Central Frontenac Council

Jeff Green | Feb 19, 2025

At the start of the regular meeting of Central Frontenac Council on February 11, Councillor Lynn Klages informed Council that Wanda Harrison, a long time volunteer with the Kennebec Recreation Committee, and the Arden columnist for the Frontenac News, had died the previous evening, and Council expressed its condolences to her husband, Lorne Hilts, and her family and friends. A memorial service is scheduled for Sunday, February 23rd, and the Kennebec Hall.

Much of the meeting was taken up by a seemingly simple request that raised a number of complicated issues. The Lennox and Addington Ridgerunners snowmobile club came to Council seek ing a land use permit from the township for a short road allowance leading to the shore of Horseshoe Lake, to and complete a popular 150 kilometre loop.

Keith Dawson, President, and Don Fenick appeared as a delegation. They outlined that an arrangement with the Horseshoe Lake Association for passage over a lane and boat launch under their jurisdiction had broken down, and that is why they are asking to use property under township jurisdiction. Geoff Mitchie from the property own ers association, as well as Bob Stinson, a property owner who lives next to the township right of way that the club in tends to use, also appeared before Council.

Mitchie explained that there have been some issues with the use by the Ridgerunners, and said that the boat launch is being purchased by the Horseshoe Lake Association but that purchase has not been completed yet, so the association is not in a position to sign a formal agreement at this time.

Bob Stinson said that he did not support the proposal to use the township property because of its impact on him, and on another neighbour who was not at the meeting. He also said that he was not informed of the proposal until shortly before the council meeting. “I would ask that this be deferred so my neighbour and I could make a presentation, so that our issues are heard,” he said.

Part of the complication in the matter is that the land use permit agreement that the Federation of Snowmobile Associations requires the Ridgerunners to use in these cases, calls for exclusive use of the trail, and both the Horseshoe Lake Association and the township properties are used by walkers, cyclists, and ATVs.

Council considered deferring the matter, but that would not be of much use to the Ridgerunners as we are now in the peak snowmobile season, and it will be over in a month or so. In the end, Council decided not to sign the agreement, and asked the Ridgerunners to come back next fall with a proposal that satisfies everyone's concerns, unless they can complete an agreement with the Horseshoe Lake Association. Building Starts Drop Off in January In what may or may not be an indication of where 2025 is headed in terms of construction in Central Frontenac, only 2 permits, for $75,000 worth of construction, were taken out this past January. Last January, 16 permits were sold, for over $1.5 million in construction, and in January of 2023, 7 permits for $1.15 million in construction were sold. Councillor Lynn Klages said: “I see these numbers are way down. Is there any explanation for this?” Chief Building Official Andy Dillon said “I don't really have an explanation. It could be costs, it could be fears about  the economy, I don't know, but things have slowed down.”

Motions from Council Councillor - Duncan McGregor brought forward two motions that he had flagged in the previous meeting through a notice of motion. Both of them were sparked by the debate over the proposed Safe Properties Bylaw update that came to Council last month. One is for staff to prepare a report on how the municipality seeks public feedback on changes made to by-laws and policies. The second is for staff to prepare a report listing all the bylaws and policies that are currently being created or modified. Both motions were approved and Chief Administrator Cathy MacMunn said the reports should be ready by the end of March. McGregor also brought forward a notice of motion to reconsider the Council decision to ban Pickleball at the Piccadilly Hall. He asked if the procedural bylaw could be suspended in order to consider the matter at this meeting, but that was not acceptable, so the notice means the matter will be brought to the next meeting. But a vote to reconsider the motion banning Pickleball, will then be deferred to the meeting after that. It will require a 2/3 majority at that time.