DEAR EDITOR — I feel fortunate that my family spent almost all of my youth/teen summers at a rented cottage in Muskoka. Alas, circa 1962 the owner sold the cottage; so, my Muskoka summers were over — but never forgotten!
Forty-two years later my wife and I purchased a small Muskoka cottage, and three years ago we moved into it full time.
Our love of Muskoka is slightly offset by the discovery that local towns appear stuck in the past and in serious need of revitalization. There are empty storefronts and buildings almost everywhere we look. It is evident that Muskoka needs to foster suitable economic development.
In summer our population increases multi-fold, and while some businesses manage to prosper, others merely manage to survive or fail. That’s not good enough!
In the fall many businesses start reducing hours and some even close completely until spring, leaving residents with fewer choices. Without good and challenging year-round jobs, the younger generation will leave and over time the tax base will erode, placing higher burdens on those who remain. Once the younger generation leaves to find worthwhile jobs elsewhere, it is unlikely they will return — at least not during their productive years.
As the average age increases, a greater percentage becomes users rather than providers of services and many become unable to afford the taxes and maintain their homes and cottages; so, they too will move away. Who will replace them? Not younger folks if there are no good jobs here.
There are and will be many issues facing our newly elected councils, but I believe that economic development should be one of the higher priorities for all townships with the district. We are already in serious need and it will take, even under the most willing of councils and aggressive but imaginative and intelligent planning, a significant amount of time to affect actual changes that would result in Muskoka attracting significant businesses to create the badly needed jobs.
Muskoka currently has tourism and retail, which no doubt could be expanded, but there is not a lot of industry to provide larger numbers of jobs. Of course we need to attract the right kinds of businesses to appropriate locations within the district. Nobody wants heavy industry with stacks spewing clouds of smoke, toxic or not, but that does not preclude light manufacturing, training institutions, aviation, courier, warehousing and distribution, or many other businesses. I truly believe there are ways that we can have economic development without destroying the natural beauty of Muskoka, and surely the district is large enough that it could be done without disrupting the peaceful retreats that make us happy to live here and that keep our summer population returning year after year.
Attracting businesses to the area will require a combination of several things, including incentives. A proper transportation network is one of those requirements, including roads, rail and air. There is a need to move people, materials and goods.
Although I am not a pilot I did have a 42-year career, almost all of which was in the aviation industry; so, air is the issue I shall address. While with Transport Canada early in my career, I installed equipment at many airports – including Muskoka. Over four decades with both Transport Canada and NAV Canada I travelled to airports in several countries and managed major aviation-related projects at several Canadian airports.
So, after moving to the area and revisiting Muskoka Airport, I was surprised to see that there is still no paved east-west runway. To put my surprise in perspective, consider that with similar prevailing westerly and gusting winds, Toronto Pearson has two north-south runways but three east-west runways, and Toronto Billy Bishop has a single north-south runway and two east-west runways. The point is, except where geographically impossible, airport primary runways always align as closely as practical with the prevailing winds.
Muskoka has a very long and excellent north-south runway, and its value cannot be overstated, but a paved east-west runway adequately long to accommodate business/commercial aircraft would be very important for economic development in this area. Businesses, to establish themselves here, would need assurance that their own aircraft, courier aircraft, visitor aircraft, etc., could land on schedule at Muskoka regardless of the wind conditions.
I have noted recent letters and opinions in the local newspapers advocating for an east-west runway. However, during this current election campaign, I did not hear or read of any candidate espousing airport development and a proper east-west runway as a priority. I wonder why, especially as the federal government would no doubt be willing to provide funding for airport improvements if the district were to put forward a viable plan. Is anyone currently working on such a plan? If not, why not? If so, why are we not hearing about it?
We are currently wasting a valuable asset! Hopefully the newly elected councils will take long overdue action to correct this.
Paul Smith,
Walker’s Point
- Source: http://www.muskokaregion.com/opinion
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