Ah_council

Jeff Green | Jan 05, 2006

Home | Local Weather | Editorial Policy

Feature Article

. | Navigate | .

ArchiveImage GalleryAlgonquin Land Claims

Gray MerriamLegaleseGeneral information and opinion on legal topics by Rural Legal ServicesNature Reflectionsby Jean GriffinNight Skiesby Leo EnrightTastes oftheOttawa Valley Courtesy of the Fall RiverPub & Grill, Maberly

This could be the year for the Northbrook Stoplight:Addington Highlands Council, January 3, 2006

by Jeff Green

It was back to business for Addington Highlands Council this week, as Council heard from two delegations, moved forward on renovating the Flinton Recreation Centre/Township Office Building, and considered whether the roads crew are doing too much work keeping the roads clear.

Mr. Rind appeared before Council, accompanied by Andy Anderson. Mr. Rind owns a property on highway 41 that was formerly a Wrecking Yard and he was seeking a license to return the property to that function.

Reeve Hook pointed out that Mr. Rind applied for a license in 2002. The application was refused after he failed to show up at a hearing, and letters came in from neighbouring landowners that did not favour starting up a new wrecking yard at the time.

“I have complied with all the requirements for a license since that time, from the Ministry of the Environment, the MTO, everyone, and have letters from the neighbours that say they don’t mind a wrecking yard, but still I have no license” said Rind.

“The problem is that Mr. Rind has financing lined up for the business, but he can’t get the financing until he has a license, and we can’t see what the hold up is for his license,” said Andy Anderson.

“But his request for a license was already denied back in 2002,” said Reeve Hook. “Does he want to re-apply?”

Council agreed to reconsider the Wrecking Yard license request, once Mr. Rind supplies new letters to the township from all property owners in adjacent properties.

Northbrook Stoplight – Reeve Hook informed Council that he has been in contact with Dave Steed from the Ministry of Transportation (MTO). Steed is the MTO Manager who presented plans for a stoplight and new turning lanes in Northbrook. He told Reeve Hook that the MTO plans to put in the stoplight in 2006, and Hook said that he asked, on behalf of the business owners in Northbrook, that the project be done after Labour Day so as not to interfere with the summer season.

“I will contact MPP Leona Dombrowsky, and ask that she contact the MTO and ask that the project be completed this year,” Hook said.

Addington Highlands would also like to see an audible light and some wheelchair friendly curbs included in the project and will send a letter to Dave Steed to that effect.

Snowy sidewalks – Roads Superintendent Royce Rosenblath brought up the issue of snow clearing on the sidewalks of Northbrook, which the township does not plow. “With new turning lanes, it will likely become more dangerous to walk on the highway next winter,” Rosenblath said, “and perhaps we should consider something that is done in some neighbourhoods in Toronto, where property owners are expected to keep their sidewalks clear, and if they don’t the City does the work and sends them a bill.”

“That would be a pretty tough thing for some people to swallow, said Councillor Bill Cox, “because it is the MTO that pushes the snow onto the sidewalk in the first place, so we would be asking people to clear snow that was plowed onto their sidewalk in the first place.”

“I know it’s a tough issue, but we are going to have to tackle it somehow,” said Rosenblath

Too much sand? – Councillor Cox brought up some complaints he has received that there is a build up of sand on some roads and that the plows are clearing even minor snowfalls off the roads.

“All sand applications are documented,” said Rosenblath, “and sometimes roads are plowed in order to prepare them for weather that is coming. We prefer to err in the direction of caution, where icy roads are concerned. I say to the crews; if there is a question, do the work.”

Renovations - A Request for Proposal is being prepared for a renovation project at the Flinton Hall that will provide for more administrative space and bring some improvements to the Hall as well. Councillor Cox is overseeing the project, and he has been working closely with the Recreation Committee in putting together a proposal that meets with the approval of all the groups who use the Hall. The work is expected to take place later this winter.

Building report - 210 construction projects, worth a total of $3,565,634 were undertaken in Addington Highlands in 2005. Projects included 10 commercial ventures, and 38 new house/cottages

Off to Golden Lake – Representatives from the Economic Development Committee, along with a developer, will be attending a meeting with Chief Kirby Whiteduck and the Council of the Pikwakanagan Algonquin Reserve at Golden Lake to seek a partnership in freeing up some Crown Land on McChesney Lake for a proposed Resort Development. Pikwakanagan is involved because Crown Land is implicated in the ongoing Algonquin Land Claim.

The Resort Development project has been an ongoing effort of the Economic Development Committee for several years.