Webers Commercialization of Coldwater River in Oro-Medonte

Tom Rennie, the owner of the iconic Webers restaurant on Highway 11 which serves as the unofficial gateway to cottage country, had been working toward establishing a gas station, community facility and two restaurants - including another Webers - on 8.5 acres of land along Mount St. Louis Road in Moonstone, near the local ski resort and Highway 400. A full investigative report by Bob Young was submitted to Oro-Medonte Council. Read full report below:

webers-commercialization-coldwater-river.pdf

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Status:

As a result of submitting my investigative report to the NVCA and talking directly to the Toronto lawyer representing the NVCA the owner of Webers, Tom Rennie and his company Crestwood Park Holdings Inc., were jointly charged with the following offences after two years: 

1. Undertake development or permit another person to undertake development in or on the areas within the jurisdiction of the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority that are river or stream valleys that have depressional features associated with a river or stream, without permission in accordance with Section 3 of Ontario Regulation 172/06.

2. Straighten, change, divert or interfere in any way with the existing channel of a river, creek, stream or watercourse, or change or interfere in any way with a wetland without permission in accordance with Section 6 of Ontario Regulation 172/06.

The charge against Mr. Rennie was withdrawn and his company plead guilty to Offence No. 1 above and charge No. 2 was withdrawn by the Crown.

Mr. Rennie was ordered to remove the south bridge and was allowed to keep the north bridge to permit access by him to property he owns on the east side of the river. He was further ordered by the court to restore the trees and fauna that he had removed from the river valley to build his bridges.

Mr. Rennie received a $1,000.00 fine by the court. When one considers the cost of the commercially constructed bridge at a minimum estimated cost of $10,000.00 and the cost of removing the bridge at a minimum estimated cost of $2,500.00, his total cost for violating provincial law is an estimated cost of approximately $13, 500.00.