Ontario Heritage Has Title Free and Clear

KA-NON has left a new comment on your post "More Of The Story Unfolds":

Is the town or anyone else in possession of any actual correspondence from Ms. Bartley Smith herself on the subject of the future use of the lands?

Your poster wants us to believe that the pristine preservation of these lands was the benfactor's last earthly wish. Following the money, or the tax receipts as it were, might suggest otherwise.

Perhaps there is a paper trail that might shed some light on this. That sure is an obvious piece of land for development and a substantial increase of the tax base.
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I have been provided with documents. They are not useful for the purpose of this discussion. 
The fact is Ontario Heritage has title to the lands, free and clear.
They decide  what can be done with them which is currently nothing. 
If my recollection,although  scant, I was not a Councillor at the time, Ontario Heritage did not come out of the battle between the opposition and the town unscathed. 
If they are gun-shy about dealing with this community again,it should surprise no-one.
The town has been dealing with Ontario Realty...who are in charge of what's left of the farm on the former Ontario Hospital  property.  Ontario Provincial Police and Provincial Drive Test operation occupies the buildings right now.
We are about to announce successful negotiations with them but that hasn't been an easy row to hoe either.
It's hard for most of us to imagine having so much wealth that it pays to hand property over  to the government.
The Federal government has a warehouse for art treasures obtained by the process. 
I knew someone once who was negotiating to hand over dinner service for a hundred, complete with crystal  settings and flatware.
When Sheppard made his deal, he was still alive. He live in the house  five years after. It was part of the deal. He did indicate he wanted the community to have use. 
That's why we are able to use it.It's a bit of a pain in the ass to get permission for every little thing from a Conservation minion but on the whole the arrangement works well. 
It would  make a lot more sense for Ontario Heritage to have a maintenance  contract  directly with the  town. We do all the work.
They would have a hard time selling that property as long as there are people alive who remember  the wishes expressed at the time of the transfer.
Mr.Sheppard was feted at the time as a public benefactor.
He liked that.
It did no harm.
People have enjoyed  the property for  more than forty years.