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The size, nature and locations of the many new residential developments being built in Oro-Medonte are fragmenting a township which has had a general sense of being one large community connected through agriculture.
Most of the smaller, rural communities have been surrounded or absorbed by new residential developments and yet they remain somewhat apart from each other. In many instances, the hamlets and villages seem quaint, almost remnants; clusters of a church, community hall, maybe a gas station and perhaps a cemetery on the outskirts.
The historical watering holes are long gone along with other gathering spots like a small general store where neighbours could drink coffee, share news and swap stories. Instead, we drive to town, commercial shopping centres, drive-thru banks, coffee and food outlets, and jobs. These are all factors in the gradual transition from rural to urban lifestyles and the growing number of commuter communities. Oh, for the bad old days, not!
A large factor in this fragmentation is parachute development, which makes no attempt to integrate with the natural surroundings or with the rural character which pre-existed. At best some are virtual simulations. Residents of the earliest built developments often develop a NIMBY attitude towards those that follow and although we speak of the ‘quality of life’ as being a shared value, the measure and character of that quality vary greatly.
For example, although Braestone Estates is physically close to the village of Jarratt by rural standards, the developers and sales promoters seem to encourage their homeowners to look inward and remain separated from the actual rural community and farmlands that are now a backdrop to their ‘virtual’ version of a homeland community.
Kyle Eldridge, marketing co-ordinator, describes Braestone in marketing materials as a “566-acre country estate community inspired by the rolling hills and lush countryside of the Oro-Medonte region of Horseshoe Valley.”
“While experiencing the spectacular beauty of its working farm, the lush valley, the ancient woodlots and green rolling hills, the company began to envision something completely unique — a homestead community built with reverence and respect for the land it comes from, all designed around a 108-acre working farm and supported by pastoral remarkable amenities.”
Sounds like the introduction to a novel or Netflix melodrama.
Some of their residents who haven’t swallowed that marketing smoke and look beyond the Braestone fence lines have attended local community hall dinners to share food and fellowship with the locals.
After all, along with common values and interests, aren’t those elements the underpinnings of a true community? The irony is that Braestone, built by Georgian Communities, promotes itself as a creator of communities but their concept of a community seems to be to build entities unto themselves as suggested by this quote from the Braestone Facebook page: “In the spirit of family and neighbourhood, Braestone will also be a place to play. Many a summer’s evening will be spent in Braestones’s very own Field of Dreams, the community’s private baseball diamond inspired by the iconic movie of the same name.”
Many of the residents may actually share that virtual version of a rural, country community within an actual rural, country community.
In a presentation to Oro-Medonte council this week (Aug. 22) representatives from Braestone made a request that when the township assumes the roads within the development, that the speed limit be 40 km/hr.
Shawn Binns, director of operations for the township, pointed out that the township and Highway Traffic Act guidelines recommend that the limit should be 50 km/hr as is the case with other developments and communities. The representatives persisted that an exception be made in their case as Braestone is an “enclave.” The term enclave was accepted and repeated by the presenters and some councillors, so I thought it worthwhile to consider its meaning and the intent of its use in this situation.
Enclave: A portion of territory within or surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally or ethnically distinct. A place or group that is different in character from those surrounding it.
Is it naive to expect that a municipal council whose responsibility is to serve the interests of all residents equally would accept the notion that Braestone is an enclave and different to other township residents?
Some councillors in their haste to please offered to provide and deliver ‘slow down’ signs to the presenters while they considered the request. Thankfully, the Ward 2 councillor stopped short of offering to install the signs, too. I blushed just watching the performance. If you think that’s an exaggeration, take a look on YouTube for the Aug. 22 special council meeting. Special indeed and deserving of an award for worst rendition of The Happy Gang.
Back to reality, an election campaign is underway and several incumbents, as expected, are chest thumping and making all kinds of virtual promises as they pander for votes, so we’ll need to wait and see if anything actually comes of this council’s boot-licking.
Let’s hope that the election outcome results in a council which is more balanced in its leadership and representation of all residents’ interests.
Allan Baker
Oro-Medonte
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