Yesterday was a beautiful day for the official opening of the redeveloped Deer Valley Park with new splash pad! Expanding and improving the City's parks with splash pad was an initiative I've been keen about since my 2018 election campaign when I met with senior staff and showed them picture comparisons of Oshawa's vs. its neighbour municipality splash pads. Happy to say the City has advanced considerably on this issue in the past 5 years!! It is especially good to see the new tables with seating and shade covers! I expect more of them to be added especially to other parks in Ward 1 that are in serious need of seating and shade! Great enjoyable new park place to visit, located 2nd street south of Taunton west side of Thornton Rd.
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The above pictures of a 20 year old tree hacked down Sunday night, July 9, 2023 in Coldstream Park, with lots of neighbour comments about kids misdeeds and criminal activities, were posted Monday morning on a north-east Oshawa community social media group page. Mayor Carter, only last month, with DRPS Inspector Saliba and members of Council in attendance spoke passionate words about the consequences for vandalism in a press conference at the Human Rights Garden in Ed Broadbent Waterfront Park (where the light posts were smashed and paint poured on the park sign). Two of the three perpetrators were charged. I am hopeful a similar strong effort can be made to find whoever caused this damage to Coldstream Park. A repeat of the message needs to be spread that such bad behaviour as felling a live park tree and the wanton destruction of public assets will not be tolerated. This large park between two schools unfortunately has little shade. For some reason the trees planted 20 years ago have been slow to grow and not well positioned. In 2014, years before I was elected, and again during the last term of council, residents made delegations about the need to improve this park due to its inadequate amenities for the large residential catchment area it serves. I’ve previously messaged senior staff about the concerns related to misdeeds in the park and the level of neighbours' concerns. In exchanges with Oshawa Mayor, Parks staff and DRPS I expressed hope the response to this situation will reassure families that the City cares and is proactive. Thank you to journalist Tim Kelly with Metroland Media for helping raise awareness of the situation: Here is a link to his article and the picture he took Tuesday evening at Coldstream Park with residents and Councillor Neal at the tree stump. The felled tree is behind them. Other residents watched saying they did not want to spoil the picture, which is fine, but great they were there because this affects us all! www.durhamregion.com/news/i-was-just-really-sad-to-see-this-residents-fuming-after-healthy-tree-cut-down/article_f6601862-5e77-52e3-ab93-1ab565ad5ff3.html I am hopeful the good that will come from this report is that residents will report criminal activity without hesitation. Offenders need to know the negative impact from their misdeeds will be not be tolerated, because Oshawans care about their neighbourhoods! Please make note of the numbers for Durham Region Police non emergency 905 579-1520 and Service Oshawa 905 436-3311. It's worth the time to pick up the phone — reporting is key to preventing bad behaviour incidents from escalating. The City and the Police track complaints to identify problem area hot spots. Instead of limiting neighbourhood complaints to Facebook, over the fence or around the BBQ, please call it in, or if you'd rather email, it would help to write a quick comment to me rmcconkey@oshawa.ca and service@oshawa.ca City Parks indicated that due to the maturity of the felled tree it will be replaced on a 1 to 3 basis. I wish to thank the Park Ridge area residents for being proactive in speaking to the media and the police! They inspire others with their show of support for Coldstream Park and confidence that their neighbourhood deserves better than this! June 26, 2023 before summer break, 6 members of Oshawa Council voted to cancel the community-led, landmark ♥OSHAWA sign project. Many individuals in other city's like Hamilton and Barrie recently succeeded with creative fundraising efforts to install their City's name in lights and promote community spirit. The Oshawa Sign Project, led by Oshawa resident volunteers, under the guidance of an Oshawan with extensive marketing experience, and who was a key fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Canada, was a good initiative and I am hopeful a positive outcome could still prevail. But meanwhile I wonder why some individuals seemed determined to derail a project that was led by community spirited residents who were working on gathering donations to fund an OSHAWA sign. When, at the same time, in fact at the same Council meeting Councillors approved a sign project costing $880,000 in development charges for 4 'NW' Northwood Business Park signs. It begs the real question, is this best use for this $880,000 development charge money, 4 signs to oddly mark where large corporations like Broccolini and Panattoni are building storage warehouses?? As a friend recently said, couldn't Oshawa Council just have put a Northwood Business Park rider on the Conlin Rd and Thornton Rd street signs at far less a cost. This could free up the DC $880,000 from reserves to pay for a new or redeveloped neighbourhood park with splash pad? I know the public is happy to stand behind the six Oshawa letters to celebrate their City, I can't say the same for the NW signs. Besides 'marking' the Northwood Business Park could be done costing much less and more effectively with riders on the Conlin Rd and Thornton Rd. area street signs. That would free up the $880,000 in Development Charges Reserves for a new or redeveloped City neighbourhood park with splash pad, playground equipment and shade canopy over park tables and benches! Meanwhile, it is embarrassing to think members of Council would renege on an agreement and staff recommendation to allow the dedicated community group to gather donations for an Oshawa sign to be placed in the King and Centre St. parkette.
