The burning question on my mind last night after sitting through four hours of indecision was “Why do we even have a council?” Seems many members of our council are more concerned with how things look than just doing the right thing and making a decision for the well-being of our entire community. At this rate, maybe administration needs to start preparing ballots and every two weeks, we the public, just go and vote on everything! Referendum style. We could save money on council salaries and rather than waste our time sending emails, to which we get no replies (generally), we could just govern Amherstburg ourselves! It seems that’s what council wants too, so heck, why not? So, for the majority of Amherstburg that is not politically involved and just trusts council to do the right thing…..well, we can then be governed by the vocal minority. Since, well, council seems to be catering to them anyway…..
First council met in-camera at 4:30 to discuss :
SPECIAL IN-CAMERA COUNCIL MEETING
That Council move into an In-Camera Meeting of Council at 4:30 p.m. pursuant to Section 239 of the Municipal Act, 2001, as amended for the following reasons:
Item A – Sections 239 (2)(b) – Personal matters about identifiable individuals, including municipal or local board employees; Section 239(2)(d) – Labour relations or employee negotiations; and, Section 239(2)(f) – Advice that is subject to solicitor/client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose.
Item B – Section 239 (2)(c) – A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the Municipality or Local Board.
Item C – Section 239 (2)(c) – A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or Local Board.
Conflict of Pecuniary Interest
Councillor Courtney felt that even though he had previously declared a conflict about some of the park land issues, he had contacted the Integrity Commissioner and now felt he does not have a conflict, so therefore can discuss all items related to the Centennial park land. (How one can have a conflict, declare it and abstain from discussion and voting, then later no longer have the same said conflict…..is beyond me. But whatevs. Council has pretty much become a free for all anyway, so just keep on moving along….nothing to see here...)
Mayor DiCarlo said that he had confirmed with the Integrity Commissioner that he still has a conflict in regards to Jack Purdie Park and Centennial Park.
Councillor Prue mentioned the late addition of an item on the supplementary agenda. He felt that it was impossible for him to say if there was a conflict or not since there had been insufficient time for him to look into it. (Side note, I did not make it to the end of the meeting, so I have no idea what happened later with his conflict or not a conflict…..)
Report-Out In Camera meeting
Regarding : Item A – Sections 239 (2)(b) – Personal matters about identifiable individuals, including municipal or local board employees; Section 239(2)(d) – Labour relations or employee negotiations; and, Section 239(2)(f) – Advice that is subject to solicitor/client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose.
The Clerk read that administration would proceed based on verbal direction given by council.
Regarding : Item B – Section 239 (2)(c) – A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the Municipality or Local Board.
There was a recommendation for the sale of 300 Victoria Street, located on the North West corner of Simcoe and Victoria to sell the land to a numbered company in the amount of $800,000 + HST with a closing date of March 30 2022.
Council voted on this item and it carried. The old Scout Hall building and property are officially sold.
Regarding Item C – Section 239 (2)(c) – A proposed or pending acquisition or disposition of land by the municipality or Local Board.
There was a recommendation that the report was to be received.
The interim CAO, Tony Haddad then introduced two new directors to council and those watching the meeting. First, Melissa Osborne will be the Director of Development Services. Tracy Prince will be the Director of Corporate Services and CFO.
DELEGATIONS
John Parks Drain No.1 Improvements – Frank and Gina Storino, Landowners
Mrs Storino addressed council about two properties that they own. There is a drain requiring significant repairs that goes directly between the two properties. She was asking to consider a 10 year debenture as well as to consider paying for a greater portion of the repairs. Mrs Storino said that their cost, as homeowners is now $110,000, which is 80% higher than the October 2019 report due to the pandemic.
There was also a report from administration about this issue with the following recommendations :
John Parks Drain No.1 – Request for Debenture Extension and Financial Assistance
This report ties into the delegation above.
