LANCASTER/SUMMERSTOWN – South Glengarry’s mayor has apologized for council’s plan to sell parkland in a Summerstown subdivision to the developer in order to build more houses.
“I’m here to apologize for the mistake that I feel our council made,” Lyle Warden said Monday night. “We do our best, we work hard for the residents but I feel we made a mistake at this time.”
In December, council agreed to let the developer of the 33-lot Summerstown Estates – Malyon Excavation – pay cash in lieu of parkland and develop the 3.5 acre piece of land designated for a park. The plan would have created two or three building lots. At the time, council thought it was the best move to address demand for housing.
Since that decision and a story on Cornwall Newswatch, the mayor said he received numerous phone calls and emails not just from people in Summerstown Estates but the larger Summerstown area.
Through a complex procedure last night (Jan. 17), council rescinded the December decision.
It has now tasked staff to come up with a report on how it can consult with the public on the best use for the land.
Warden believes there could be a happy medium. “I think we’re able to still create a lot but also create a park, something that would be palatable to both sides.”
Couns. Sam McDonell and Martin Lang both said they received lots of calls and emails.
While she didn’t say anything at last night’s meeting, Deputy Mayor Stephanie Jaworski had been the only member to vote against selling the parkland at last month’s meeting. “I don’t have a good sense of what that community is looking for. I think we can make a lot of assumptions based on what their properties look like,” she said at the time.
The mayor finished the discussion by apologizing again.
“Again, I want to apologize to the residents. We made a mistake and I take full responsibility for that and look forward to reaching out to members of that community and fixing a wrong that we made.”