South Frontenac Council - Nov. 1/11

Jeff Green | Nov 03, 2011

Harrowsmith crosswalk debate could lead to traffic light

By Jeff Green

Harrowsmith residents were surprised to find that the markings for a crosswalk across Road 38, which used to serve the former Harrowsmith school, had been removed by township crews in early September.

According to Harrowsmith resident Laura Ritchie, when asked about it a member of the township roads crew said that since the school is no longer in use there is no longer a need for the crosswalk.

This led Ritchie and some other Harrowsmith residents to draft a petition asking for a new crosswalk to be established in Harrowsmith. Ritchie also sent a letter to Mayor Davison on October 4 outlining why a crosswalk is necessary.

The letter and the petition were received by Council on Tuesday night.

In the letter, Ritchie points out that both the 'new' Harrowsmith Public School (the old school closed about 20 years ago) and St. Patrick's Catholic School are located to the east of Harrowsmith and students living to the west of Road 38 still have to cross over the road to get to school each morning.

As well, Ritchie talks about the needs of other members of the community in the letter.

“The children of the community are not the only ones who must be considered. Harrowsmith has a diverse demographic and the crosswalk was used daily by many – people crossing to make their way up to the park, to frequent local businesses or the post office, or just out for a walk,” she wrote.

Ritchie added that the crosswalk, which was located near to the junction of several roads at the foot of the village, “was perhaps not in the best location” but said a suitable location should be found.

“I am requesting the crosswalk be reconsidered, reinstated, and more reinforced. This can be provided by locating the safest location for a crosswalk, ‘crosswalk signs/signals’ clearly indicating the presence of the crosswalk, crosswalk lines restored, and a public notice stating the crosswalk has been re-established, which will enhance the safety of all,” she wrote.

The News contacted South Frontenac Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth earlier in October. He said that his concern about the crosswalk came down to a legal issue. The way Road 38 is classed it is not legal to have a crosswalk located on it.

A similar issue arose in Northbrook, which is located on a provincial road (Hwy. 41) several years ago, and in that case a request for a new crosswalk ended up leading to a traffic light being constructed in Northbrook.

Even though Road 38 is a municipal road, Segsworth said the same rules apply.

The South Frontenac Public Works department has expressed concerns about driver safety at the location where the crosswalk used to be, which is where Road 38 meets Colebrooke, Ottawa, Wilton and Harrowsmith Roads.

In 2009 year a staff request for a $36,000 study into that very intersection was rejected by Council.

At the time, Mark Segsworth told Council he “had an open mind” about whether the study would recommend that a stop light being constructed at that location. He said, “The reality is that 38 is our most heavily travelled road, and this is the most dangerous spot on the road.”

Those Rubber chickens are Bouncing Back!

by Wilma Kenney

Further to Councillor McDougall’s September 6 notice of motion to reconsider the Backyard Hen decision, coun-cil agreed unanimously to defeat the original motion (which permitted up to ten hens to be kept on a lot between two and three acres in size), thus restoring the zoning bylaw to its pre-hen-debate state. McDougall’s one-page proposal has been referred to staff so they can develop an appropriate by-law and bring it back to Council for a vote. Planner Mills noted that, like any zoning bylaw amendment, this will require a public meeting.

Community Living Hopes to Relocate

Council authorized Ashley Belanger, the Recreation Coordinator,to begin negotiations with Community Living to lease space recently vacated by Kingston Literacy in the Princess Anne Building in Hartington. The non-profit organization has been in operation since 1981 in the old stone school in Hartington, providing used clothing and household goods for sale, and using the proceeds to assist families in need, as well as donating to various community organiza-tions, such as Southern Frontenac Community Services and KGH. Belanger mentioned there had been some discussion of turning the old school into a Township museum.

Change of Policy for funding of Play structures

Council agreed with Belanger’s request that they rescind their policy requiring the community to raise 50% of the cost of playground structures in municipal parks. She said that the South Frontenac Recreation Committee felt that members of the community “have been maxed out in terms of their ability to fundraise for items such as play structures.” This year’s safety inspection found two structures that had to be removed, two more needing extensive repair, and ten sites requiring protective surfacing. From now on, the Township will pay for 100% of the purchase and enhancement of all play structures which will be funded from both the operating and capital budgets.

Glendower/Bedford Hall to be fully Assessed

Belanger presented Council a letter from the Bedford Energy Efficiency Project Committee, which asked Council’s cooperation in making the hall a more environmentally safe place. This is an independent group of community members and musicians who have raised $2,000 to go toward hall im-provement. Deputy Mayor Tinlin distributed a report under lining his concerns about the deterioration of the hall, which is the only active community hall in Bedford district. Not only is there an obvious mould problem, but he also listed: leaking roof, poor quality drinking water, uneven floor, loose windows, inadequate lighting and a well inside the basement. Council agreed to defer any decisions about Bedford Hall until it has been “properly assessed, with regard to the letter of November 1.”