It is recommended that:
1. Correspondence from Frank and Gina Storino dated February 2, 2022 requesting an extension to the maximum debenture term and financial assistance relating to their drainage assessments for Improvements to the John Parks Drain No.1 BE RECEIVED;
2. The request from Frank and Gina Storino regarding financial assistance relating to their drainage assessments for Improvements to the John Parks Drain No.1 BE CONSIDERED; and, 3. The request from Frank and Gina Storino regarding an extension to the maximum debenture term to 10 (ten) years relating to their drainage assessments for Improvements to the John Parks Drain No.1 BE APPROVED / NOT APPROVED;
Deputy Mayor Meloche questioned how many acres the Storinos owned and it was established that the land was not farmland. Administration advised that the engineering report had been prepared and had gone before the drainage board. As well, a tribunal upheld the engineers’ reports and the appeals were dismissed.
Mrs Storino wondered if there were any provisions due to the pandemic since the cost had become very high. Mayor DiCarlo said that there was no policy and that the town was also experiencing the difficulty of skyrocketing costs for projects.
Councillor Prue inquired about interest rates and expressed some concern about issuing a 10-year debenture since interest rates will likely be increasing soon.
Finally, Deputy Mayor Meloche made the motion to approve the 10 year debenture (as noted above) and Councillor Courtney seconded it.
Finally, the issue was voted on and carried.
Stillbrook Accessible Retirement Residences – Dr. Nord
Here is the link to Dr Nord’s presentation about Stillbrook Accessible Retirement Residences for those who are interested. https://pub-amherstburg.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=5609
Dr Nord introduced himself to council and cited his qualifications. (I found this short biography about him for anyone who is interested : https://medcan.com/about-medcan/management-team/dr-peter-nord/ )
Dr Nord talked about how it can be very difficult to move elderly people as their health starts to decline. Sometimes falls or other things happen and the person is unable to go back to their home and they require assistance. He explained that the point behind Stillbrook is to work with the three levels of government to provide affordable assisted living. As well, Stillbrook is a registered charitable organization. He cited the various government Ministries that are very supportive of the Stillbrook model. He explained that this model is much more than a retirement home, that medical and nursing assistance is available. (From his description, it seemed like the perfect place for people that may need more care than what is provided at a retirement residence but not as much care as would be given at a Long Term Care Facility. A perfect transition place, in my opinion. And I’m going on the record right now…..I had tears in my eyes listening to his presentation…..both of my parents have transitioned from our old family home, to a smaller house, to an apartment, to a retirement residence and now Long Term Care. His model sounded absolutely amazing and I think it would have been a perfect fit for one of my parents. What he described was absolutely 100% spot on of the difficulties that this process places on people and families.)
Dr Nord explained that Stillbrook would benefit Amherstburg and others within a 45 minute radius. He explained that they would provide the residents a place to age with grace and that they would be able to see Long Term Care needs in advance rather than be in a crisis situation, which can be very stressful. (Amen. Been there.) Their methodical way of operations can help to provide the transition if/when it should be needed to Long Term Care. (There is supposed to be a new Long Term Care Facility to be built on the property at the Community HUB, which is located across the street from the proposed Stillbrook location. As well, there is another LTC facility up the road on Richmond Street. )
Dr Nord pointed out that there would be single rooms and double rooms to allow couples to be together, sometimes that is often not possible in Long Term Care. (Amen. Again.) As well, there would be eight individual suites available for rent for those who are caring for parents at their home, to allow for respite care or to create familiarity and a smooth transition should the time come that the person needs more care. As well, there would be a bariatric suite to care for anybody that may be morbidly abose since there are few facilities that can help them and that there are health needs for them as well.
