Controversial Shediac campground plans 'terminated'
The Anglican Parish of Shediac says it's looking for a new campground developer after Shediac Camping backed out of controversial plans for land near Parlee Beach.
Archdeacon of Moncton Brent Ham said the parish asked the company earlier this year if it wanted to continue with a smaller-scale version of the project outlined at Shediac council meeting in June.
"As we kind of reached this point respecting the wetlands and all the community concerns, Shediac Camping basically stated they were no longer interested," Ham said in an interview Friday.
While the plans with Shediac Camping are scuttled, Ham said the parish still hopes to find another developer for a campground on the site.
Ham recently met with representatives of the Red Dot Association about the campground plans and attended the group's annual general meeting.
"As a result of ongoing discussions and a desire to listen to the feedback from the community, the Parish of Shediac has shifted its priorities," a news release issued Friday about the change in plans states, describing its plans with Shediac Camping as "terminated."
The release said plans for an "environmentally conscious," 111-site campground are indefinitely on hold but could still go ahead in the future if a new developer is found.
The plans originally called for around 700 sites for recreational vehicles on 29.6 hectares of parish-owned land between Pointe-du-Chêne Road, Main Street and Parlee Beach Road.
The plans came under fire from people who live and vacation in the area because of the campground's potential impact on the coastal wetland along the north side of the property near Parlee Beach.
Arthur Melanson, a member of the concerned residents group called the Red Dot Association, said the announcement is encouraging.
"We feel that we have been somewhat listened to," he said, referring to how plans for the project had been scaled back several times in response to environmental concerns.
The plans also raised concerns about the involvement of Victor Boudreau, who had a 20 per cent stake in a campground through Shediac Camping while serving as Liberal MLA for the area and a cabinet minister.
Michel Boudreau and his longtime friend Victor Boudreau founded Shediac Camping Ltd. and were among the company's seven investors.
Victor Boudreau's involvement drew controversy and an investigation by the conflict of interest commissioner. Opposition Progressive Conservatives had demanded he resign after poor water-quality tests at Parlee Beach, an issue his department oversaw.
Victor Boudreau recused himself from all government discussions about Parlee Beach and eventually gave up his stake in the company.
Luc LeBlanc was another partner in the campground and in recent years has served as its public spokesperson. He represented the company at a public meeting about the plans in February when the number of sites was scaled back to 542.
Messages left on LeBlanc's voicemail were not returned.
Corporate records list Michel Boudreau as the only director. It's unclear what his role was with the company given he previously said he had pulled out.
The church filed plans for an environmental impact assessment by the province in 2017. The province raised a number of questions, including the potential impact on wetlands and air quality from campfire smoke as recently as in a letter sent to the church in March 2019.
Plans had been scaled back
Such assessments are listed on a provincial website. Since March, there have been no updates to the posting.
Erika Jutras, a spokesperson for the Department of Environment and Local Government, said last week in an email that the province hasn't had a response to the March letter calling for further clarifications to the plans.
However, revised plans for a 111-site campground were presented to Shediac town council in the spring as part of a bylaw change to allow it more time to start construction.
The town told CBC News last week that it had not had any updates on the project since then.
