Another beach property purchased
Burlington Beach is fully accessible; Beach residents do not impede public access to water.
Halton Region has acquired another private property along Beachway Park, as part of a long term plan to purchase all the remaining private homes along the beach and turn the entire area into a park. Regional Council approved the purchase of 991 Lakeshore Road for $535,000. After approval, the recommendation to purchase becomes public.
The amount paid for homes in the beach reflects not only the purchase price but can include other items, such as demolition, environmental remediation, closing/professional fees, or purchase incentives (for example relocation allowance or moving fees). This is in accordance with an acquisition policy approved by Regional Council in 2015. The detailed breakdown of the cost of each home has not been released publicly.
The recent acquisition brings the number of homes purchased to five, since Halton Regional Council decided to buy up the private properties in this area.
The other homes purchased were:
- 1011 Lakeshore Rd., $624,250, plus a two-year lease agreement
- 109 Willow Avenue
- 115 Willow Avenue
- 1019 Lakeshore Rd. (no price publicly released)
Twenty-five private properties remain in the Burlington Beach community.
More information on the park and the background to this decision is below:
Residents get first look at Beachway Park Master Plan
Halton Regional staff support removing residential community in Beachway
Reports commissioned for Beachway Park review
Beachway Report: removing residents will cost $10M for 1% more park
My Take:
I believe the residential community along the beach enhances Beachway Park, adding vitality and eyes on the street, having coexisted with park uses for over 100 years. The homes do not impede public access to the waterfront or shoreline which is already fully publicly accessible. Most of the Beachway Park Master Plan can be realized on the lands already in public hands. I do not support purchase of these private homes. A recorded vote on the most recent purchase was 18-3 in favour.