Dr Nord expressed that the concept is community focused and that they have a 4 story and a 7 story model that they use for their facilities. He explained that it would not be a custom build like others since they have designed two very effective footprints to keep costs down. He listed off the many local and provincial partners that are involved in this initiative. He explained that the model works very well in a location near a Long Term Care home since it provides a continuum of care and more support as people age. Dr Nord also pointed out that the feasibility study quantified the demand for this initiative and that the demand will become greater and greater in the next 15-20 years. (What? He was asking council to think 15 or 20 years down the road? Oh, the horror! Why plan ahead when council can just sit and spin their wheels for hours, months and now years on end?)
Dr Nord said that their monthly price point was $3,200 per month. He pointed out that they would be competing against for profit homes but that they have tax benefits since they are a registered charity.
Here are the three requests that Dr Nord had for council :
- Agreement to sale of land at previously appraised value (each $1M of cost results in $100 increase in residents’ monthly rent over the 50 year lifespan)
- Waiver of Development Charges and Building Fees (Stillbrook is a Not for profit Charitable organization)
- Variance for 4m height increase (to create affordable monthly rents)
Dr Nord noted that the land site had increased a lot since talks began. It was originally assessed at $675,000, then at $900,000 eighteen months ago. Now, the land is assessed at $1.9 Million. He said that they had budgeted $1 Million for the land. He said that each $1 Million in costs added $100 to the residents monthly rent. He also explained that Long Term Care is heavily funded by the provincial government and that residents only pay a fraction of the cost. (Yup. True. Don’t forget, this proposal is NOT Long Term Care…..it’s assisted medical and affordable living for seniors. Maybe I know all of the ins and outs and the differences due to my personal experience, but the differences are many and the costs are all different.)
Dr Nord noted that the variance height for 4 meter height increase was for a 4-story building with 177 suites. He noted that there would not be a traffic impact since the residents of the facility would not be driving vehicles. (Remember, it’s in-between a retirement residence and a LTC facility).
Dr Nord then thanked council for their time and offered to answer any questions. (Little did he, or I know what he was in for…..it was quite frankly, embarrassing. For us. Some members of council grilled him like he was an out of town salesman trying to sell us a Monorail…..Any Simpsons fans out there reading? LOL But seriously, it was awful. I felt awful for him and for our community. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Dr Nord has walked away from even wanting to do any kind of business in Amherstburg…..)
Councillor McArthur asked why his project proposals in Windsor didn’t come to fruition. Dr Nord said that the pandemic delayed so many things and created one crisis after the next for many municipalities. He said that in Windsor, council ultimately decided to sell the land for a condo development instead of his Stillbrook facility. He wasn’t sure why they had come to that decision but he was disappointed.
Councillor Prue wondered how many seniors in Windsor/Essex are looking for a place like this in Amherstburg. He also felt that Dr Nord was asking council to take a financial hit since the land could be put out to tender and sold for double (as it just did at the old Scout Hall.) Dr Nord explained that they could afford to pay the higher price for the land but that they would have to pass on the extra costs to the residents. (Read that twice for those who are open to the idea but don’t want to sell the property for less……Dr Nord said that they can afford the higher price but that they would have to pass on the extra costs to their residents….)
Councillor Prue also questioned waiving the development charges. Dr Nord said it was important to weigh the community benefits against the costs. (Um, that would involve big picture thinking here……I think it’s been clearly established that council struggles with big picture thinking and long term planning…..just sayin’ )
Councillor Prue then asked question after question after question about who had brought Dr Nord to Amherstburg with his idea. Ironically, Dr Nord named many cities and towns in south western Ontario. We should consider ourselves lucky that Amherstburg was a possibility for this fantastic development. Councillor Prue wondered who in Amherstburg had said this was a great idea and to keep going and proceeding with the proposal. Dr Nord replied that it was the previous CAO. (For some reason Councillor Prue seemed to think this was some big deal….if our previous CAO had helped to bring this deal forward, I think that’s a great thing not a conspiracy theory, but what do I know? It seemed really strange that this was somehow a big deal…..aren’t CAOs supposed to be working with and bringing great things forward for the community in which they work? What else are we paying them for? It’s not like we have an Economic Development Officer or anything….. )
Then it was Councillor Courtney’s turn to grill the witness, I mean to ask questions of the delegate, in some mysterious trial of trying to find conspiracies it seemed. Councillor Courtney mentioned that this process had started 4 years ago and he wondered how Amherstburg had become known to Dr Nord and how did the relationship start between Dr Nord and Amherstburg. (See what I mean? Sounds like court TV LOL) So, Dr Nord, explained that he was dealing with Hotel Dieu as a Chief Medical Officer and had been involved in seniors and housing in our region. Bill Marra had been key, he was the new CEO of the hospital and introduced Dr Nord to Dominic Amicone. They had looked at the former Grace Hospital site and then they suggested Amherstburg. Dr Nord said that they’re still looking at properties in Windsor but they were asked to consider Amherstburg due to the great need and he was introduced to the previous CAO John Miceli. (I guess if we actually had an Economic Development Officer, perhaps Dr Nord would have been introduced to him or her but I digress….)
