Community Improvement Plan

The Township of Muskoka Lakes is excited to announce that the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) Business Incentive Programs for the communities of Bala and Port Carling are officially open for applications.

The recently completed CIP included the provision of incentive programs to assist the private sector to stimulate redevelopment and facilitate property improvements.

There are a number of different business incentive programs including: Attainable/Employee Housing, Shoreline Structures, Building and Mechanical Upgrades, Accessibility and Façade Upgrades; and Ecological Space Improvements.

An information session will be held via Zoom on September 21^st at 9:00 a.m. for those interested in learning more. Registration is required for the information session. Please register by visiting Event Brite. more information about each of these programs can be found on the Township website.

Community Improvement Plan – Bala and Port Carling

TAKE NOTICE THAT THE PLANNING COMMITTEE OF THE CORPORATION OF THE
TOWNSHIP OF MUSKOKA LAKES WILL HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING ELECTRONICALLY
FROM THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, MUNICIPAL OFFICE, PORT CARLING, ONTARIO

November 11, 2021 at 9:00 am

TO CONSIDER a Community Improvement Plan for the communities of Bala and Port Carling.

TAKE FURTHER NOTICE THAT as part of the Township’s response to stop the spread of COVID-19, this public meeting will be held in a virtual forum with electronic participation. The meeting will be held via ZOOM and will commence at 9:00am. More information about viewing and/or participating in the ZOOM meeting is included in this Notice and can be found on our website at www.muskokalakes.ca.

ANY PERSON may make verbal representation by participating in the ZOOM meeting or make written representation prior to the meeting. This representation can be in support of or in opposition to the proposed Community Improvement Plan.

The Township of Muskoka Lakes is undertaking a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for the communities of Port Carling and Bala. The purpose of the CIP will be to identify community priority areas/projects for revitalization, allowing the Township to direct capital project investments in a strategic manner.

The Bala study area includes the Muskoka Lakes Sports Park on the north, south along Highway 169, including the Library, Arena and Legion, Jaspen Park, Windsor Park and terminates at Windsor Drive on the south. The Port Carling study area extends from the Foodland grocery store and Bruce Wilson Drive on the west, easterly along Highway 118 to the Municipal Office, including Bailey Street and Hanna Park to the east.

A copy of the Draft Community Improvement Plan and key map showing the lands to which the CIP applies are available at www.engagemuskokalakes.ca/communityimprovementplan.

For more information about this matter, including information about appeal rights, contact Please direct all inquiries to the Economic Development Department:

The Corporation of the Township of Muskoka Lakes
1 Bailey Street, P.O. Box 129, Port Carling, Ontario P0B 1J0
Telephone: (705) 765-3156 | Email: economic.development@muskokalakes.ca

Dated this 21st day of October, 2021.

Cheryl Mortimer, Clerk
P.O. Box 129
Port Carling, Ontario P0B 1J0

All interested persons are invited to attend a Virtual Open House to learn about the Draft Community Improvement Plan for the communities of Bala and Port Carling. Members of the project team from the Township and their consulting team will provide a presentation, followed by a conversation. The consultant will facilitate the conversation, making sure all those on the call have a chance to share ideas.

Virtual Open House

Wednesday, October 20, 2021 | 1:00 p.m.
Online – Zoom | RSVP Required
View Public Open House Notice

Due to the virtual format, registration is required to attend the open house. You will be able to join the Public Open House via a computer or via telephone.

REGISTER NOW

View Draft Community Improvement Plan

Although we can't hear your thoughts in person, we still want to hear them virtually! Let us know what you think about the early ideas for Bala and Port Carling by completing the following surveys. The feedback collected from the community will help guide and identify community priority areas/projects for revitalization in the downtown commercial cores.

The short surveys will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete and will be available online until June 25, 2021.

A summary of the findings will be available and included in the draft plans presented to Council in Summer 2021.

If you have any questions, please contact the Communications and Economic Development Specialist.

Draft Early Ideas for Bala and Port Carling

View Document

Bala Community Improvement Plan Survey

Take Bala Survey

Port Carling Community Improvement Plan Survey

Take Port Carling Survey

Join us on Tuesday, March 9^th, 2021 to discuss and provide input into the development of a Community Improvement Plan for the communities of Port Carling and Bala. Members of the project team from the Township and their consulting team will provide a presentation, followed by a conversation. The consultant will facilitate the conversation, making sure all those on the call have a chance to share ideas.

Participation

Bala Community Workshop
Date – Tuesday, March 9^th, 2021
Time –1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Location – Zoom.

Register Now

Port Carling Community Workshop
Date – Tuesday, March 9^th, 2021
Time –3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Location – Zoom.

Register Now

Instructions

• Register for the workshops by clicking the links above. This enables the consultant to track the number of people and to understand who’s joining.
• The consultant will set up the online meeting and forward the link to registered participants the day of the meeting. This will include instructions on how to use the platform and will have a person available to troubleshoot if people have difficulty joining.
• The public workshops are typically recorded and posted to the project web page.
• The consultant will summarize the conversations and share with all those online before the end of the meeting.

The Township of Muskoka Lakes has initiated a Community Improvement Plan for Bala and Port Carling. The Community Improvement Plan will be prepared over the next several months, targeting completion in September 2021. The work will proceed in four phases, beginning with an understanding of opportunities and challenges for change.

In this early phase of the process, we extend an invitation for a 20-minute one-on-one virtual meeting with a member of the project team on Wednesday, February 10, 2021 anytime between 9:00 am and 8:00 pm. We’d love to hear your thoughts on opportunities for change in the Port Carling or Bala core commercial areas – changes to streets and public spaces, opportunities for revitalization or redevelopment.

To arrange for a 20-minute meeting, please email muskoka@planpart.ca and indicate a time slot that best suits your schedule. We will follow with a virtual meeting link.