Safe Properties Bylaw On Hold For Two Meetings In Central Frontenac

Craig Bakay | Feb 05, 2025

Central Frontenac residents who at tended the regular Council meeting Jan. 27 in Sharbot Lake because of Safe Properties Bylaw concerns went away disappointed as Mayor Frances Smith announced early on that the controversial bylaw wouldn’t be on the agenda again until Council’s second meeting in February (Feb. 25).

“The Safe Properties Bylaw will not be spoken to tonight,” said Mayor Frances Smith. “The will come up at our second meeting in February (Feb. 26). “We’re going to revise the amount of time where you can make comments . . . we’ll put it on the website.”

Heritage Festival :  It turns out there will be a Heritage Festival in Central Frontenac on the Family Day Weekend (Feb. 15-17) after all.

Council’s Economic Development Committee decided to partner with the Heritage Festival Committee in order to have enough volunteers to put it on this year.

“It won’t be as great a festival as other years but we have compiled a list of events happening in all the communities,” said Coun. Duncan MacGregor of the EDC. “There should be lots of marketing coming forward so look for it in the paper and on Facebook.” SINCE 1970 “I’d just like to thank the Economic De velopment Committee for stepping up and helping out our committee,” said Coun. Cindy Kelsey, chair of the Festival Com mittee. “(They’re) making it possible for us to have a festival this year so I’m pretty ex cited and we’ve got lots of stuff going on.”

A list of events posted on Facebook Township Treasurer Michael McGovern told Council the theatre group is prepared to pay a $15-rental fee for rehearsals and performances, $30 per use for fundraisers and 10 per cent of profits from each performance. “It’s a fair proposal,” McGovern said.

Art Holloway said the troupe is also actively looking for alternative rehearsal/performance venues where possible. “The bandshell is a great place to put on a play in the summer,” said Mayor Fran ces Smith. “Unless the mosquitos come out at night. “It’s great to see the little theatre is do ing better and is able to help out with the costs.” include a pancake breakfast, the Matson Family Fun Day, the Polar Plunge, a chilli lunch at the Sharbot Lake Legion, Artisan Pizza night at the Cardinal Café, Cardinal Café at the Sharbot Lake rink, snowshoe lending by EarlyON, vendors market, live band Whiskey Smoke, Caboose open at Railway Heritage Park, Historical Society items on view, Valentines dinner at Belong, Trailside lunch at Belong (Monday), Open Mike at the Kick & Push Brewery, Oysters served by oyster Sucker Paddy at Belong, Farm to Table luncheon, Winter Fun Day by KLA.

North Frontenac Little Theatre Things: have been looking up lately for the North Frontenac Little Theatre, so much so, the troupe is in a position to enter into an agreement to pay for the use of Soldiers Memorial Hall in Sharbot Lake. Pickle Ball in Picadilly Council is entertaining a motion to re instate the use of Piccadilly Hall for Pickleball following presentation by Bob Teal and Lisa Hamilton of the District 4 Recreation Committee. Rec committee member Lisa Hamilton said: “I was shocked to see my name attached to $2,000 worth of damage which I knew nothing about.” She also told Council that it was 2023 when the hall was used for pickleball, not 2024. “Whatever damages occurred in 2024 were not from our group,” she said. “To say we abused the hall is not called for.”

Committee chair Bob Teal, drawing on his contracting experience, said it was un likely the damage on the wall came from a pickleball. “You can tell because it’s more of a tear than a scuff,” he said. “That’s done from tape being pulled off the wall. “All in all, in my opinion, this incident was very poorly handled.” “Lisa, I want to say we’re sorry that you felt the way your name was brought up as the person who called,” said Mayor Frances Smith. “I don’t think that anybody around this table put your name together with the damages but if you feel we did that, we’re sorry.” CAO/Clerk Cathy MacMunn, Coun. Phillip Smith and Coun. Susan Irwin also apologized. “I wonder if pickleball in that small space is a good idea,” said Mayor Smith. “The size of that hall is almost like a good size basement rec room. “(But), it sounds like there’s a motion coming to reconsider (at a subsequent meeting).”