Dysart et al has applied for a special exemption through the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to take over demolition of the Wigamog Inn property.
The township’s chief building official, Karl Korpela, said staff discussed the situation with MECP officials Nov. 25. Tear down of the main lodge structure and 36 accessory buildings began in April 2023, with property owners, Aurora Group, handling the project. Workers demolished about a dozen smaller out buildings before the ministry shut things down in June, following reports of at-risk species – endangered bats and the eastern hog-nosed snake, being found on-site.
The township engaged with MECP earlier this year, wanting to know if there was any way to speed up the project.
“There is an exemption we can apply for, for health and safety reasons. The main building, with the roof collapsing, it likely falls under that, but [MECP] is checking with their legal team to see if the municipality can apply for that exemption, being that it’s not the property owner,” Korpela said. “It’s a very unique case here.”
In October, council directed staff to investigate removing debris from already felled buildings – bylaw officer Hailey Cole said the township needs to conduct a waste audit of the property and send the report to MECP, then it can step in. She estimated the audit would cost about $10,000.
Regarding the main lodge and other remaining buildings, Cole said a monthslong species at-risk study paid for by Aurora Group was deemed inconclusive by the ministry. She said the township had two options – wait until next summer to conduct another study, or apply for an exemption to proceed with demolition for health and safety reasons.
Korpela recommended that exemption cover only the main lodge, to improve the township’s chances of approval.
“That’s the main issue – the building people are still trying to break into, that’s falling down. If we’re able to do that it might also speed the RFP (request for proposals from companies to do the work) along… then the Auroras could handle the rest [of the project] and demolish at their own pace,” Korpela said. “At least that would give us something we can accomplish this year.”
Council didn’t like that approach – Ward 1 representative Pat Casey said he’d prefer to do it all at once, believing the township has grounds for a full exemption.
“Between toxic mold, [risk of] fire, animals getting into it – the safety hazards go on and on,” Casey said. “I don’t want to tear down the main lodge and then still have that eyesore lurking behind it.”
Korpela said that runs the risk of MECP saying no – and the project being paused for a further four months, until migrated bats return, and another at-risk species study can be completed.
Cole said preliminary quotes for the remaining demolition and removal of all debris was around $800,000.
Dysart CAO Tamara Wilbee said the township will have to be cautious about how much it spends at the site – attempts will first be made to recoup funds from Aurora Group, but failing that they’ll have to be made whole through selling the property. How much is still owed on the property is not known.
