HIRA BRIEFING NOTE- August 19, 2021
This is a brief note to HIRA members and other residents of Howe Island about the Township of Frontenac Islands council meeting held on Monday August 9, 2021. In light of Covid-19 restrictions, the meeting was virtual. The public was provided with Zoom access to the meeting. A couple of our HIRA directors called into the meeting. Only matters of particular interest to Howe Island residents are highlighted here.
STATUS OF ROAD MAINTENANCE INITIATIVES 2021:
- North Shore Road: Stone application and grading is complete. Hard surface to be completed in spring 2022.
- Baseline Road: Reconstruction and double surface treatment is complete.
- Spithead Road: Double surface treatment is complete.
- Howe Island Drive (@ Quinn Bay curve): Double surface treatment is complete.
- Lower Sideroad: Unspecified maintenance for Lower Sideroad is to be done after Oak Point Road (?) project on Wolfe Island is complete.
FACILITIES & EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UPGRADES:
- Howe Island Administration Office & Library:
New windows installed. Painting and flooring is complete.
- Howe Island Recreation Trail Maintenance:
The trail has been mowed. Grading of the trail is to be completed before end of August.
- Upgrades to Patrick Norris Park:
Federal, provincial and municipal funding approval for upgrades to Patrick Norris Park are now in place and the project is expected to be completed during the current construction season.
Upgrades are expected to include
- Construction of accessible public washrooms
- Install multi-use tennis courts with capability to accommodate other sports e.g. pickleball etc
- Construction of shelter/pavilion to house picnic tables, host musical/cultural events
- Complete improvements to ball diamond
- Install safe base underneath children’s playground equipment
Township council has convened an ad hoc committee of interested residents to provide community input to a site plan and to assist staff to implement the plan. The committee (the Howe Island Recreation Committee) held an initial meeting on June 17, 2021. A project plan is being developed to guide completion of the upgrades.
The committee plans to provide updates to Howe Island residents via a communication sheet as the project progresses. Improvements to the parking lot are expected to be completed in the fall of this year. Cutting and clearing of brush is ongoing.
HOUSEHOLD WASTE BAG TAG PROGRAM:
- 2021-2022 waste bag tags are now available to all Howe Island residents . Each residence is to receive 104 tags at no charge.
- Tags may be picked up at the Howe Island township administration office. Residents will be required to provide proof of residence to township staff to receive their tags.
Proposed Development Charges By-Law:
HIRA has presented Council with a request that annual ferry costs be included in the calculation of costs associated with the township road network. Road network costs are a component of the cost base used to calculate development charges levied on builders/developers. Although the provincial Act does not make specific references to costs associated with the operation of a ferry system, HIRA takes the position that the ferry system is an integral part of our municipal transportation network and should, therefore, be included in any development charge cost base.
Support for this position was not unanimous at the council level but our submission has been sent to staff for further consideration. Stay tuned.
END of COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS
Other Items of Interest
- 2021 Howe Island Terry Fox Run:
The 16th annual Howe Island Terry Fox Run will take place on Sunday, September 19, 2021. All funds raised are directed to cancer research. This event depends heavily on volunteer assistance. If you are interested in volunteering your services please contact Allison Hinton @ (613) 561-5851 or email Allison@HallofFlame.ca.
- County Ferry to close overnight August 30:
The County ferry will be out-of-service from 8:00 p.m. on Monday, August 30 until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 31. The closure is necessary to allow maintenance staff to replace hydraulic lines.
The township ferry will be operating throughout this period.
END of BRIEFING NOTE