A request to temporarily allow RV camping sites around Muskoka Wharf and the Centennial Centre for the Tall Pines Music and Art Festival has been approved by Gravenhurst council. Shawna Patterson, Interim Director of Recreation, Arts and Culture reported administrative recommendations for options to host an RV Trailer Park to council at the Feb. 14 Committee of the Whole meeting.
This was in response to a deputation from festival organizer Kevin Goodman at the Jan. 21 council meeting, where he sought a by-law exemption to allow overnight camping at the Wharf for the Friday and Saturday of the festival, being held June 16-18, 2023. Goodman had said he wanted to provide more affordable accommodation options to festival goers in light of “the region having the highest average daily room rate in the province.”
As a result, Town administration was directed to investigate all options and report back with recommendations of locations best suited for a ‘temporary RV Trailer Park’ for the festival weekend.
Patterson and Director of Infrastructure Andrew Stacey did some in-person site visits at Lots 15, 16 and 21, Centennial Centre rear parking lot, Muskoka Bay Park and Muskoka Beach.
Two sites were ruled out due to “safety and size,” Patterson said. Muskoka Bay Park was removed from the recommended options due to the distance to walk and travel along the highway, “especially at 1 a.m.,” she said. Muskoka Beach was also removed from the recommended options as the size was not suitable for RVs.
“The organizer will be required to provide communication to the area residents’ associations to make sure that they’re aware of what’s going to be taking place, and that these sites are included in emergency planning. Security, proper lighting and washrooms will also be provided,” Patterson said. Tall Pines will be required to communicate with the Wharf Association, Condo Association and with the residents around the area, to advise them of the by-law amendment, dates and times.
Festival organizers had also asked council to look into having a tent village on the Wharf ball diamond. However, the request was later revoked after Goodman entered into a partnership with Camping in Muskoka to offer tenting sites.
Coun. Varney asked how many sites have now been brought forward, because there weren’t that many this time last year. Patterson said that there were 50 Camping in Muskoka sites and 60 sites between the two approved RV lots.
Coun. Jorgenson commented that while there were time constraints on this request, he would have liked to see “some kind of community input opportunity, particularly for those lots along James St.”
Coun. Strength said that she had heard from some constituents that because the event is “so centred down at the Wharf that the rest of the town isn’t going to benefit…but I was elated to hear about the Centennial Centre parking lot because that just connects everything.”
CAO Scott Lucas replied that because this is now considered a pilot project, that staff will be “keeping an eye on what the impacts are and whether they can be mitigated.” He agreed with Coun. Jorgenson that if there had not been any urgency for the request by the organizer, gathering more community feedback would have been ideal.
Mayor Lorenz said that this “shows the importance of the notice to motion, how we have the delay between the notice of motion and the actual report, because it has been in the public…it has been on social media and things like that, so that does open the door for public consultation and for them to be aware of what might be coming. So it might not have been a formal opportunity, but the lag time was there.”
Council unanimously approved the temporary by-law exemption at the two sites.
The Tall Pines Music & Art Festival is scheduled for June 16-17, 2023. For more information, see https://www.tallpinesfestival.com/early-bird
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