Councillor Courtney went on to question if Dr Nord had been shown other possible sites. Councillor Courtney then went on about the proposal seeming great but that you should never buy the first model……(I don’t even know what to say here…..seriously…..). And then Councillor Courtney felt that consultation with the public would be necessary. He also wondered if preferential treatment for placement would be given to Amherstburg residents and then questioned the wages that would be paid to employees of Stillbrook.
Councillor Courtney said that he wanted to preserve park land since it’s important to many and that he found the land value problematic. (I guess he forgot that Dr Nord said that they would pay more but it would just cause an increase in the monthly rent….) And again, Councillor Courtney mentioned public consultation as being necessary. (Yup. Because goodness knows council can’t make a decision about anything….I get it that public consultation can be necessary for large projects that impact the town as a whole….but seriously…..council didn’t consult the public about selling the property of the old Scout Hall for an unknown development…..but here they were grilling a doctor about an assisted living facility for frail seniors…..unbelievable….I guess the public only needs to be consulted if the vision being presented doesn’t align with council’s “vision” or lack thereof?)
Councillor Simone asked Dr Nord about the jobs and spin off jobs that would be created by this project. (For a moment I had some hope, but it didn’t last long.) She also asked Dr Nord to explain the synergy of the location, with the High School nearby, the Long Term Care facility soon to come and the Community Hub across the street. Dr Nord explained that the location was a real advantage to create intergenerational collaboration and that it would be mutually beneficial for many.
Councillor Renaud wondered if council supported it and how long it would take to come to fruition. Dr Nord said that theoretically it would take a few months to finalize the permits and that construction would take 12-14 months. Councillor Renaud felt that the $1 Million price for the property was troubling and that they would be asking the taxpayers to support the development.
Dr Nord felt that council would have to weigh it all out and that they needed to develop opportunities. He pointed out that there is a cost to the community when people are marginally housed since they often end up in the emergency department, which has a cost to it. He felt that the benefit of $1 Million or $2 Million versus the benefit to the elderly residents in need would have to be weighed out. He felt that this endeavor would require council to work with him for something special. He also felt that if council said no to the development that other communities would likely take this on. (Frankly, if anybody from neighbouring municipalities were watching last night’s meeting, I bet Dr Nord’s phone was ringing today…..This is a FANTASTIC and MUCH NEEDED initiative for Amherstburg yet council was already throwing wrench after wrench after wrench at a development for senior assisted and affordable living…..unbelievable….I bet other communities would welcome him with open arms….)
Deputy Mayor Meloche called the next delegate
Delegate – Sharon Colman – Supplementary Agenda
Ms Colman then delegated to council. She felt that Stillbrook would be a fine addition to Amherstburg but that it should not be on park land. She felt that input should be had about the 12 remaining acres of Centennial and how it would be developed. She felt that in 2018 Centennial had been the third busiest park in Amherstburg, that it is central, safe and within walking distance for many. She felt that council should replace amenities and enhancements on the property. She felt that it is unreasonable to ask people to walk along Pike Road to get to the Libro Centre. She asked council to direct administration to cease negotiations with any developers.
