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Conservation authority charting the future of Eugenia Falls

Grey Sauble is developing a master plan that will guide the property for the next 10 to 20 years
2020_06_18 Eugenia Falls Grey Sauble_2_JG
Grey Sauble Conservation Authority has launched an online survey to gather input for its Eugenia Falls Master Plan. Jennifer Golletz/ CollingwoodToday

What is your vision for the future of Eugenia Falls? Grey Sauble wants to know.

Located along the Beaver River in the Village of Eugenia, Eugenia Falls Conservation Area is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.

“We expect there are about 40,000 visitors at this property annually,” says Grey Sauble Conservation Authority (GSCA) CAO Tim Lanthier.

GSCA recently announced plans to establish a Master Plan for the Eugenia Falls Conservation site and is looking for insights from the public.

“Ideas we are hearing right now include a staircase or a bridge over the river, and questions about the feasibility of an interpretive facility,” Lanthier adds.

The master plan will act as a blueprint for the conservation authority, guiding the course of the property for the next 10 to 20 years.

“Ultimately, the master plan’s goal is to look at the park’s natural function, what the recreation activity is and then find a balance between all of that,” he explains.

Cathy Little, chair of the GSCA board of directors, says plans to develop the master plan were accounted for in the conservation authority’s 2020 budget.

“Grey Sauble’s strategic plan included enhancing our land management and natural heritage preservation through the development of management plans for key properties – including Eugenia Falls,” says Little.

The plan will be developed in three phases – inventory and consultation, reporting and concept design and refinements and finalization.

Phase one of the project was launched last week and will consist of an initial public consultation process, which includes an online survey.

In this phase, the property’s natural and cultural heritage, land use, recreation, stewardship, and fiscal sustainability will be identified and outlined.

“We want to understand the natural areas and the developed area. We want to restore the ecological integrity and define how and where people are going to use the property,” Lanthier adds.

Over the next year, GSCA will be consulting with the community, its municipal partners as well as the Niagara Escarpment and the provincial ministry.

“Eugenia Falls sits in the community of Eugenia and the greater community of Grey Highlands, and it is very important to us that community members are involved in the decisions that are being made,” he continues.

The 23-hectare property is part of the Niagara Escarpment Parks and Open Space System (NEPOSS), which is coordinated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

The consultation process will also include the establishment of an advisory committee.

GSCA hopes to include the following individuals in its Eugenia Falls master plan advisory committee: two GSCA board members; two GSCA staff members; a representative from Grey County; representatives from local first nations communities; a representative from the Bruce Trail Conservancy; a representative from the local neighbourhood; a representative from the broader community, a local business or tourism representative; a member for the Grey Bruce Health Unit; and representatives from the appropriate approval agencies, like the NEPOSS.

“This is a big group. The intent is that they would meet three to four times to guide the process,” he says. “At the end of the day, we want to ensure that ecological integrity is enhanced and the financial integrity of running the site is sustainable.”

Phase one of the master plan project for Eugenia Falls is expected to take at least one year to complete.


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Jennifer Golletz

About the Author: Jennifer Golletz

Jennifer Golletz covers civic matters under the Local Journalism Initative, which is funded by the Government of Canada
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