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Connecting Port McNicoll park with Talbot Street delayed until 2023

Tay councillors also questions the need for another design study for Waubaushene community space
2020-11-05-Tay-Rink
Tay Township is looking to connect Talbot Park, which contains the community ice rink, with Talbot Street. File photo. Mehreen Shahid/MidlandToday

Tay council agreed to delay connecting Talbot Park with Talbot Street and reducing the budget from $170,000 to $150,000.

The changes were made during a special council meeting addressing staff recommended changes to the municipal long-term plan.

"We're going to have some financial crunches coming in the near future and I think money could be better spent elsewhere," said Mayor Ted Walker.

Coun. Barry Norris asked what happened to the money from the sale of the lots on Calvert Street, which is the current access to the park.

"I think we need to have this new entrance way put in," he added. "I think that was the intention when the park was put in. I was just curious if that is what was earmarked."

CAO Lindsay Barron said the proceeds went to the parks and recreation reserve funds for future park-type developments.

Coun. Jeff Bumstead asked why staff proposed using the project's funding for the roads department instead.

"I think we might be over committting the funding available through the parks and rec reserve," said Barron. "It may be exhausted by the end of the long-term plan."

Joanne Sanders, manager of financial services and treasurer, backed up the numbers.

"In 2025, it is projected to have about $72,000," she said. "Anything over that would be over committing. That's a reserve that doesn't have any annual contributions."

With that in mind, council agreed to push the project to the 2023 budget.

Next up was the proposed Waubaushene community space, for which staff was asking to allocate $150,000 (7% of the $2.1-million project) for the design process or to do a study to determine the feasibility of a retrofit.

"When I see this number of $150,000, with another $100,000, we could build something," said Deputy Mayor Gerard LaChapelle. "I just don't know if this kind of money is needed to just design something. I'm just curious why such a large number?"

Bumstead also questioned the $2.1-million figure.

"I'm not sure where that figure came from," he said. "I'm hoping it's not going to cost that much to build a community space. I don't think we're in a position for that. What's our position for future capital reserves? I've heard it over and over again: we can't afford the buildings we have, we can't afford to replace the buildings and infrastructure we have right now.

"I've heard staff say we would have to increase taxes to do so," added Bumstead. "Where does this number come from and what are our needs?"

Barron said the costing comes from a number that was included in a grant application, based on the estimated square footage. 

"Last week, we discussed what today's square footage rate would be to construct a new building," she added. "We decided that $300 per square foot would be appropriate and that's where that costing came from. As for $150,000 for design, it's 7% of the construction value. That estimate can be revised."

Both Couns. Mary Warnock and Paul Raymond said they were under the impression a needs assessment had already helped determine what would be an appropriate structure for the community space.

"I don't know why we need to revisit that," said Raymond. "It is kind of hard to put any kind of shovel-ready design if you don't know how the terrain is where you're going to build. I just don't know we need to continually redesign and keep throwing money into a concept we've already designed for and applied for funding."

Walker said that he wasn't in favour of retrofits.

"If we're going to do something, we should have a new building," he said. "We have to consider the operating costs for the future as well. I don't think we need a huge space. We're talking about a meeting/hub space, not a full-fledged community centre."

Walker then suggested staff consult with the local Legion to see if there would be an interim partnership opportunity.

"(They) are hurting financially," he said. "I wonder if there would be any interest in the interim to approach the Waubaushene legion to use their upstairs space as we wait for this opportunity to get grants to be able to assist with funding for this project?"

Raymond was onboard with that idea.

"As for another building in Waubaushene, can we not have a plan A and plan B?" he asked. "Plan A would be a minimal aspect, a new hub without the library, and then plan B would include the library. We don't know what funding will come down the road. If we have an opportunity to be prepared for either scenario, why wouldn't we be prepared for both and then move forward that way."

Up next, councillors discussed building new bays at the township's operational services shop.

"It's my understanding that with the addition of the mechanic, it's taking up some bays there," said Bumstead. "I think the need might be more immediate than 2029. I don't know what's going to be needed for bays. The vehicles will be parked outside in winter, so it's going to add time to respond. I just see the need as a bit more immediate and I don't know where the $500,000 comes from."

Daryl O'Shea, general manager, corporate services manager of technology services, said following the committee meeting, where this issue was raised, staff met with management and staff in the roads and fleets department. 

"All of their advice was that at this point, they were going to have sufficient space to accommodate our equipment indoors for the winter," he said. "Staff has reviewed it and they are confident with this. Their suggestion was that there was no immediate need for it, that's why we picked the end of the timeframe. We could move it up to 2025. We could bring it back with more detail to the 2021 budget process." 

Council also looked into providing some form of support to Habitat for Humanity. However, it didn't seem that the non-profit was in luck.

"What Habitat wants is a little bit more than what I think the township can offer at this time," said Coun. Sandy Talbot. "It would be nice, but I don't think our budgets reflect what they need."

Warnock agreed.

"This is a bigger project than we envisioned," she said. "They're lookng for the large multiplex type housing so I think it's outside of our budget. We also have to keep in mind that we still have that second phase of senior affordable housing that is a possibility for our township at some point. We're still addressing some of the needs for housing in our community.

"The government is also coming out with rapid housing initiatives and may come to the municipality with ways that they can do those projects as well," added Warnock. "I think we've got other things we could look at, although it would have been nice to help Habitat." 


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Mehreen Shahid

About the Author: Mehreen Shahid

Mehreen Shahid covers municipal issues in Cambridge
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