Please extend the leases of…

Response to ERO Notice 019-6142

Please extend the leases of the Rondeau cottages for an additional two years. This extension would allow for a permanent solution to finally be realized for the cottages. A short-term extension of the leases would permit sales of the cottage lots, as directed by Minister Jeff Yurek under Section 9(3) of the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserved Act (2006). Previous short-term lease extensions have been granted so long-term solutions could be organized, however previous conclusions leading to the sale of the lots to the municipality of Chatham-Kent have not been acted on. If extended, it is requested that the plan directed by Minister Yurek is followed. The seemingly never-ending battle over the cottages has been an overwhelming source of grief within my family, as members of my family have viewed our own cottage as a second home and place of community for generations.

The short-term extension of the leases would help to preserve a part of the park’s history, as well as my own family history. The park was initially chartered for cottaging, although the current proportion of the park dedicated to cottages is confined to only 0.56% of the total park area. The cottages themselves are structures that have withstood the test of time, our own being over a century old. The interior of our cottage is filled with a collection of items donated by individuals of all generations; still-life sketches, poetry, and children’s drawings monumentalizing the cottage adorn the walls, while puzzles, books, and toys from all generations can be found strewn throughout the dwelling. Everyone in our family has contributed to the collection at the cottage and is familiar with what can be found inside, although a source of personal excitement is returning to the cottage to spot what’s changed. Our cottage has also become a multimedia archive of my family’s history. There is no other place that would be suitable for my family to continue to chronicle our experiences in together, and I am sure this sentiment exists amongst others who have stayed in other Rondeau cottages. This is a significant reason why I support the short-term extension of the lease and sale of the cottages.

For years, the cottage has been a place for the family to gather. For many members of my family, the cottage has been a short-term home while they were displaced from their prior residence. It is unfortunate to think that if our cottage were merely 300 metres north of its current location (i.e., outside of the park boundaries with another small community of cottages), it would be unthinkable that yearslong disputes over access to our cottage would be endured at the whim of bureaucrats who fail to adhere to any decision. Again, please grant the extension so a long-term resolution can be found.