In reference to comments above...
Luxury resort approved
Published on July 13, 2011
Carole Morris-Underhill / Hants Journal
Development of a state-of-the-art golf resort in the Ardoise area has received the green light from council.
Following a public hearing July 12, West Hants council unanimously approved a development agreement to allow Terra Firma Development Corporation Ltd. to continue with its proposed Forest Lakes Country Club Resort.
Warden Richard Dauphinee describes the 1,538-acre development as an exciting prospect for the entire province.
“I never thought I would live long enough to see something come in that would be good not only for West Hants… but our neighbouring municipalities and good for all of Nova Scotia,” said Dauphinee in an interview following the meeting. “It’s fantastic.”
In addition to a Jack Nicklaus-designed 18-hole golf course, the owners of Forest Lakes Country Club Resort plan to build an estimated 1,800 residential units — which would consist of single-unit and semi-detached dwellings, cottages, townhouses, and multiple unit complexes — as well as create hiking trails, playing fields, an ice rink and other recreational facilities. The resort could see restaurants, small businesses and a hotel spring up as development progresses.
The project, which is anticipated to take between 15-20 years to complete, could get underway as soon as next year.
Dauphinee said that’s good news for the economy.
“The construction of the facility is going to make a lot of work, bring a lot of money — a lot of economic spin-off,” said Dauphinee. “After it is up and running, there’s going to be a lot of employees employed there and there will be a lot of tax base for our municipality. It’s great.”
A natural fit
Thomas Byrne, the vice president of Terra Firma, said in an interview with the Hants Journal that the area is attractive to international travellers.
“You might describe it as the middle of nowhere but it’s also the centre of everything,” said Byrne of the site.
Byrne said visitors will be able to travel to the Valley, to witness the tides of the Bay of Fundy, to catch a flight from the Halifax International Airport, or tour Halifax — all within an hour’s drive.
“We’re probably within an hour of 75 per cent of all of the major tourist attractions of Nova Scotia — Cape Breton excluded, of course. It’s the other end, altogether,” said Byrne, who lives in Ireland.
He said the European market is ripe with people who will want to visit here while many will want to invest in the site, purchasing homes, cottages or vacation time shares.
“Space is at a premium in cities in Europe. People live in small apartments. The opportunity to have the great outdoors that you can have in Canada — you’re not short on land — is novel for people living in Southern Germany or somewhere like that,” said Byrne.
“Surveys in the UK show Canada, after Australia, is the place where most UK citizens would like to either immigrate or retire to.”
Terra Firma representatives announced they already have about 500 international clients who are interested in the West Hants development.
Byrne said one of their main focuses is bringing new people to the area, however, they also want Canadians to invest in the property as well. He said the investment could help curb the province’s population decline.
“We understand from people we’ve spoken to that the rural communities in Atlantic Canada are losing population and that it’s getting harder and harder to maintain services and things like that,” said Byrne.
“We know that this will have a substantial impact on the community in a very positive way,” said Terra Firma President Brad Marr, who also lives overseas.
For Marr, the development is more than just another project. It’s personal.
“I was born in Fredericton. My relatives live here. There are still 25 members of my family that are here,” said Marr in an interview. “Part of it is a little personal. We’re going to leave a legacy here.”
Water quality among concerns
There were simply not enough chairs to accommodate the throngs of people that showed up to the July 12 public hearing.
Residents from the area as well as HRM crammed into the council chambers to listen to the public hearing, and to voice their opinions.
There were several common concerns raised, chief among them was water quality.
The resort proposal states individual on-site wells and sewage disposal systems will be used in the early stages of the development. The report presented to council noted the water could come from a variety of sources, including groundwater, rainwater using cisterns, surface water, stormwater, recycled water or effluent.
From our point of view, the main thing is that we work to make this a win-win not just for us, but the municipality and the local population as well. - Thomas Byrne, vice president of Terra Firma
The majority of residents were concerned the blasting could negatively effect their well water, or there would be a greater demand for water, leaving neighbours with poor quality water systems.
The development agreement requires the company to identify the type of water system they will use for each phase of the project, as well as submit a water balance study.
Following the meeting, Byrne said he understood — and welcomed — the feedback.
“All the concerns are legitimate,” said Byrne. “This is the public’s first real chance to engage on this but they will have subsequent opportunities.”
Byrne said they will pour more money into research before forging ahead.
“We don’t have to get them right from a selfish point of view. You can’t build something and leave your owners short of water, and, you can’t build something and leave your neighbours short of water,” said Byrne.
“When you have a project that is this length of time, you can’t take short cuts early on. If you do, you’re finished,” he added.
Byrne said there is still much planning to do before any shovels can turn soil.
“From our point of view, the main thing is that we work to make this a win-win not just for us, but the municipality and the local population as well,” said Byrne. “If you don’t have local support on something like this, you’re going nowhere.”
Before each phase of the development can begin, amending agreements must be brought forward to the Planning Advisory Committee, which will then submit recommendations to council.
While amending agreements do not require council to hold any further public hearings, Coun. Shirley Pineo said concerned residents can always touch base with their councillors or attend PAC meetings.
“The discussions on these amending agreements will start at PAC meetings, which are open to the public,” she said.
As well, if council feels it would be in the public’s interest to hold a meeting concerning any of the amending agreements, they may do so.
which of course is an excellent example of exactly the point you made in your post before that.
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