By Sue Tiffin
Published April 10 2018
The following are brief reports of items discussed at the April 4 meeting of Highlands East council.
An evening meeting held on March 28 was attended by about 75 residents of Highlands East looking to learn about upcoming road maintenance within the Cardiff town site. The project which involves about six kilometres of paving and ditching will begin in the summer months and is expected to finish in the fall. Mayor Dave Burton told Progress magazine last month the area in Cardiff was last paved 40 or 50 years ago but has held up.
“The secret with road building is to ditch the roads properly to get the water and moisture away from them” he said. “It’s lasted in my opinion its life and it needs a good face lift and we’re going to do that. It’s going to be quite a job and I’m looking forward to getting it done this year.” Ward 1 Councillor Cam McKenzie thanked the residents of Cardiff for their time and patience while the project is being done.
Residential rental maintenance standards enforcement shifts from province to municipality
Effective July 1 the municipality rather than the province will be responsible for receiving and investigating complaints from any current tenant about compliance with maintenance standards as set out by the Residential Rental Maintenance Standards according to a report from Wayne D. Galloway bylaw enforcement officer.
“The Residential Rental Maintenance Standards only apply to residential rental accommodations and do not include motels hotels resorts campgrounds trailer parks shared accommodations etc.” wrote Galloway. “Regulation 517/06 can basically be looked at as a property standards bylaw that deals strictly with residential rental accommodations.”Council appointed Laurie Devolin chief building official and Wayne Galloway bylaw enforcement officer as inspectors who will enforce the Residential Tenancies Maintenance Standards.
Keith Tallman Memorial Arena closes for season after busy March
“For a season in which we anticipated significant decreases in rentals March again showed how the community supports the arena” wrote Jim Alden property supervisor in a report to council. According to the report there were 62 rental hours in March compared to 65 rental hours in March 2017.
The 2018/2019 season is scheduled to run Oct. 11 2018 until March 31 2019. Bookings are being accepted now.
Programs on offer
New programs being offered at the Lloyd Watson Centre the Robert McCausland Centre and the Cardiff Community Centre have been well-received.
An adult day program offering a range of social physical and recreational activities for frail older adults individuals with memory impairment and adults with physical disabilities runs on Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Lloyd Watson Centre. The program is free for the first month and transportation services are available. For more information about the program contact Jamie Allen at 705-457-2941 x. 3305.
A free EarlyOn drop-in program for families expecting parents home child care caregivers and children up to six years old is offered in Cardiff on the first and third Wednesday of the month and in Gooderham on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month. Contact Bev Jackson at 705-286-4625 for more information.
“It is very pleasing to see new programs available to our communities and the facilities being used” wrote Alden in a report to council.
To Ohio with geocaching
Two representatives from Highlands East will promote the municipality’s geocaching opportunities at GeoWoodstock the largest gathering of geocachers in North America after council agreed to the trip. This year’s event happens in Ohio which Joanne Vanier community economic development and committee co-ordinator reported is one of the closer locations the event has travelled to around the U.S. since it began in 2003.
The Highlands East representatives will join a group from Manitoba who are promoting Canada as a geocaching destination.
“I believe this would be an incredible opportunity to promote the Geocaching Capital of Canada” said Vanier in her report. She noted that Tupper T. Turtle the municipality’s geocaching mascot would be ready in time to make an appearance at the event which attracts more than 4000 geocachers.
The cost to attend GeoWoodstock would be approximately $1500.
Funding focus on main streets
Highlands East will have a little more than $40000 to use toward revitalizing downtown areas and main streets focusing on walking trails and signs throughout the municipality thanks to the Main Street Revitalization Initiative administrated by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Rural Ontario Municipal Association.
Ontario is investing up to $26 million in the Main Street Revitalization Initiative which is part of a $40 million investment over three years in the Main Street Enhancement Fund according to a press release from the Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs.
Solution to avoid Hadlington Road damage
After previously reporting an issue to council about damage on Hadlington Road due to the Paudash snowmobile trail groomer and at least eight trail crossing points Earl Covert roads superintendent reported on a meeting with Gerald Daviau from the Paudash Snowmobile Club.
“Council wishes were to have the group stay away from Hadlington Road completely and when this was suggested Gerald Daviau did say they would do what they could but [an] application would have to be made to [Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs] to see what could be done in regards to financing the building of a new trail if one could be located.”
Plans for Herlihey Park welcomed
The municipality is creating a request for proposal for a park master plan to help design the future home of Herlihey Park. The parkland is about seven acres of land located on Dark Lake (the former Wilberforce Veneer Property) in Wilberforce. An assistant professor and community outreach co-ordinator for the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development at the University of Guelph had anticipated but received no interest from graduate students in the project.
New deputy chief building officer in place
Andrew Jack has been appointed deputy chief building official (CBO) of Highlands East. He started April 4.
A thank you to volunteers
A Volunteer Recognition Breakfast will be held on April 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Lloyd Watson Community Centre.
Earth Day cleanup participation welcomed
The municipality’s Earth Day cleanup will be held on Saturday April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet and pick up bags and gloves at the following locations: Fire Hall 1 Cardiff (2747 Monck Road) Fire Hall 3 Gooderham (1043 Community Centre Road) Fire Hall 4 Wilberforce (2259 Loop Road) Fire Hall 6 Paudash (22538 Highway 28/Lagoon Road). Garbage can be dropped off at the fire halls or any landfill sites in Highlands East between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Further activities will be held at the Robert McCausland Centre through the Gooderham Community Action Group. Call Suzanne Partridge at 705-448-2981 for more information.
