By Sue Tiffin
Published June 26 2018
The following are brief reports of items discussed during a June 25 meeting of Dysart council.
Andy Salvatori and Mark Dennys on behalf of Rotary Club of Haliburton proposed that a hockey rink be made out of the pre-existing former skateboard park by the library on Maple Avenue. The rink would be available for ball hockey in warmer months and ice hockey during winter months with netting around both ends to protect balls or pucks from going into the street or river. The project materials and a possible contractor to help with framing the boards would cost about $15000 and Rotary was willing to contribute $10000 with the municipality providing the rest.
“We haven’t even asked anybody for donations” said Salvatori. “Maybe there’s an opportunity to advertise along the boards. There’s also an electrical box there if at one point you wanted to expand you could light it up.”
Councillor Walt McKechnie suggested having photos of past and present local NHLers added to the rink.
“I think it would be great if Ron [Stackhouse] Bernie [Nicholls] Cody [Hodgson] and Matt [Duchene] – it’d be great to have pictures of them or something tied to them give the kids a bit more inspiration” he said. McKechnie also a former NHLer added that some of those players might be able to attend a grand opening.
Councillors also discussed a possible bench for kids to sit on to put their skates on and how snow would be cleared in the winter.
“It’s more things for kids which is good” said Mayor Murray Fearrey.
The Rotary Club would like to see the rink in place by Sept. 1.
During the June 13 storm a challenge was identified with two-way radio use used by the fire department and roads department. The departments share frequencies which can result in communication being disrupted if both departments attempt to use the radios at the same time. Rob Camelon director of public works suggested a sit-down with the municipality’s service provider to determine how the service was set up and how it could be made better going forward.
“I’m not recommending digital or anything like that just the system we have now what do we have to do to set up channels” said Camelon. “It probably won’t happen this year but at least when the time comes we’ll know what we have to do and how much it’s going to cost.”
A courtesy pedestrian crosswalk originally planned back in 2015 to be installed on the west side of Highland Street Cedar Avenue and York Street is not going to happen after changes to the Highway Traffic Act and Ontario Traffic Manual.
“Courtesy crossings are no longer mentioned in any of them” said Camelon. “So moving forward I wouldn’t recommend putting courtesy crosswalks in. They’re not referenced anymore they were never really regulated to start with it was in more of the trial period to gauge compliance in local municipalities.”
He said courtesy crosswalks would cost $20000 each according to the corridor study.
“Certainly I talked to the Baked and Battered people it’s not going to affect their business but they’re all concerned if someone gets hit there” said Fearrey.
“I’ve seen people I go by there I don’t know how long they’ve been waiting but they just take their chances because they’re tired of waiting” said Camelon.
Fearrey said on a recent visit downtown he noticed that many pedestrians don’t use the crosswalks in place.
Councillors discussed options to ensure safety for pedestrians crossing in particular at the Highland and York intersections including signage and 3-D road painting.
Traffic signals at the corner of York and Highland would require excavation and would cost approximately $250000.
“Some simple signs might be some deterrent” said Murray Fearrey.
A dry stone curved bench facing toward town is planned to be built by Fleming College students on July 12. The bench is worth $1500 and will be located in Sam Slick Park next to a dry stone bridge built by the school’s students last year.
