- by Jon Farmer

The Meaford Council Chambers were full beyond capacity on Monday June 10th for a public meeting on the future of the Leith Beach. The meeting was the first public opportunity to provide feedback on a proposal from the current owner of the building between the beach and the road.

 More than 90 people gathered to get more information about the proposal and share their input. Mayor Barb Clumpus opened the meeting by remarking on the democratic process in action before turning the floor over to Senior Planner Liz Buckton who explained the planning processes, the proposal at hand, and the steps still to come as staff prepare their official report for consideration.

Buckton opened her remarks with a brief review of the public feedback gathered so far and the property’s history. Locals might remember the building in question as the home of restaurants, stores, and a post office over the years. The parcel of land itself became the property of the township in 1949. The building was constructed in 1952 and as early as 1969 was noted as a store in official records. Over the decades the store expanded to a 20 seat snack counter and then a 34 seat restaurant. The building is centred against the road, surrounded by a u-shaped parking lot that provides access to both the beach and a boat launch into the river. The proposal submitted by the current owner would change the building location entirely.

The owner, John Liddell, is proposing the building be demolished and a new building constructed slightly to the south. The changes would require the sale of a portion of what is currently public land. A version of the plan had been posted on Meaford’s website and circulated to residents but Monday night’s meeting provided greater detail.

Liddell read a prepared statement introducing himself and his dream for the property. The architect responsible for the plan, John Hunt, also shared conceptual drawings of what would be a 61 person restaurant with two rental rooms upstairs. Liddell and Hunt presented their vision for the pub as a “public house on a public beach” that could welcome locals, fishermen, tourists, artists, and sports teams and would include public bathrooms. Liddell has already consulted with the local conservation authority, county transportation office, and historic Saugeen Metis. The proposal would require the installation of a septic bed on the water side of the building. It would also shift the parking lot location and lay out, replacing the current drive through with a single east-facing entrance/exit and parking spaces facing north and south.

 The proposal has already inspired more than 74 submissions to council in what Buckton described as the most engagement of any process in her 13 years with the municipality. After Buckton, Liddell, and Hunt had spoken Mayor Clumpus opened the floor to supporters of the project. One man stepped to the microphone to express his support and belief that the plan was a win for everyone.

When the mayor opened the floor to those opposed to the idea, a parade of ten people raised objections and concerns. Opponents to the proposal had questions about the feasibility and wisdom of placing a large septic system so close to the water’s edge, the loss of public lands, the reduced access to the boat launch, the destruction of a historic building, the potential for smells and noise, the lack of sufficient parking, and a clause that would see the building revert to a private dwelling if the business failed.

One speaker invoked memories of the family who donated the land and the loss of what was once the adjacent Leith golf course. Another asked whether the municipality had done land use and parking surveys before reminding council that at election time the proponent would have a single vote while the crowd would have many.

A former owner of the property described the dredging of the river mouth to create the beach and the challenges of the septic location. And a life-long resident described a childhood spent swimming south of the beach and the slow reduction in public access as new owners took to shouting and scaring families from their supposedly private waterfronts; she was afraid a private dwelling would diminish access to the public beach as well.

One woman said that she was “not dead set against it” because the building had been a restaurant when she moved to Leith eight years ago and wondered if there was flexibility in the plan.

The meeting closed after one hour and twenty minutes and the tension was palpable to the end. Buckton commented early in the meeting that she was surprised by the sense of betrayal and loss evident in many of the public submissions received so far. She also made clear that no decisions have been made and that Monday’s meeting was an early step in the consultation process. Staff continue to accept feedback and are preparing a report for council’s consideration. Buckton told the crowd that the process may include a public round table at a later date, an idea in which many of the audience immediately expressed interest. Liddell can also still amend his proposal and details might change.

As Mayor Clumpus closed the meeting some audience members asked how they would find out about future consultations. The mayor assured them that information would be posted and that those who have already made submissions would be notified by email. Another audience member requested that council host the next meeting in a larger room which was the evening’s only suggestion to receive universal support.