Inverhuron Non-Profit Association

How It Started: A Pavilion for the Upper Park

After the Aug 2022 IDRA AGM, a small group of residents — Gordon Barr, Gar Peterson, and Douglas Vince — came together to revisit a long-stalled project: building a pavilion in the Upper Park. The idea had been discussed for more than a decade but lost momentum, especially during COVID.

This group formed a subcommittee of the IDRA with one simple goal: figure out whether the project could be revived.

Early Roadblock

Their first meeting with the municipality was discouraging. Parks & Rec made it clear that Inverhuron already had two parks and, due to budget and demographic considerations, the Upper Park was not needed. They advised waiting for the upcoming municipal Situational Awareness Study (SAS) survey results, being conducted by the MGA Group and expected in December 2023.

The 2023 Community Survey

When the subcommittee learned that the SAS did not include Inverhuron’s perspective, they acted. In July 2023, they created and distributed a survey to all IDRA members so Inverhuron’s voice would be heard.

The survey was issued twice, results were compiled, and the findings were submitted as an Addendum to the SAS report (see Addendum). During this time, Randy Roppel and Stew Neely joined the group.

Presenting to Council

Thanks to the survey, community support, and MGA’s recommendation, Council agreed in spring 2024 to begin negotiations with what had by then become the INDC, a sister Non-Profit to the IDRA with cross director representation.

After two years of detailed discussions, a Co-Occupation/Management Agreement was completed. It wasn’t perfect, but it addressed the major concerns of both sides. Because Parks & Rec required a tight timeline to present to counsel, the INDC insisted on an effective date of May 15, 2026, giving time to explain the agreement to the community and clear up emerging misinformation.

Despite all this work, Council was divided, and the motion to adopt the agreement did not pass.

Moving Forward

In March 2026, the INDC learned it would receive funding from Bruce Power. After discussions with our councillors and the new Parks & Rec director, the INDC decided a simpler structure — a Non-Profit working alongside the municipality — could still achieve the core goal: representing the community’s voice as expressed in the 2022 survey.

With Bruce Power’s support and commitments of support from Jacksons Construction, the path to building the volleyball court became clear.

The group has not given up on the broader community aspirations captured in the survey. An opinion piece by R. Robin Palin, President of RPPR Inc., provided upon reviewing the survey structure and responses, reinforced their belief that Inverhuron’s residents deserve meaningful action. (see OPINION)

In Closing

This short history reflects several busy, challenging years — much of it happening behind the scenes. We hope it helps you understand how far the community has come and why this work continues.