Council Preview
By John Swartz
Orillia council has its second summer schedule meeting August 12 at 2 p.m. If there are no public forum speakers, it will move directly into a closed session because there are no deputations or presentations listed on the agenda.
The close session has three items listed. One is an update regarding property the City is interested in. Next is a request for additional funding for litigation regarding an encroachment on public property on Forest Avenue. The last is to make appointments to various boards and committees.
When they return to the public meeting they have 13 reports to discuss.
Terry Fox Circle
Mayor Don McIsaac and councillors Jeff Czetwerzuk, Luke Leatherdale and Whitney Smith have a report asking council to approve moving up work on Terry fox Cricle to the 2025 budget year. The plan is to repave.
When the original redevelopment plan was offered in 2020 and most of the 44 parking spaces would be removed, but public outcry prompted council to reject the elaborate plan to turn the road into essentially a pedestrian space.
The plan before council now is to just repave, with the exception the roadway will be extended at the western end closer to the water so that the bike path can be physically separated from vehicle traffic. Many of the other elements of the original proposal such as a plaza near the lake have been dropped.
There is no dollar figure attached at the moment, but a simpler repaving would be less costly than the original redevelopment plan.
Hall of Fame
Council asked for some changes to the Hall of Fame selection process. The Awards committee currently makes recommendations to council committee (in closed session) and council does not add or remove names nominated.
However, council may send a recommendation back for reconsideration, and the committee can investigate any new information and either remove a selection or resubmit to council.
Removing someone from the Hall of Fame is a different matter. Earlier this year council removed Thomas Gummersall Anderson from the Hall of Fame and during the process some councillors raised concerns about the process and criteria for removal (and induction). This report outlines clarification of the removal process.
While considering names for inclusion is done by the awards committee and council in closed session approves, removal will now be initiated in open session. The awards committee will investigate and make recommendation back to council (which may or may not be in closed session) and council makes the final decision.
Included in the report is a recommendation to lower the standard 10-year volunteer contribution to the community to 6 for the youth selection for an Order of Orillia Award. This coincides with requirements for community volunteering for high school graduates, but the report states school records of volunteerism should not be a requirement for the Order of Orillia. The theory is, if they are a graduate, they also did the volunteering.
Food Coordinator
The nest report, from the food access and sustainability working group recommends to council a new administrative position be created, community food strategy coordinator, and forward the request to the 2025 budget.
The committee states a coordinator would help it with:
- Supporting the creation, implementation, and review of a food strategy
- Conducting research and providing advice to Council Committee regarding food policies
- Collaborating with other food system partners
The report proposes a coordinator would work on:
- Food system mapping
- Community engagement
- Work as staff resource to the food access and sustainability working group
- Collaborate with neighbouring municipalities and other food system actors such as farmers, food processors, distributors, retailers, and consumers to understand and advance shared goals.
- Managing and maintaining communication tools
- Partnership and program development
- Policy development
- Grant writing and fundraising
- Orillia food strategy development
There is no cost attached to hiring a new staff person, but the committee states that, and a hiring criteria, would be in a budget report.
Next a report from the grants committee asks council to approve the following grants;
Orillia and District Arts Council $1,000
The Mom Collective $1,500
Telecare Distress Line of Greater Simcoe $1,000
Orillia Vocal Ensemble $1,500
Champlain Sailing Club $500
Orillia Terry Fox Run $1,205
A grant request form the Mariposa Arts Theatre Foundation for $4,000 to assist with costs for the events of Pride Week 2024, running June 15 to June 22, including activities such as Pride March, barbeque, arts and crafts, and Queer Cabaret performances featuring local artists, was not approved. The committee’s reasoning is, “due to limited funds and the amount of funding requested superseding the maximum General Grant funding of $1,500.”
City For Sale
A presentation at a special meeting of council July 25 has translated into a report to council about selling naming rights to various municipal facilities and finding opportunities to lease space in several buildings.
The report from the business development, tourism and modernization department suggest the City can make money selling naming rights to:
– Orillia Recreation Centre
– Brian Orser Arena
– West Orillia Sports Complex
– Orillia Opera House
– Orillia Waterfront Centre
– Rotary Place Arena
– Orillia Water Stack
And including trails, parks and sports fields.
The report stems for a council request for a report about, “leasing vacant space within municipally owned properties,” such as the library and the Waterfront Centre.
Continuing with going a step farther than asked, the report also said staff would report to budget committee about parking fees at the waterfront and Tudhope Park.
From Driving To Parking
Staff have a report asking for permission to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Town of Newmarket for implementing an automated speed enforcement program under the administrative monetary penalty system and to report costs to the 2025 budget.
This is the next step to installing photo radar on Orillia Streets. However, council has not decided to do this and there are more steps to work through before rear end collision statistics go up. The estimated cost in 2023 of operating one camera is $110K in the first year ($40,000 less afterwards) with staff saying potential revenue is $100K.
Another report related to driving is about installing speed display signs similar to the one on Atherley Road. They would be installed at four locations; Stone Ridge Boulevard (2), Bass Lake Side Road, Nottawasaga Street and Mary Street. Each unit costs $50K and they can be moved to different locations.
Staff say “any reduction in driver speeding is temporary and speeds increase to pre-installation rates within 4 to 10 weeks.” This too may be referred to the 2025 Budget.
Next, the City did not get a grant from the Housing Accelerator Fund of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Federal Grant Program, but has been invited to resubmit for a second round of applications. There is $400 million available to successful applicants.
Staff wants council permission to apply. The money can be used for various things related to increasing housing, or the increased cost of municipal services once more housing is created.
There are a number of criteria to qualify, one of which is, allow 4 units per residential lot as-of-right to support infill development in low-density neighbourhood’s municipality-wide.
Staff are aware of 3 affordable housing projects with 100 units total in the offing. Grant money may allow for $45k grants per unit.
Next, a plan to replace the refrigeration system at the Barnfield Point Recreation Centre went to tender and the bids were over the budget of $1.375 million. The project won’t start until 2025, but the budget must increase by $92,000 to meet the lowest tender. The reason for the increase is higher costs for material and electronic controls. The extra funding will come from the general asset management reserve.
Enquiry Motions
Councillors Jay Fallis and Czetwerzuk are withdrawing their notice of motion form the last meeting to install a four-way stop at Orion Boulevard and Monarch Drive. Instead they have a enquiry for staff to report on the same and to extend the no parking zone to 10 meters on the northeast side of Orion at the intersection.
Councillor Tim Lauer has an enquiry for staff to provide an overview of the City’s geese management program, and an analysis of the effectiveness of geese prevention methods being used at various parks and beaches in Orillia.
Council meetings are open to the public or can be watched on the City’s Youtube channel.
(Photos by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia)