Delegate – Diane Pouget – Supplementary Agenda
Ms Pouget then addressed council. She also felt that the two acres in question should remain park land. She felt that a development would prohibit much needed green space and could affect future expansion of the new high school. She felt that the new high school would then be landlocked. She also noted that the recommendation did not acknowledge Mr Smith. She asked that council not declare this land as surplus. She asked council not to make the same mistake as what happened with the Queen Charlotte building, allowing development to then receive noise complaints. She also felt that Mr Amicone could offer his land near Seasons as a possible site for his assisted living facilities, since it would be farther away from any potential noise from the high school.
There was then a very interesting back and forth between Councilor McArthur and Ms Pouget. (Worth a watch if they ever get the meeting posted and the town’s web site working….) Councillor McArthur said that this property would not be landlocked the highschool since it is two acres on the north/west corner. There was a dispute between them of why one third of the track had been sold and that there was a fence running through it. Ms Pouget said that the previous council had hired Anthony Leardi to find an Amherstburg location for the new high school. She noted that we had paid him $12,000 and she felt that that was the best money that they had spent. Ms Pouget pointed out that the previous council had been bound by the Ministry of Education in regards to bus routes and that they had to sell them 15 acres for the school.
The back and forth was fast and furious. I couldn’t keep up with taking notes by hand. Councillor McArthur felt that no provision had been made for a track or a pool and no funding had been allotted. Ms Pouget pointed out that they had been trying to save two high schools.
Councillor McArthur then spoke and said that public consultation was necessary. He noted it showed up as a black box on the corner of the Centennial Park proposals and that it was a mistake that they could not talk about it. He noted that the land in question is not currently park land and that council was talking about replacing one vacant building (former ACS building) with a new building to provide for seniors, create jobs and generate property taxes. He noted that it was not the whole park that was in question, just the two acres of the former ACS building. He then went on about how previous councils had not invested in playgrounds or parks and that no money had been set aside for amenities. He felt that this 4 story home would provide dignity to seniors and would also provide co-op opportunities for the high school students (cooking, hair cuts, care etc…) and that seniors are energized by the presence of youth. Councillor McArthur went on to explain that this development does not affect the hill and that the land use around the area is changing. He felt that everyone needed to focus on the real issue, replacing a vacant building. (I wanted to stand up and cheer! Finally some logic!)
Ms Pouget felt that she did not agree at all. She started talking about the PTA and a letter that council wasn’t allowed to see…..and then the Deputy Mayor cut in to keep everyone focused.
Proposed Seniors/Assisted Living Development Proposal from Stillbrook Retirement Residences Inc.
At this point of the meeting, council began to discuss the report about Stillbrook. Here are the recommendations from the report :
It looks like administration is recommending that the lot at the corner of Victoria Street and Richmond Street be sold for the seniors affordable living development. Here is the recommendation :
It is recommended that:
- In keeping with the Disposal of Surplus Real Property Policy, Section 6.15 the following property BE DECLARED SURPLUS to the needs of the Town:
Lots 192-198 inclusive, R.P. 1066 and Parts 1 & 2 on 12-R 2882; (the “Property”);
- The CAO BE DIRECTED to enter into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale to allow for the sale of the Property under the terms and conditions directed by Council.
- The Mayor and Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign any documents required to complete the transaction prepared in form and content satisfactory to the Town’s solicitor; and
- The request of Stillbrook to be exempted from Development Charges and Building Permit fees in conjunction with its development of an assisted living complex on the Property BE CONSIDERED, subject to Administration being satisfied that the request meets the criteria set out in the Development Charges By-law.
