Development moving ahead at site of grave

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Four years after a similar project was derailed because of the grave of an Indian princess, a developer is moving ahead with a 2,000-home project on a shoreline property north of Owen Sound, Ont.

"We hope to have a shovel in the ground next spring," said Dorothy Telford, spokesperson and development consultant for Georgian Villas.

But a local Native leader says a lot of matters have yet to be resolved.

"Our concerns are the same now as they were then (in 1997). We have not given sanctions for this development," said Chippewas of Nawash Chief Ralph Akiwenzie.

The site is of "great historical importance" because of the grave of Naaneebweque, one of the first Native land claim advocates, said Akiwenzie from the Cape Croker reserve, located about 15 miles to the north of the site.

Naaneebweque was the daughter of an Ojibway chief, who married William Sutton, an English missionary, and adopted the name Catharine.

In 1857, the Suttons' land parcel in what is now Georgian Bluffs was declared subject to the British government's Indian department's ruling disallowing land ownership by Indian people.

Dubbed an Indian princess by the British press, Sutton went to England in 1860 to protest to Queen Victoria.

This most currect development scheduled on the property that Naaneebweque was not allowed to own because of her Ojibway heritage is slated to include a golf course, a 200-room hotel, a village core and a marina.

"It will be an ecotourism destination for people from as far away as Europe," said Telford.

Akiwenzie points out that several other Native burial sites have been identified on the 240-acre property.

"We have serious concerns about access for our people. These are our ancestral homelands so we also need access for ceremonial purposes. Once walls go up we could lose that forever," said Akiwenzie.

The present developer is Willis McLeese, who owns Colmac Holdings, Ltd., which develops, owns and operates cogeneration and alternative energy electric power generating plants in Canada and California.

McLeese has kept the Nawash band "apprised" of his plans for Georgian Villas.

"But that doesn't mean we've given formal approval," said Akiwenzie, who has agreed to meet with McLeese next month.

McLeese commissioned an archeological survey of the property in 1999, which identified 15 Native heritage sites on the property, said Telford.

"But ground probing radar didn't indicate there are remains there," said Telford.

She added that the Natives didn't want the sites excavated to determine if human remains are present.

"They wanted them left as they are," she said.

The 15 sites will be preserved and a marker erected indicating that artifacts from Native habitation were found there.

"We'll put shrubbery around them or build little bridges across, but what we don't want to do is fence them off," said Telford.

Developer Sheldon Rosen of the Toronto-based SDR group and Title-Bellinson cited concern about Naaneebweque's grave and other possible Native burial sites on the property as one of the reasons they didn't proceed with the project in 1997.

But Telford said she is confident that with the spirit of co-operation between McLeese and the Nawash band, the development will proceed and will include an interpretive centre focused on the site's Native and white pioneer history.

"We have worked very closely with the chief and the Elders," said Telford.

Akiwenzie said his people fear that such a big development will have a big impact on the environment and possibly on the Native fishery.

"With something of that magnitude we have to make sure that all the requirements are met to ensure the environment is protected," said Akiwenzie.