A citizens’ conservation group called the Escarpment Corridor Alliance has organized a meeting to gather input from Beaver Valley residents, about what they would like to see happen in the area of the former Talisman Resort lands.
In 2022, a private company bought the lands above and below the former Talisman resort and is currently in the early stages of developing a concept for what could be a lodging or housing development, which might include other amenities.
Jarvis Strong is the Executive Director of the Escarpment Corridor Alliance, which is a conservation charity focused on Southern Georgian Bay. He says, “There is a community movement to try and encourage use of the property that is a little bit more focused on long-term environmental and local economic sustainability.”
The Municipality of Grey Highlands bought the lands in 2013 after the former resort declared bankruptcy. Grey Highlands then sold the lands to Westway Capital in a sale that was finalized in June 2022. Some area residents were opposed to the sale, arguing the public lands should not be used for resort development, and the natural heritage of the lands should be preserved. They attempted to stop the sale process through the Ontario Superior Court. The court ruled in favour of the sale.
In the fall of 2022, the Beaver Valley Development Group held community engagement sessions and called for interested people to apply to join a ‘community reference group’ for feedback to their project team at key points in the development process.
Its web site says its vision is, “To re-vitalize, re-envision and re-establish the Beaver Valley Lands as an important destination and an economic driver within Grey Highlands while working with the Community to build upon the Municipality’s Vision for the Beaver Valley Corridor.”
Meanwhile, the Escarpment Corridor Alliance says it has invited the Beaver Valley Development Group to its community meeting.
The citizens’ group says, “We believe there is an opportunity for the unique Talisman lands to be an economically and environmentally progressive model that can benefit the entire Beaver Valley community.”
Strong also says the alliance has hired architects to create a visionary visual example to help developers, governments and other stakeholders see what the community wants.
Strong says they hope to present the end result of the community vision session to the developers and the municipality. “It’s a visionary session about what could be, and just an opportunity for community visioning and insights.”
Strong says the meeting is being hosted by the Escarpment Corridor Alliance, the Protecting Talisman Lands Association, and members of other local groups.
The meeting is set to take place at the Flesherton Kinplex on Sunday, December 10th, from 1p.m. to 4 p.m.