North Frontenac Council - Jan. 14/10

Jeff Green | Jan 21, 2010

One Metre Initiative seeks municipal support – 

With one exception, members of North Frontenac Council seem ready to put some municipal money towards a proposed astronomical observatory at the north-west edge of the township.

Frank Roy, the proponent behind the “One Metre Initiative”, (OMI) is advocating the construction of the “most powerful telescope in Canada (by a factor of 100)”, a visitors’ centre and a public observatory at Mallory Hill on Buckshot Lake Road, with the total price tag being estimated at $5 million.

The One Metre Scope, so named for the width of its lens, would be remotely controlled and would be devoted to scientific research, but the prospectus includes plans to construct a smaller 0.7 metre telescope, which would be accessible to the public.

While space on the one metre scope would be purchased by university departments and others, that revenue only represents 10% of the amount that Frank Roy expects the facility to take in each year. “Tourism is the main money maker, and our business plan is conservative in projecting 50,000 visitors per year. With the number of people living within a two-hour drive and the number of people at Bon Echo each year, we will easily be able to attain those numbers,” said Frank Roy, in a telephone interview on Monday.

The proposed visitors’ centre would include images captured by the OMI, as well as interactive exhibits, display areas for astronomy and cosmology, displays about the technology behind the OMI and the research it is being used for. Although the facility that is envisioned would mostly be for daytime activities, there is also a visitors’ observatory planned for night viewing, which would include a third telescope, 0.6 metre wide.

North Frontenac Mayor Ron Maguire said to Council, “This is the kind of project other municipalities will not have a chance at. It could put North Frontenac on the map. What is being presented is a scaled-down proposal from what was being proposed last summer when there was a resort involved. The ROI [return on investment] for that proposal wasn’t good enough to attract an investor, but this is now a $4 to $5 million project as opposed to a $40 to $60 million proposal. What he is asking of us is really quite minor.”

In an email to the township, Frank Roy asked that the township include a notice about the investment opportunity in the township's first tax bill of the year, and suggests “that the township make a nominal investment, $20,000 to do a market study.”

Maguire said. “I want to know what Council thinks.”

Around the table the support ranged from cautious - “It's not a big investment if it goes ahead, but if not the money will be wasted” said Councilor Bob Olmstead, to enthusiastic - “It sounds like a great idea,” said Councilor Wayne Good, “I can only see good things. Surrounding businesses are going to benefit. It's going to be great; I can’t see anything wrong with it.”

Township Chief Administrative Officer Cheryl Robson said that if the township does fund a market study, “We would want to make sure it was done with an RFP [request for proposal] process to comply with our own procurement bylaw.”

Deputy Mayor Jim Beam was the only member of Council who voiced clear opposition, and it was directed at the proponent, Frank Roy. “I think it is a great project and everything. I have no faith whatsoever in Frank Roy; I think he is a flake,” Beam said. “This is the third proposal I've seen from him. He has not approached any other levels of government. He does not address the high-speed needs of the project. Has he gone to Randy Hillier or Scott Reid with this?”

That said, Beam added, “I will support the project, but any commitment the township makes should be in in-kind services in lieu of cash, maybe some roadwork or something.”

“If we put our public works time into this it still costs money,” said Councilor Fred Perry, “there is not a real difference.”

Mayor Maguire said that Mr. Roy has been in contact with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Industry Canada. “For years we've been going to conferences and hearing about the 3 Ps: public, private, partnerships. I don’t think our public would be averse to supporting this. It works out to $2.50 for each ratepayer. It seems to me to be a reasonable expenditure,” Maguire said.

Roy countered some of Jim Beam's arguments when talking to the News after the meeting. He said the Internet issue would not be a problem because a service is being set up based at a TV Ontario tower that is visible from the site. “That will give us all the bandwidth we need. In fact, we will be the best customer for the service,” he said.

He also talked briefly about the journey of the last 18 months as he has sought investment for the project. “At first I thought philanthropic dollars would pay for it, but that did not work, and the resort plans, which were based at a nearby lake, required too great an investment. This proposal is different, because it is based on very conservative numbers. I have been talking to investors, mostly from the United States, who are interested. But there is also an opportunity for some local investors to make money in their own community,” he said.

Roy will have an opportunity to expand on his plans, and try and sway Jim Beam as well. Council decided to receive Frank Roy's proposal and invite him to their January 28 meeting. 

REVISED BROADBAND AGREEMENT – Council approved a revised agreement with Omniglobe to provide high-speed internet in the western portion of the township. The agreement will provide $66,000 in provincial grant money to Omniglobe, a significant drop from the $335,000 grant that was originally approved.

The overall project, originally envisioned as a $1 million initiative, now totals only $200,000.

The synopsis to the revised proposal says “... North Frontenac has decided to continue to work with Omniglobe despite this change in scope ... it is not economically viable for another service provider to provide service to only seasonal and less populated areas. This remains the best option for the Township of North Frontenac to provide broadband service to some of its residents.”

The project should provide “full coverage to Cloyne and the area around it” as well as partial coverage in the areas around Ardoch and Fernleigh.

In addition, service will be provided to properties on parts of Kashwakamak Lake, the east and south shore of Mississagagon Lake, most of Mazinaw Lake and Shabomeka Lake, as well as the southeast shore of Marble Lake.

FAMILY HEALTH TEAM – Councilor Fred Perry said that he was hoping to learn some details about the new Northbrook Family Health Team at a meeting later in the day, but that the township may be looking at an investment of $350,000 to $400,000 for a Plevna-based clinic, which was part of the Family Health Team proposal. Over time, the Ministry of Health would pay for the use of the building, so the township would eventually be compensated.

“But I will know more about this later on,” said Perry. “Hopefully this will be a first step, and eventually we will have a long-term care facility as well.”

SEPTIC APPROVAL SOLUTION? - CAO Cheryl Robson reported about a meeting she had attended at the Health Unit in Kingston. Officials with the Health Unit are planning to stop providing septic approval services for municipalities in Frontenac and Lennox & Addington townships. A manager from the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) was present at the meeting, and expressed interest in taking over the service as soon as April 1 this year. RVCA, in partnership with the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, already provides septic reinspection services to North Frontenac Township.

OLMLSTEAD RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION – Councilor Bob Olmstead has submitted his nomination for re-election as councilor in Ward 1, the former Township of Palmerston.