• Protecting Water and Farmland in Simcoe County

Injunction sought against concert promoters

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In Agencies
Jul 18th, 2016
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News release from Save Oro

Mere days before the beginning of the WayHome concerts, Oro-Medonte resident Wendy McKay will be in court Tuesday July 19 to pursue her private prosecution of concert promoters Republic Live in connection with alleged bylaw violations at last year’s Burl’s Creek concerts.

The Township of Oro-Medonte declined to prosecute Republic Live for the 2015 concerts, even though the numbered companies that own Burl’s Creek pleaded guilty to several offences, including “obnoxious use” and were levied a $200,000 fine for the much smaller Automotive Flea Market, which was held on the same property.

On Tuesday, there will be an attempt to quash her prosecution — something McKay considers outrageous considering the strong evidence for her case. She believes the Burl’s Creek facility has caused huge disruption to the lives of residents, has contributed little to the local economy and has been consistently flouting both municipal and provincial regulations. Given local politicians’ failure to act she is exercising her right to seek justice.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10AM at the Orillia Provincial Courthouse.
Meanwhile on Friday the 2016 WayHome event is scheduled to begin.

Although the Township of Oro-Medonte granted a “special events permit” for the 92 acres of the concert grounds, it declined to approve a “temporary use bylaw” that would have allowed camping and parking on the adjacent 434 acres—land zoned agricultural. The legal counsel for the Township told the Ontario Municipal Board the Township would oppose the concerts, to preserve potentially significant and sensitive archaeological resources.

Already Burl’s Creek is setting up camping facilities on those lands, signalling that it is intends to proceed in defiance of the law. Tens of thousands of concert-goers are expected for WayHome and if they camp and park on land zoned agricultural, it will be illegal.

To date, the Township of Oro-Medonte has been silent on whether it plans to prosecute any violations for the 2016 events on the property.

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