Residents pass around McConkey petition
By Chris Simon

Several local residents are circulating a petition in hopes of saving the Roderick McConkey homestead.

Following a public meeting into the future of a stretch of property situated near the Innisfil Beach Road and 20th Sideroad intersection - which includes the 150-year-old 10-room home - last week, a few local residents created a petition, which they hope will sway town council into protecting the building.

"A lot of people have voiced concern, so we want to show people that we have a large number from this community that really see this is an important site to keep," she said. "We're letting council know how important it is, and we do expect to have a lot of people sign. People are interested in doing something positive for their community and in preserving our heritage. We've got to do everything we can, it's not a done deal yet. There's still an opportunity for us to make a change."

The Trinity Development Group is expected to purchase the property by June. Plans for the property include several hundred thousand square feet of retail space and parking, trees and a manmade pond. Trinity is one of Ontario's largest retail developers, and has helped build the Colossus Centre in Vaughan and the Green Lane Centre in Newmarket.

The site would create 273 permanent and 200 construction jobs and generate $300,000 in annual property taxes.

However, those plans should include the preservation of the homestead. The home could be converted into a tourist information centre, museum or art centre, said Bentley.

"Here we are, the size of Innisfil, there's different possibilities of what this lovely house could be used as," she said. "We could (apply for) grants or do fundraisers to keep this place going for the community. Thousands of people live in Alcona, yet we can't seem to preserve anything."

The petition has already been circulated among various community groups such as the Innisfil Historical Society, and is supported by the Alcona Business Association.

Society president Margaret Baker says the preservation of historical sites throughout Innisfil is the duty of its residents, something that may be achieved by signing the petition.

"These stone houses are being demolished very quickly," she said. "There are three members of the historical society on the (Innisfil) Heritage Committee, we wish them well on their preservation of historical sites ... all is not lost."

Trinity representatives have shown interest in preserving the homestead, by moving it to another property free of charge, or allowing heritage preservationists to collect important items from the house.

Bentley's main concern is preserving the homestead, regardless of where it sits.

"I really don't want to point fingers at a developer or council, or criticize (in the wording of the petition), all I wanted to do was saving the house or moving it to a designated site," she said. "We're hoping a developer will step forward and somehow be a hero for this community."

And several weeks ago, developers demolished the Ness-Adair century home, which was located across the road from McConkey.

But town has taken several steps to ensure local historical sites are preserved. Currently, the town's heritage committee is compiling a list of at least 31 historical sites of interest within the municipality, the first step towards preserving heritage buildings.

A copy of the petition is available at Adam and Eve Tanning Salon in the Crossroads Plaza in Alcona.