Excitement was written on council faces Friday morning as Tiny Township announced the land acquisition of 8.26 acres in Sawlog Bay, resulting in over 207 metres of publicly owned waterfront along Georgian Bay.
The cost to purchase the two lots at the most northern tip of north Simcoe, known as Block B and Block C of Registered Plan 1371, were $4.5 million for Block B, with a donation of Block C to the municipality for a $538,000 tax receipt by Municipal Investments Ltd – also known as the Axler family.
“We haven’t finalized it, but the dedication will be in the name of (Joseph Axler and) the Axler family,” Mayor Dave Evans said following a special meeting of council.
Joseph Axler had been a prominent developer in the Sawlog Bay area, and with his passing last year the family continued discussions to have Tiny Township take ownership of the lands they held so dear.
“Municipal Investments and the Axler family have had the property on the market multiple times over the years,” CAO Robert Lamb said. “Other developers could have paid a lot more for it and then went through the opportunity to develop. In the end, with our conversations with Mrs. Axler after Mr. Axler passed away, they recognized that having the benefit of the municipality taking ownership of it, it helps to cement the legacy.
“Mrs. (Ruth) Axler said to me on multiple occasions,” Lamb continued, “that her husband of a very long time – because they were both in their nineties – ‘fell in love with Georgian Bay before he fell in love with me’ was her quote to me.”
His comment sparked large laughter from the council members in attendance; absent was Coun. Kelly Helowka due to technical difficulties in attending the meeting.
Added Lamb: “What was in primary importance in my conversations with Mrs. Axler was that his love of Georgian Bay in the development – he was the developer who developed a lot of the subdivisions in that area – were recognized hopefully in perpetuity.”
Evans agreed that the aim of council would be for the beach to be formally open to the public this year, “once the deal has closed next month formally, and the financing is in place.”
The waterfront was also described as semi-dynamic beach, but Evans noted further surveys had yet to be completed on the property and would become “something we’ll be looking at immediately” to set up.
Lamb also stated that the unique aspect to the acquisition was due to rarity in a municipality purchasing waterfront, and furthermore dedicating “that waterfront forever to our residents – and then recover some, if not all and potentially more of the revenue we put out to acquire that waterfront.”
“This is a unique opportunity that, even if in the end we broke even, we’ve now acquired 207 metres at a break-even proposition for the municipality,” Lamb said.
Coun. Steffen Walma said it was exciting to acquire “such a big piece on the north end”, and that the land acquisition also tied into a recent council direction to accept beach property through various lots across the township known as the (surveyor John) Goessman lots, increasing beach access.
Deputy Mayor Sean Miskimins called the land acquisition “a great strategic investment” on behalf of residents, with most attention usually focused on the southwestern shores of the municipality.
“We are paying attention,” said Miskimins, “and when these opportunities do present themselves it’s imperative that we – not just this council but councils going forward – really look at their own strategy and say: ‘Is this the right investment of taxpayer funds in order to make a difference, not just for today but for generations to come?’ That is something that was accomplished today by this council."
Further information on the 207 metre waterfront acquisition, including a map of the location, can be found on the Township of Tiny website.