Rondeau Provincial Park - Cottages=

Cottages=

There are 285 family cottages remaining in Rondeau Park, as well as two churches. The oldest cottages were built over 100 years ago; most were built in the 1920s. Many of the cottages are architecturally significant. The MNR Statement of Philosophy of Integrated Resource Management (Feb.1985) contained the following statement "Multiple Use Policy is not consistent with a province-wide policy of restricting cottage leases in provincial parks. Instead, planning policy in specific parks should be based on the values, traditions and classification of each park." Rondeau is a Natural Environment class park, but the cottages are recognized in the official Park Plan as cultural heritage values. This requires that the cottages be protected under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, the class Environmental Assessment for parks and the Ontario Heritage Act. Nevertheless, all current private leases expire on December 31, 2017, at which time all 285 cottages and the Yacht Club are to be demolished at the owners' expense. The Heritage Board of Chatham-Kent has expressed concern over the possible loss of the cottage community.

The Rondeau Cottagers Association and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent (with the support of Chatham-Kent Essex Liberal MPP Pat Hoy) have been lobbying the provincial government to have the leases extended. On October 1, 2010 Ontario's Minister of Natural Resources, the Hon. Linda Jeffrey, telephoned the President of the Rondeau Cottagers Association and informed him that the Cabinet had voted to extend cottage leases for 21 more years, from 2017 to 2038, but the offer was subsequently characterized by MNR officials as a "cottage phase out policy".

• No lease transfers are allowed except to a spouse on the death of the leaseholder (cottages cannot be willed to children or grandchildren);
• The leaseholders would be required to remove buildings and structures and to restore lots to a safe and clean condition at their own expense upon termination of leases, or to be paid by their Estate after their death;
• The Crown would retain the sole right to purchase the lease on a willing seller/willing buyer basis;
• Unspecified "additional conditions" that the Ministry considers to be necessary or appropriate to restore the ecological integrity of the park and protect species at risk and their habitat (e.g., native species planting, restricting access to sensitive areas).