The Halifax Examiner
Morning File
November 3, 2020
Read it here>
At CBC, Michael Gorman continues his reporting on the provincial government’s plans to de-list land at Owls Head, which was designated for provincial park status, and sell it for a golf course development.
The 285 hectares of Crown land, Gorman writes, were assessed based on its being protected — not a commercial golf course.
The parcel of rocky, rugged Crown land in Little Harbour is worth $216,000, according to the valuation report commissioned by Lighthouse Links and filed with the court. Although that report was previously made public, the value of the land had been redacted.
Jamie Simpson, the lawyer for the parties suing over the decision to delist the property, noted the value is based on what the report determined to be the “highest and best use” for the land: conservation and recreational purposes.
“This is valued as if it were undevelopable land,” he said.
People should not have to keep going to court to get basic information like a property valuation in a matter of public interest like this.
And for anyone who thinks the golf course could be a green (as in eco-friendly) development that will create a lot of jobs, I encourage you to read the rest of Gorman’s story.
Related:
Michael Gorman’s article, as mentioned in this piece:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/owls-head-park-golf-course-development-environment-court-1.5786651