Funny how council seemed to be trying to vilify the previous CAO for wanting to sell this property for this development…..yet the new administration and CAO were recommending the sale of this property for this development……
Councillor Courtney then spoke and spoke and spoke. He felt that this was one vision for one piece of land that was looked at. He felt that concepts for Centennial Park were coming and with a financial plan. (Ya. A 10-year financial plan if I recall reading in the report…..there’s no money for any of this……unless of course, council sells some land to generate some income…..but….) He then went on to talk about the money spent at 320 Richmond Street (the HUB) and how they were given a sell feature and that he now has regrets. He felt that the HUB was a money pit and that they were not given the facts from the onset. He also noted that council continued to go in-camera. He felt that Centennial is a centrally located park and that he wanted public feedback about the property. He mentioned that the whole thing should be deferred.
Deputy Mayor Meloche then spoke how this council nor the previous council had anything to do with the lack of funding for parks. He felt that 15 or 20 years ago the course was put in motion to direct resources towards the Libro and not to invest in Centennial Park. He noted that old councils were determined that Centennial park was not the place for investment and that the Libro Centre was. (BINGO!!! That has been the plan for a long time and that is why the town acquired all of that property at the Libro!! The old council could see the growth that was coming and knew that it was time to re-centralize our amenities….at once time, they were centralized at Centennial with an arena and ball diamonds…..now we have a gorgeous arena at the Libro and things should be shifted there…..there is space and a ton of parking…..everybody quickly forgets the dangers of parking on Fryer Street for ball games at Centennial Park…..bumpers sticking out in the road, kids crossing between parked cars…..The old councils started to plan for changing demographics and a changing town……change is not a bad thing….adaptation is necessary…..I grew up a stone’s throw away from Centennial Park, but geez people……it’s the past, it’s a memory….it’s okay to look to the future……) Unfortunately, Deputy Mayor Meloche added at the end of his reality check that council is there to handle the will of the people…..(Um, no….not really…..you’re there to plan for the betterment of the whole town and also have a fiduciary responsibility……)
Councillor Prue then spoke and said that he does not support the sale of any portion of the park, since it is the people’s park. He then referred to 4,000 people signing a petition but that they never saw it. He felt it was kept from council by administration. (WOW!!!! I have watched all of the meetings! That petition was NEVER presented to council. EVER. Secondly, if it ever gets presented to council, by the person who wrote the petition, somebody is going to need to go through it to verify the signatures and if they are actually Amherstburg residents…..hence, to verify the authenticity of the petition…..I’ve seen the petition and I know many signatures on there are not Amherstburg residents….I also know that the wording on the petition was changed several times after people had signed it…..I can not believe that any member of council would give any weight to a petition that they have not seen or had verified……tragic…..) Councillor Prue then cited some results from Talk the Burg surveys and felt that the people were adamant to keep the park as park land. He also felt that H. Murray Smith’s name should be honoured and referenced how Mr Smith (his son) was treated by the former CAO and was kicked out of his office. (Interesting…..I sure hope that that is the full truth to be stated as such in a public meeting….). Councillor Prue also felt that council needed to hear from the people and then be bound by “their” decision. (Oh my……what a politically weak statement to make…..). He felt that the property should only be sold if the people want it sold. (Did the people want the Scout Hall sold? Just asking.)
Finally, Councillor Prue made a motion simply to receive the reports and the delegates. (My heart sank…..administration’s recommendations for the development were cast aside…..simply going to receive the report……)
Councillor McArthur felt that this is the first time that the public had seen this development. He felt that there was no rush since it was an important piece of property. (Sigh…..I was so disappointed….) Councillor Renaud also expressed that he also supported not moving forward with this initiative since it was the first time people could see the options. He felt that if the people vote no, then no, if the people want it, then he’s ok to support it. (Even bigger sigh…..so disappointed……)
Recorded vote :
In support : Councillors Courtney, McArthur, Prue, Renaud, Simone and Deputy Mayor Meloche who added that he was supporting it on the basis that he’s hoping the residents of Amherstburg will see the benefit of this development and make a rational and sound decision. (Oh my……that is council’s job……to see the benefits of the development and to make a rational and sound decision…..) Mayor DiCarlo did not vote since he had declared a conflict of interest.
