion of the meeting lasted less than five minutes.

Just long enough for the board to call the meeting to order and go into caucus to discuss a matter of litigation or that may result in litigation.

Then the media was excused and the doors closed.

After about 15 minutes, Myers left the meeting without commenting on what was being discussed behind closed doors.

She did say that no one would be commenting on the subject of discussion tonight.

Also in attendance at the meeting were Jeffrey Avery and an unidentified woman.

Jeffrey Avery, manager of Avery Construction, lives on Alagash Drive and is one of the primary proponents of the Pointe Estates proposed development.

Pointe Estates is a development that was proposed for a parcel of land bordered by Pointe Aux Pins Drive, Dagleish Road, the St. Mary's River, Alagash Drive and Pointe Louise Drive.

It would see the Alagash Canal (shown), an existing artificial canal, dredged out and extended to facilitate canal-front access to 91 rural estate lots.

It would cover more than 200 acres of land and consume about 100 acres of wetland.

And it was turned down by the Sault Ste. Marie Regional Conservation Authority in spring of 2010.

But that wasn't the end of it.

Jeff Avery and his representatives appealed the Conservation Authority's decision to the Mining and Lands Commissioner, and the Conservation Authority is presently involved in a lengthy, complex and expensive defence of its right to make that decision to the commissioner.

Earlier SooToday.com coverage of this event

Big development conceived for Pointe Des Chenes area More about the proposed Pointe Louise canal Residents swarm meeting about Point Louise project Pointe Louise development still under consideration Wetland dreams: Pointe Louise neighbours unconvinced


What's next?


If you would like to apply to become a Verified reader Verified Commenter, please fill out this form.