The plug has not been pulled on a potential rooftop solar project on the city’s new recreation centre - for now.
City councillors have voted to postpone ratification of a committee decision to nix the project until elected officials and city staff work through a strategic planning process.
On July 15, at a council committee meeting, councillors voted not to proceed with a citizen-led initiative to install a massive solar panel project atop the facility being built on West Street.
The primary reasoning behind the decision was that there are no longer rebate programs being offered by the province that would allow the project to be financially viable.
But on July 18, at its regular meeting, city councillors gave the solar energy project a lifeline.
Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke led the charge.
“Council has undertaken a number of initiatives to help combat climate change which is a growing issue around the world,” noted Clarke.
“We have a wonderful group in our community (Orillia Community Energy) that has proposed a community solar panel project for our recreation centre on the gymnasium roof. It’s about 11,000 square-foot proposal and the roof has been reinforced to accommodate solar panels.”
Clarke noted the community group is asking the city to contribute about $30,000 annually for three years for the project.
While council seems to be, generally, in favour of the project, Clarke said discussions at a recent budget committee meeting underlined the need to develop a more long-term financial plan.
“Some of the decisions we’re going to make really need to be informed by a consensus of council direction and we’re undertaking a process council hasn’t done in Orillia in a number of years and that’s a strategic planning process which will begin in earnest in a couple a weeks,” explained the mayor.
He said the request from the community group will need to be weighed against many other requests - such as those from the Sustainable Orillia Taskforce, which is expected to soon bring forward its so-called 50 Shades of Green plan, which will seek financial support.
“Council is also looking for ways to demonstrate our support of combating climate change,” said the mayor, noting there are “some things (we) need to work through and enshrine in the strategic plan” before moving forward.
Clarke suggested that work should be done soon and said he is hopeful council could make a decision on the solar project in August.
His colleagues were supportive of the idea.
“This is a really important issue to all of us from an environmental standpoint and an energy standpoint,” said Coun. Ralph Cipolla, who said he was recently reminded by a family member “that we have just one planet to support us, so we better take care of it.”
He said city support of the community solar panel project “is a start. The solar panels are a way of us saving energy and protecting the environment from harm. I would prefer for us to take action.”
Orillia Community Energy (OCE), a grass-roots citizens group, made a pitch to council in April asking for approval to develop a 150-kilowatt solar installation on the flat roof of the recreation centre.
Tthe cost of the solar panel project is estimated to be $300,000. OCE proposes to raise two-thirds of that cost from the public and private sectors. The city is being asked to ante up the remainder - $30,000 annually for three years.
