🎧 LISTEN: “Blueberry Creek – More Than a Forest School”

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part one of a three-part series, introducing Blueberry Creek Nature Centre, a unique, nature-based private learning space near Perth that has provided outdoor education to hundreds of children. The centre’s co-founder, Robyn Mulcahy, faces mounting legal pressure over zoning and land-use conflicts. This part introduces the origins of the dispute, the centre’s mission, and the initial clashes that set the stage.

LAURIE WEIR

PERTH — A zoning dispute has escalated into a courtroom showdown, and the future of Blueberry Creek Nature Centre hangs in the balance.

Robyn Mulcahy, who co-founded the rural outdoor learning facility with Jessica Paquette, is scheduled to appear in court July 11, 2025. Tay Valley Township filed a statement of claim June 24, alleging the centre’s short-term rental violates local bylaws. 

“This is about much more than a zoning technicality,” Mulcahy said. “It’s about whether a community-based, volunteer-run forest centre can survive under constant legal threat.”

The centre operates on a two-acre property off Highway 7 just west of Perth. It features a restored 1850s farmhouse, gardens, barns, pollinator beds and a creekside trail used for day-long learning. Since 2017, the centre has welcomed over 340 children aged four to 12 through Reggio-inspired, outdoor-based programs focused on environmental stewardship, resilience and life skills. Many students are homeschooled or neurodivergent, with flexible programming tailored to their needs. Another 40 children are on the wait list.

The township argues that a fourth bedroom in the farmhouse reclassifies the accommodation as a lodge, a use prohibited in floodplain zones, whereas a three-bedroom bed and breakfast would be allowed. Mulcahy contends that the short-term rentals began before the floodplain designation and that the township confirmed the setup was legal in 2018.

“Now they say it’s not, because of one extra bedroom. It feels like they’re looking for reasons to shut us down,” Mulcahy stated during a visit to the property in late June. She argues the site meets the definition of a legal non-conforming use, based on its prior operation as a licensed bed and breakfast under the name Riverdale.

Mulcahy plans to fight the claim and is considering a countersuit alleging harassment and bad-faith conduct. She also calls for greater transparency from council.

She estimates over $250,000 has been spent on legal, planning and compliance matters since 2017. This includes $84,000 in legal fees directly related to the centre and another $44,000 linked to a dismissed ethics complaint involving her partner, Lanark–Frontenac MP Scott Reid.

“It’s time for the public to know how much the township is spending on these legal pursuits. It’s time for answers,” she said.

The current claim is the latest in a string of enforcement measures dating back to 2017, including threatened litigation, permit delays and repeated zoning disputes. In 2018, the township considered Superior Court action, alleging the centre did not comply with its bylaws. At the time, township lawyer Tony Fleming wrote that the property’s use as a private school was non-compliant and warned legal action would proceed if it was not brought into alignment. 

Mulcahy said she believes the township has singled her out for enforcement.

Reeve Rob Rainer declined an interview, citing active litigation. In a written statement to Hometown News, he said the municipality supports forest schools in principle, but all properties must comply with zoning and building rules, particularly in designated floodplain areas.

Low student-to-teacher ratios 

The centre employs seven part-time educators, maintaining low staff-to-student ratios: 1:6 for kindergarten-aged children and 1:8 for older students. Programs include woodworking, gardening, animal care and cooking, running from September to June. The site also supports a small hobby farm with about six chickens, three goats and a guinea hen. 

Students tend to the animals, learn about food systems and spend most of their time outdoors. Lessons often include conflict resolution, emotional support and land-based learning. Students recently ran a farmers’ market to raise money for a peer undergoing cancer treatment. One child also raised funds for The Table Community Food Centre.

“This is about building community, not just curriculum,” Mulcahy said.

The centre operates with full insurance, a volunteer board and no government subsidies. Its financial model relies on private tuition, fundraising and revenue from the bed and breakfast. Without that income, Mulcahy said she will find another way to keep going. In November 2023, families of students staged a peaceful protest at Tay Valley Township’s offices, though no officials addressed the crowd. OPP officers were on site.

Despite the ongoing legal pressure, Mulcahy remains committed to keeping the centre open and challenging what she calls an unfair and inconsistent regulatory system.

“What we offer is more than an education,” she said. “It’s a lifeline for families who don’t fit the mold of traditional schooling.”

In Part 2, families speak out about what the Blueberry Creek Nature Centre means to them.