Report to Ratepayers and Residents - August 2019

Good morning, everyone

After a busy couple of weeks, I wanted to touch base with you on some activities as of late:

1. Official Plan Open Houses – This Wednesday will be the third in a series of open houses related to the draft Official Plan for the Township. The first two covered waterfront properties, settlement areas and economic development. This week’s meeting focuses on agriculture and rural zoning issues. The meeting is at Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake and runs from 6 to 8 pm. It is your meeting, and so your input is key. Council will discuss a draft reflecting the inputs from these meetings, but we have committed to one more open house before a final draft is to be voted on.

2. Parham Fair – It was a very busy weekend for a whole host of volunteers from the Fair Board, the District 4 Rec. Committee, local church groups, and many exhibitors and competitors. Sloane and I lucked out that our shift at the front gate began just before Saturday’s rain stopped! No doubt that there are many tired people today, but it’s a ‘good tired’ and the success of this year’s Parham Fair should be a point of pride for everyone involved. Sincere thanks to each and every one of you!

3. Economic Development – The Committee has set on an ambitious agenda for this term. We are currently working on what we are referring to as an ‘Economic Needs Report’ – identifying what we have, what we lack, and the specific kinds of investments and infrastructure we need to grow the local population and grow the number of jobs in the Township. While Sharbot Lake is an economic centre in the Township, this is a Central Frontenac committee and our work applies to every hamlet and district. We want opportunity to extend to every corner. In the coming weeks, we hope to have something to share with Council and all of you.

4. Recreation Committee – The Committee has been very busy this summer, chiefly in running the canteen at the Parham ballfield. A lot of long hours. There are a lot of people who give generously of their time and talents - and I’m reluctant to start naming names for fear of leaving people out – so I’ll single out Bob and Christine Teal as representatives of every Committee member and volunteer who has been a part of such a successful group of neighbours and friends. Thank you!

5. Frontenac Community Arena – Friday, September 13thwill be the opening night for the 2019/2020 season. There will be a brief opening ceremony, followed by a public skate. We will also be unveiling our new electric ice resurfacer – a piece of equipment that will be quieter, cheaper to run, and leave us with better quality ice to skate on. All are welcome to join us!

6. Roads – As you may know, Crow Lake Road (which many travel for weekly dump runs) is undergoing badly needed reconstruction. Part of this will result in a temporary closure of the road, from 38 to North Anderson Road from August 26th to the 29th. We apologize for the inconvenience, but for those who travel that road regularly, it may be a small price to pay for the new surface.

7. Also Roads – Work is still being done on some problem areas, such as Echo Lake, Second Lake, Fourth Lake and Oak Flats Roads. At present, different roads are at different stages in the process, and the hope is that when all is done, there will be marked improvement in quality

In closing, I hope that this summer has been good to you and yours, and that the fall brings even better times.

In the meantime, please reach out if you need to.

Take care and stay well!

Cheers,

B