The Ontario Municipal Board held a prehearing regarding the appeal of the Creemore Springs Brewery expansion on Wednesday, and by the end of the day all parties were booked for two days of OMB-led mediation in January. If a settlement is not reached then, the Board has booked a five-week hearing starting March 19, 2012.
The day led with all parties identifying themselves; they are Paul Vorstermans and Christine and Austin Boake on the appellant’s side and Creemore Springs Brewery, Simcoe County and Clearview Township on the respondent’s side. Parties are able to present and cross-examine evidence at the hearing.
Also identifying themselves were those wishing to be participants, who will be limited to making a statement about the application. Standing up were Rowland Fleming, Michael Bennett, David Huskinson and Corey Finkelstein for the expansion and Donald Boake, Roy Symes, Cheryl Robertson and Norma Panzine against the expansion.
Brewery lawyer Marshall Greene told the Board that the parties were willing to mediate, but in order to schedule mediation, Board member M.C. Denhez undertook a confidential “mediation assessment” over the course of the day.
Following that, Denhez booked January 10 and 11 as mediation days. Parties are scheduled to speak informally several times before that date as well.