SARAH WILLIAMS and KAREN VALIHORA

STAFF WRITERS

Council tried to amend the Millennium Trail bylaw earlier this month to permit recreational uses only, part of an attempt to keep  a wine tour company from using Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs) on the Trail.

There was concern, however, that the language used to exclude vehicles operating on the trail as part of a commercial enterprise could be read to apply to bicycle rentals.

“I received a concern about someone renting bikes and, as part of the rental, they guide a tour of bicycles. I don’t think it was the will of council to prohibit that,” said Councillor Phil Prinzen.

The proprietors of the tour company ZIP n SIP, which is operated by Prince Edward County Vacation, also known as West Lake Watersports, wrote to Council to explain that with no bylaw in place, they had started to use the trail for wine tours earlier this spring.

“We have been on the trail every weekend since the warm weather arrived and have not received any complaints from this,” wrote Warren and Dana Cole.

The company operates six-to-eight seater UTVs along the trail to ferry visitors to various wineries and breweries.

Mr. and Ms. Cole noted that commercial uses are already permitted on the trail: “One hundred per cent of the bike rental companies in the County are located on or near the trail. Location is a very important decision when creating a business plan. A location is always included in a business plan. So are you saying they are allowed to use the trail and we are not?”

This, it turns out, was exactly what Council was saying. Or wanted to. Bikes are ok, bike rentals are ok, wine tours are not. The bylaw amendment was sent back to staff for more careful wording and came back for approval on June 27.

On June 30, 2021, Council denied an application by West Lake Watersports, on behalf of the landowner Edgewater Park Limited, to temporarily keep operating a children’s day camp, snack bar, and floating waterpark while it applied for permanent rezoning of its property on Sheba’s Island. Over 100 complaints from surrounding residents, however, suggested to Council that the intensification of activity at the site meant the company had outgrown its grandfathered status in a subdivision now zoned residential. A pontoon boat and jet ski rental operation is still operating on the waterfront.

ZIP n SIP wine tours was the company’s latest bid to diversify their tourism offerings.