It was now 8:41 so council took a 10 minute recess. That was a good thing. My phone was exploding with texts from friends that were also watching the meeting…..they were texts of sheer frustration, disappointment, embarrassment and even anger towards how Dr Nord was treated as well as the whole development.
Here’s my take, in a snap shot. Let’s talk about “wants” and “needs”….so many people love to throw those 2 words around during budget deliberations. Well, the fact is that Amherstburg NEEDS the Stillbrook development. And some residents WANT to keep those 2 acres empty. I’m not going to refer to that property as park land since it’s not. It currently has an abandoned building on it. It was never park land. Before the ACS building, there was a private residence on that property. I walked by it a thousand times as a kid on my way to school. If anybody has ever had to take the difficult journey of having to place their parents in care, you KNOW Amherstburg NEEDS this development.
2022 Final Approved Operating Budget
Council debated the operating budget a few weeks ago. It was adopted in principle. Here is the recommendation to adopt the operating budget.
It is recommended that:
- The 2022 Operating Budget BE ADOPTED and the 2022 total own purposes tax levy of $26,828,975 including $25,492,486 general levy and $1,336,489 special capital levy, BE APPROVED; and,
- Administration REPORT BACK with a Final Levy By-law for adoption of the 2022 tax rates, based on the approved 2022 own purposes tax levy.
From the report : “The total own purposes tax levy is $26,828,975, including $25,492,486 general levy and $1,336,489 special capital levy. The municipal tax rate impact from the levy change is an increase of 3.11%.”
This item carried. So the operating budget has been adopted.
2022 Capital Budget
Council will receive the capital budget on Monday night. It wasn’t ready for presentation with the operating budget, since, well, there are serious staff shortages in town hall at the moment.
It is recommended that:
The 2022 Capital Budget BE TABLED and that Council review the proposed projects at a Special Meeting on Tuesday, February 22, 2022.
Council tabled the capital budget. It will be debated next week.
Centennial Park and Jack Purdie Park Update
There were multiple scenarios portrayed a few months ago for Centennial Park and Jack Purdie Park. There was also a survey for public input.
Here is the recommendation at the moment :
It is recommended that: 1. That Council APPROVE funds for the re-development of H. Murray Smith/ Centennial Park and Jack Purdie Park in the amount of $100,000 each as recommended in the proposed 2022 Capital Budget and further;
2. The Director of Parks, Recreation, Facilities & Culture (“PFRC”) BE DIRECTED to continue with the park re-development public consultation process for H. Murray Smith/ Centennial Park and Jack Purdie Park based on public feedback received to date.
As it stands, the plans for each of the parks range from $3.8 Million to $4.8 Million.
From the report : “As per Council’s direction, the CAO and the Director of Parks, Facilities, Recreation and Culture met on December 1, 2021 to further discuss potential opportunities for a track at H. Murray/Smith Centennial Park. Once again, the GECDSB indicated that they do not currently have funding for a track nor do they have any intention of building a track at the new North Star High School. Further, at the request of Council on November 25, 2021 Administration has prepared design concepts that include a track, however, it should be noted that Recommendation 63 of the Council approved Parks Master Plan indicates that “replacement of the Centennial Park outdoor running track is not recommended.” It should also be noted that if the track was removed from any of the conceptual designs as Administration would propose open passive recreational space in its place with an informal 3M wide asphalt multi-use trail circuit that would connect park amenities and provide users with same recreational opportunities associated with park trails. A total of four concept designs, three for H. Murray Smith/Centennial and one for Jack Purdie Park, have been prepared for Council review and consideration (APPENDIX B)”
There are three new drawings included in the report for Centennial Park. Each of the three drawings include a track but it looks to barely fit into the space and it seems cramped looking to me. Also, the hill is still there but modified in size and shape to fit the track area. One of the three proposals include the seniors assisted affordable living facility. The other two do not. There is one drawing for Jack Purdie Park. None of the drawings include affordable housing, they’re “all park”.
