Duane Hicks
The town will take another look at allowing wedding receptions at Sunny Cove Camp after La Place Rendez-Vous owner Paul Noonan told council Monday evening that they shouldn’t be competing with the commercial sector.
Noonan said while he fully supported the town’s decision to acquire Sunny Cove Camp to ensure it continues to provide summer camp experiences for youth and develop it into a site for local residents and tourists to use, he was dismayed to hear council’s decision at its Feb. 22 meeting to permit weddings receptions there.
“I am not sure what consultation took place regarding this policy but I do know that I, as a Fort Frances business owner who provides wedding services, was not asked how this initiative would affect my business,” he told council, clarifying he’s not against wedding ceremonies held there but catered receptions.
Noonan said there is a difference between “demand” and “demonstrated need” for these services at Sunny Cove.
“I do not feel the town is obligated to provide a service that is already adequately being met by facilities currently offered by local businesses, as well as the arena, simply because the public would ‘like’ to hold receptions at Sunny Cove,” he noted.
“Our banquet facilities as well as others in the community, including the Legion, curling club, and arena, are nowhere near maxed out, so opening up an additional facility will only serve to negatively impact us,” he warned.
Noonan said if the town wants to generate revenue for the camp, there is a true demand for public camping sites along Rainy Lake, and that the town should consider this in any long-term planning instead of generating revenue at the expense of businesses which pay taxes and employ local residents (the Rendez-Vous employs more than 50 full-time and part-time staff year-round).
In discussions with some members of council and town management over the past two weeks, Noonan said some people had the notion that facilities like the Rendez-Vous or Adventure Inn provide banquet services “more for the higher-end user.”
“This statement could not be further from the truth,” he stressed. “We compete head-to-head with local caterers who provide the same services at the Legion, curling club, or arena.
“Our prices are not dissimilar when you factor in our additional infrastructure costs, including our $25,000 per year sewer and water [bill], and municipal taxes.
“We pay $125,000 in municipal taxes—that’s $350 every day of the year—to the municipality,” noted Noonan, adding that for larger receptions, the Rendez-Vous waives its facility fees.
The resolution council passed Feb. 22 indicated the wedding services would be done for a one-year trial, after which time they would be evaluated.
But Noonan pointed out weddings often are booked one-and-a-half to two years in advance, so it’s not possible to have a trial year without it impacting the following year.
As well, setting a precedent “is difficult to retreat from once it has been set,” he noted, adding, “If you allow catered receptions to start at Sunny Cove, you will find it twice as hard to back away from that position next year as you would to reverse your decision now.”
Noonan also said it’s no secret the retail and business community in Fort Frances is suffering due to the downturn of the local economy.
“The last thing we need is for the town to be competing with us for the same business,” he argued. “La Place Rendez-Vous, the Adventure Inn, Legion, curling club, and arena provide more than adequate facilities to meet local demand.
“I strongly recommend the town rethink its position on the wedding policy for Sunny Cove and allow the existing facilities in the hospitality sector of Fort Frances to continue to meet this need.”
Several members of council weighed in on the matter Monday night.
“I don’t think the town should be in direct competition with tax-paying businesses in this community,” said Coun. Rick Wiedenhoeft. “I see that as a very negative thing and I do see this as an extension of that policy and I am against it. . . .
“I could support weddings out at Sunny Cove, but I don’t support the idea of competing with tax-paying businesses in town and I don’t think we should go down this route.”
Coun. John Albanese agreed, noting council also has to think about the fact these businesses employ local residents.
Mayor Roy Avis said he’s been a strong proponent of the town acquiring Sunny Cove Camp all along, but wasn’t of the opinion the town would be moving as fast as it has been making certain changes, such as with the weddings.
“I thought we’d be status quo for a year or two years to get our feet wet, and find out which direction we wanted to head to,” he remarked.
Council referred the matter to the Community Services executive committee for review, with input from the Administration and Finance executive committee.
