New proposal for Sharbot Lake Housing Project - Central Frontenac Council Report

Lindsay Blair, the President of 2B Developments, brought a proposal for a two-phase development at the Sharbot Lake Public School site that would see a 24-unit building constructed in the first phase. The proposal envisions the use of what she called “onsite servicing”, a traditional well and septic system, for phase one.

The initial system would be replaced with communal serving in phase two, when a larger building, capable of including 48 housing units and an ancillary use, which could be a library, would be constructed.

The well and septic system for phase 1 would be decommissioned if and when a communal servicing system comes online.

A preliminary sketch for the proposal, places the initial building on the Road 38 side of the property, with the larger building located adjacent to Garret Street.

They were not mentioned by Blair or any members of council, but the Pickleball courts that are currently located on that site, appear to be intact in both the phase 1 and phase 2 sketches that Lindsay Blair provided as part of her presentation.

The main advantage of this approach, according to her, is that the project will be able to move to the construction phase much more quickly, while waiting for the necessary approvals for the project as a whole, to be worked through.

The project is being contemplated as affordable housing, with projected rent of $950. per month for one-bedroom units and $1400. for two-bedroom units, in 2026 dollars. The initial plan is for 20 one bedroom and 4 two-bedroom units, but that is subject to change in the next stage of the project.

“We have been in what we call the feasibility stage of the project in 2026,” said Blair, “and we feel that we are now ready, with this two-phase approach, to enter into the pre-development stage.”

Part of the service that 2B developments is providing to Central Frontenac, is to seek out and apply for grants as the project moves along, mainly from the federal Build Canada program.

Councillor Susan Irwin asked if it will be necessary for money to be allocated to a hydrogeological study, and an environmental assessment at the site, in the 2027 township budget.

Blair said there may be some grant money available for those studies but she has already talked with senior township staff about an allocation, in the 2027 budget.

Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk Cathy MacMunn said that this approach may result in “getting some housing in a couple of years” but there are a number of questions remaining to be answered before that can happen.

In addition to required technical studies, the project will require a design, a budget, and funding.

“The advantage of this approach,” Blair said, “is that we can proceed with a relatively straightforward build, while still preserving the full potential of the site to accommodate a larger project, with communal servicing.”

Blair also mentioned the option of a communal system that can be made available to other properties, in Sharbot Lake.

Dianne Lake Asks For Space

Dianne Lake came to Council on behalf of the Sharbot Lake Village History Group, which published a book about the history of Sharbot Lake and held two successful open houses at the Sharbot Lake Hall this year.

“We had over 500 people come to our open houses, sold 170 books, and took in over $1,000 in straight donations,” she said.

As part of the book project, Lake and other members of the group accessed the Oso township assessment rolls, and birth and death registry books, going back to the founding of the Oso township in the1870s. The materials were stored, along with material from the other three former townships that make up Central Frontenac, mainly in the basement of the former township office. The material is now piled up in the new office. She brought some of the registry books with her and showed them to Council.

“These books are in rough shape, and if we don't do something with them soon, they will be gone,” she said.

Marlene Halladay, Judy Gray, and Sandra Clow, who worked for the former townships before 1998, have volunteered to help sort the books and put them in order.

“That will be great because they know a lot more about it than me,” said Lake.

She asked Council if all of the material can be moved to the township-owned Harvey Building (Bob Harvey's barber shop) on Elizabeth Street where it can be stored properly and displayed, and asked if Council could respond to her request before the winter.

Council passed a motion, brought forward by Bill MacDonald, to house the material in that building, and it was approved by Council.

Lake said that it is a matter of some urgency to scan all the pages of the books before they deteriorate any further, and said it would be a good project for a summer student to be assigned to.

Community Improvement Area Expanded

Council passed a motion to expand the geographical scope of a community improvement plan that was set up in 2012 for the village of Sharbot Lake. Over the life of the plan, 32 matching grants have been awarded, totalling $77,600, leaving $2,400 remaining in the original $80,000 fund, $70,000 of which came from a Frontenac County grant.

With the motion, businesses in all of the hamlets in Central Frontenac will be eligible for grants, which are used to enhance storefronts in larger communities.

Councillor Philip Smith said it is important to point out that the program will only be of value if the new council decides to fund it, since there is almost no money left for grants.

“That's right,” said Cathy MacMunn, “there is no money”.

Food Truck Licensing

Council asked Staff to report back about setting up a licensing system for food trucks, which Council intends to put in place in time for the 2027 summer season.

Fire Department Boat

Council approved a $160,000 funding request to replace the fire department's 1999 Stanley Rescue boat, which the department says is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

Permanent Flag

In advance of the National Day For Truth And Reconciliation, Council received and supported a request from Chief Doreen Davis and the Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation, to permanently display the Sharbot Obaadjiwan and Every Child Matters flags.

Details about where the flags will fly, and all the protocols that will be in place, will be looked at by Staff, who will report back.