The potential sale of any Lake Nipissing public access points is off the table, but the city will forge ahead with its review of the sites.

Council adopted a motion Monday tabled by councillors Dave Mendicino and Mac Bain removing the potential sale of any of the access points as an option to be considered by staff as part of a review that's currently underway.

But city politicians rejected the notion of halting the process and have agreed to complete the study.

The motion comes after a display of public outrage during a meeting last month over the possibility the city would even consider selling any of the 43 municipally-owned accesses to the lake.

Mendicino said he brought the motion forward in light of the public outcry, coupled with his belief few of his council colleagues would be willing to sell any of the lands even if that were a recommendation of the review.

In a recorded 7-2 vote, Mayor Al McDonald joined Mendicino and Bain, along with councillors Mike Anthony, George Maroosis, Tanya Vrebosch and Chris Mayne in supporting the motion. Councillors Sean Lawlor and Peter Chirico were absent. And councillors Judy Koziol and Daryl Vaillancourt voted against the motion.

"I believe my role here is to look at absolutely everything," said Vaillancourt, who suggested the possible sale of the accesses shouldn't be ruled out before the review is completed.

Vaillancourt said he believes it's logical to consider the sale of some accesses once emotion is removed from the equation.

"I think we would be doing a disservice to openness and transparency," he said.

Koziol agreed, suggested it's premature without having the completed study before her to rule anything out.

"I don't think there are any of us around the table who are eager to sell off our public accesses," she said.

A large group of residents attended the meeting, including a few children seated in the front row displaying signs with slogans such as save our public access."

Several residents also made presentations prior to the vote.


Stephen Tomlinson told council that the access are a part of living in North Bay, and he urged the politicians to push forward with the review without considering the sale of the lands.

Tomlinson said the outcome of the review will yield valuable information that could be used to help form a group similar to the Heritage Gardeners to help improve and maintain the sites. He said there's a movement afoot to create such a group and he called on the city to lend its support.

Miles Peters said his paramount concern is to see the possible sale of the lands off the table.

"If we put the wedge in now and let one go, we jeopardize them all," he said.

Several councillors suggested it's important to continue with the review to address the issue of encroachment, in which some abutting property owners have taken over portions of the public lands with fences, hedges, sheds and portable parking tents.

The research portion of the review is essentially complete, following a series of public consultations and site visits that involved collecting information about the various points, including size, location, buried services, zoning and adjacent uses. The report is expected to be table in the fall.