SF Private Lane Upgrade Assistance Program Rebounds in 2022

Jeff Green | Jun 15, 2022

In 2021, still under the cloud of the COVID pandemic, South Frontenac Lane Associations claimed under $84,000, from the township, in grants to assist with improvements to the access roads to their properties, leaving $16,000 in potential support, in a township reserve fund.

The Private Lane Upgrade Assistance Program provides matching, of up to $7,000 per project, to help improve the road standard on private lands throughout South Frontenac. Most of the private lanes in the township provide access to waterfront properties, and the program is a way to provide visible support to a group of property owners who pay some of the highest taxes in the township. It also helps township staff, emergency personnel, and paramedic service access these properties when necessary.

The program has been recognised provincially as an innovative way for rural municipalities to improve road conditions in their jurisdiction.

A report on the 2022 intake to the program was presented to South Frontenac Council last week, and not only is the $100,000 that was allocated this year being claimed, the $16,000 surplus from 2021 is also being allocated.

All told, 26 lane associations applied for funding, and of those 23 applications were deemed complete by staff for an allocation of $98,500. The 4 remaining are under review, and are expected to be eligible for an additional $21,000 when the applications are complete, bringing the total estimated cost to $119,500.

According to the staff report to Council, “The overall budget shortfall forecasted is very low at $3,394, and based on experience from last year, we expect that this will be offset by savings from projects that are under-spent and/or fail to proceed.”

Lanes that will be receiving support include: Bellknap, Buck Point, Burns North, Desert Point, Dow, East Shire, Everett, Fredster, Frye, Garter Lake, Hillcrest, Howes Lake, Ladybush, MacComish, McGowan, Murphy, Oakshores, Old Mine, Stafford, Sunset Shores, Thirteen Island Lake, Tim’s, and Wintergreen.

Laneways whose application is under review includes: Burega, Cedar Ridges, and Meredith.