There was some discussion about presenting these new concepts. Ironically, Councillor Prue felt that they had promised 3.5 years ago about getting a swimming pool at the Libro Centre. He wondered if it would be in order to start preliminary drawings for a pool. (Then, why oh why, did council not approve the Libro Centre Master Expansion Plan……that was the entire point of that document was to allow council to begin to plan for these items…..) There was some back and forth about this and then CAO Haddad spoke and explained that there would be an update to the Asset Management Plan. There is a funding gap that will be coming and council needs to be aware and recognize it before undertaking projects. (Translation…..there’s no money…..but council has also had almost 0% tax increases for 3 years, until this year…..you don’t get money in the bank for projects with 0% increases…..that takes planning….oh, wait….)
There were some questions about the proposals and reshaping the hill, but I was really quite exhausted and then my cats started fighting and causing a huge ruckus as I tried to watch the meeting. (I wonder if they could sense my increasing frustration? maybe….)
I think eventually council received the new drawings. It will all be coming forward again for public input. I hope that they explain to the public that there isn’t any money for these projects for these parks…..that it will take tax increases or sale of surplus land to get these things done….we’ll see…..
Former ACS Building Contents Disposal
From the report : “At the December 13, 2021 In Camera Council Meeting, the CAO was DIRECTED to enter into an Agreement of Purchase and Sale to allow for the sale of an approximately 2-acre parcel located at the north west corner of Centennial Park described legally as Lots 192-198 inclusive, R.P. 1066 and Parts 1 & 2 on 12-R 28826 under the terms and conditions outlined in this report.
This property contains the former Amherstburg Community Service (ACS) building which was vacated when ACS moved into 320 Richmond St. – the HUB. When the ACS vacated the building, they left a number of office items in the building they no longer required.
These items along with surplus miscellaneous facility inventory currently reside in the ACS building. Administration proposes that these items be sold at an auction to generate revenue for the Town to replenish broken or worn out facility equipment.”
Looks like administration is hoping that this sale will generate around $2,500. Hope they don’t spend it all in one place LOL.
There was discussion (way too much in my opinion) about the sale of these items….it was explained over and over again that it was old filing cabinets, desks, chairs etc…..Finally a motion was made and carried. They’re going to sell off the old, useless items left in the building.
Playground Equipment
It looks like the town’s playground equipment has been inspected by an outside party and more equipment is slated for removal, since it is too old and in need of replacement. From the report :
Four sites are now recommended for complete removal of playground equipment:
- Briar Ridge Park – 461 Briar Ridge
- Warren Mickle Park – 164 McLeod
- Malden Centre – 5460 County Road 20
- Jack Purdie Park – 609 Richmond Street
It is recommended that:
- Council APPROVE the removal of non-compliant playground equipment identified in this report; and,
- Council DEFER discussion on funding of the playground replacement for Briar Ridge Park and Jack Purdie Park pending finalization of 2021 year-end surplus and also the sale of surplus lands.
Again, more back and forth about what to do. There was debate about putting equipment in and using money from reserves. CAO Haddad told council that there are more works to be done than there are funds to do them. Council will have to decide how to allocate funds. He noted any surplus lands sold that money could go to parks reserves. He noted that the intent was to look at the bigger picture, priorities and the funds available. (Is anyone else getting it? Council isn’t. I am. Are you? The CAO made it clear more than once…..there is no money for all of these projects…..but hey, we have had almost 0% tax increases for the last three years….shocking!)
It was almost 10PM. A motion was made to extend the meeting until 11PM. I couldn’t take another minute. I shut my computer down and walked away.
Monday night’s meeting fell on Valentine’s Day. There was something in the air, but it sure wasn’t love.
See you in two weeks Amherstburg!
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