Ken Hale, vice-president of land development and acquisitions for Dunncap, said the development is following through on the community strategic plan and the waterfront master plan.

“We want to create a vision that is consistent with the plans this council and the previous council started by developing a vision for the waterfront,” he said.  “It really concluded that (the) downtown core and the waterfront are the focal points of mixed-use activity in the town of Collingwood.”

Hale said the plan would include underground parking and a public promenade.

However, some neighbouring residents took issue with the proposal. Some of the concerns include parking, traffic, the level of density and the potential loss of views of the grain terminals.

“The large footprint proposed will limit physical and visual access to the waterfront, (and have a) negative impact on abutting homeowners by reducing their sunlight,” said neighbouring residents Wendy Sherwood and Michael Walker.

John Campbell, a resident of The Shipyards development, is in favour of the proposal.

“I would like to support the application, as the increased density and form will provide a linkage between the waterfront and our downtown,” Campbell said.

Bill Patrick is concerned this could harm Collingwood’s waterfront.

“I saw the development that took place on the Toronto waterfront, and I think — and I know many people agree — basically ruined it for anyone trying to see because there was a blockade,” he said. “If it goes ahead, you can call it an imperfect world.”