• Protecting Water and Farmland in Simcoe County

Residents accuse province of failing to protect prime Burl’s Creek farmland

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In Agriculture
May 23rd, 2016
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Battle back on between Barrie area residents as they resurrect noise and trash complaints against popular concert venue, its supporters

By Rob Ferguson Toronto Star

The Battle of Burl’s Creek is back as cottagers breeze toward Muskoka along Highway 11.

Fearing another summer of loud music, lost sleep, trash and disruption from fans of big-name acts like Arcade Fire at the popular Burl’s Creek Event Grounds north of Barrie, neighbours are turning up their fight a notch.

“For the past year, our life has been turned upside down,” said Wendy McKay of Save Oro, a 1,200-member group named after the Township of Oro-Medonte between Barrie and Orillia.

A handful of Save Oro people came to Queen’s Park Friday to plead for help, accusing the province of failing to protect prime farmland as the venue — fined $200,000 for local bylaw violations last year — readies for the Way Home and Boots and Hearts music festivals.

Supporters of Burl’s Creek note it has been hosting major events since 1984, brought an estimated $50 million in tourism last summer, much-needed jobs, new soccer fields and a farmer’s market every Friday until Thanksgiving.

There is a job fair Thursday afternoon for bartenders, toll booth, parking, cleaning, security and supervisory staff.

“We are very excited about the coming season,” said Laura Kennedy of Republic Live, the concert promoter at Burl’s Creek. Management at Burl’s Creek did not reply to a request for comment.

The music festivals attract thousands of campers for days at a time, making Burl’s Creek “perhaps the noisiest neighbour in Canada,” she charged, adding one concertgoer “defecated” on her lawn last year.

“These are not like loud house parties or restaurant parties in the city where you can just call the police to tell people next door to turn down the noise.”

Save Oro is getting ready to present its concerns over what it claims is improper use of valuable agricultural lands at an Ontario Municipal Board hearing that begins Tuesday.

It will determine whether Burl’s Creek should get a temporary three-year permit to continue operations on newly acquired lands used for concert camping, parking and kids’ soccer.

The permit request covers 139 of the current total of 187 hectares at Burl’s Creek, said township spokeswoman Samah Othman.

She added that officials received a letter from the provincial agriculture ministry last June advising “the proposed camping and parking uses in a prime agricultural area, whether temporary or permanent, are not permitted” under government land-use policies.

With about one quarter of the Burl’s Creek site now under zoning that allows special events, critics are worried the percentage will be increased.

“There seems to be too many exemptions and possibilities for developers such as Burl’s Creek to skirt around the issues,” said Bernard Pope, a farmer and vice-president of the Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture.

But Burl’s Creek backers said it would be a shame for the community between Barrie and Orillia to lose new amenities at the venue.

“Events have been happening on the original acreage for many years. This issue is quite simply a discussion about camping, parking and soccer happening on the newly acquired lands,” said Derick Lehmann of Friends of Burl’s Creek, which accuses McKay’s group of “fear mongering.”

Greg Groen, vice-president of Oro-Medonte’s Chamber of Commerce, described Save Oro members as a “vocal minority.”

“Burl’s Creek has become the community hub where families gather for minor soccer, a farmer’s market, along with other events in addition to the two large concerts,” Groen told the Star in an email.

Republic Live said it listened to nearby residents’ concerns last summer and acted accordingly.

“Noise was monitored closely and adjustments were made throughout the events,” said Kennedy, the company’s vice-president of public relations and marketing.

“We continue to work with the township on noise bylaw development. Within 48 hours of both events (Way Home and Boots and Hearts) the grounds were pristine and used by 700 children and their families for the weekly youth soccer.”

McKay said she’s tired of looking at trash-strewn fields across from her house and listening to sometimes offensive music lyrics with the “f-word” until 2 a.m. some nights.

“People don’t see the back side of these two events,” she said of the festivals.

Municipal Affairs Minister Ted McMeekin’s office said there’s not much the province can do because municipal governments are responsible for land-use issues providing they stay within parameters set by Queen’s Park.

“As this matter is currently before the Ontario Municipal Board, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” said McMeekin spokesman Mark Cripps.

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