13th Annual Canada Day in Columbus. A good time enjoyed by all!
Special Thanks to Liz and Jamie, Stephen, Sophia and Mary, Tracee, Genie, Judy and Rick, Rev Parker, Donna, Cheryl and her boys, Alex, Ed, Lou, plus the added bonus of Mark, Angi and Adele who spontaneously gave great assistance.! Hats off to Will Surphlis whose music was super entertaining! Lots of drop-in well-wisher visitors at various times giving their Canada Day greetings and appreciation to the Columbus community, including Oshawa Mayor Carter who timed his visit well to see, in his very accurate words 'Oshawa's best kid's bike parade' :) followed by Region Chair Henry, MPP Todd McCarthy, MP Erin O'Toole, who gave his thanks and Good-byes since after 10 years July 1st 2023 marked his last day as Durham Riding MP. Mr. O'Toole indicated his office remains open with staff available to give assistance on federal matters. It seems the Federal Durham Riding by-election will be anytime between Oct 2023 to Jan 2024. Pictured below he speaking to Durham Riding candidate Jamil Jivani who stopped by to give greetings, have conversations with Columbus and Raglan residents and help with the clean up. Thank you also to the artists and artisans and Grace Downer and her Plein Air group who joined in the fabulous art show inside the Columbus Community United Church. Also, Brendan and Sarah and for Kerry being the Parade Piper! Today is the last Region of Durham Council meeting until September. On the Agenda is a report coming up on the Automated Speed Enforcement camera program. It includes a request that MTO consider some changes that would open up the program to consider sites beyond school zones and community safety zones and lessen some of the signage requirements. https://calendar.durham.ca/.../e48aeb7f-bd65-465c-bf64... The fact the Region now has produced this latest report bodes well for the City of Oshawa getting around to approving ASE program on Oshawa local roads. During the last term of Council, the Mayor and some Councillors were hesitant to have any discussion on speed cameras on Oshawa local roads, saying they wanted to wait until they had more information from the Region on its success and costs. Meanwhile Ajax and Pickering went ahead and installed speed cameras on their local roads. Although I am not on Region Council, I learned from Region staff that prior to the report being on the Council Agenda today, the discussion took place during the June 14 th Region Committee of the Whole meeting, and the two recommendations were made by Clarington Mayor Foster. Here is the link to the video of the COW June 14 meeting https://www.eventstream.ca/events/durham-region ...looking into it you can hear the discussion which starts at 1:18 on the video... I listened for a bit, there were comments about maximizing this tool for public safety and that other municipalities are attempting to make the same changes. Adrian Foster moved the motion and Granville Anderson seconded it. Then Ajax Councillor Marilyn Crawforth , the Mayor of Brock and Brian Nicholson spoke, as well as the Acting Commissioner of Region Works. It sounded pretty fair, the 'relaxing' of the areas where the AES can be located and reducing the 90 'WARNING" sign that the camera is coming seems reasonable. DRPS does not issue 90 day warning that they are going to be enforcing the rules of the road and making public the days and locations where they will be handing out tickets, so why have a 90 day warning sign? Although the motion is to reduce the 90 day warning to no more than 10, some said why give any notice, if drivers fail to follow the speed in front of a school or run a red light do you think they have a right to complain that they didn't know the camera would be there? The Commissioner said that clearly the problem with the system has to do with the logjam at the City of Toronto PROCESSING CENTRE. The City of Ottawa is now talking about having its own Processing Centre, which could help free up space at Toronto's. As so many municipalities are wanting to double their cameras, in the future the Commissioner said Durham may look at having its own. But, to keep the costs down and avoid a proliferation of these cameras, the simple answer is for drivers to follow the rules of the road. The presentation at the start of the meeting was interesting. Melissa Hutchinson, Project Manager Region Health Dept. and Beth Brannon the Senior Director Mental Health and Addictions Lakeridge speaking to the complex issues and having broad approaches, including harm reduction (which is about keeping the person alive at the moment) and long term treatment for change, but said desire or being open to change has to come from the individual first. The overdose fatality rate is down. but still having 360 overdose calls a year, and each overdose costs $4,000 per call. In closed session there were four delegations appealing to Council to permit the demolition of the Robert McLaughlin house at 195 Simcoe St. It has been a long time since the fire April 2019, and the owners not maintaining the property. Council voted unanimously to support the original Heritage Oshawa decision and proceed to trial in support of the heritage context of the building and against a demolition. * * * Good to have some of my Notices of Motion approved. The first one, seconded by Councillor Kerr was to improve the way the City addresses the high weeds and long grass problem on the City's 'unassumed roads'. This was approved to go to the Economic Development Committee for staff to investigate. Whereas the city picks up waste and clears snow on unassumed roads, but does not cut boulevards and court circles; and Whereas there are Oshawans living on unassumed roads in subdivisions for five plus years that have repeatedly called when the boulevard and court circle grass and weeds are so high the fire hydrants are not visible; Now therefore, staff investigate the current process and the benefit of the cutting of grass on unassumed roads and being reimbursed by the developer. * * * Another one, seconded by Councillor Lee was concerning the excessive amount of dust and unfortunate lack of commitment to the Mud and Dust Control By-law by developers. Not only is the dust affecting the health of residents living in the vicinity, but also presents a danger to drivers along Conlin Rd. and Ritson Rd N. when finding vision impaired on the road by thick clouds of dust. That staff investigate the Dust and Mud Control By-law to ensure there is a prominent section to ensure the City and various developers involved in Part II Plans have a signed comprehensive strategy plan in place for dust and mud control enforcement. Those who have been negatively impacted by the excessive amount of dust flowing off the lands north of Conlin Rd that were stripped of vegetation last year may want to submit an email to clerks@oshawa.ca to be added to the September meeting agenda. This way the other members of Council can learn details about the problem. I understand from staff the policy is that when vegetation has been stripped from the land for more than a month steps should be taken for revegetation. For enforcement to be more effective and not so easily dismissed by the large scale developers, a clear commitment to a comprehensive strategy seems to be needed, especially since Oshawa North is going to have ongoing major construction with its Part II plans for some time. * * * The third one, seconded by Councillor Giberson unfortunately was not approved by Council. Here is the simple, straightforward motion: That PowerPoint presentations made at Council meetings or at Special Council meetings be added afterwards to the City website calendar. Last month among some interesting power point presentations, example, Lakeridge Hospital's, and the Spark Centre's at the May 29, 2023 Council meeting, and another good one by Amanda O'Rourke, Executive Director of 880 Cities.org at the May 31, 2023 Special Council meeting. At the conclusion of Amanda O'Rourke's presentation, before Councillors asked her questions, the Mayor clearly said thank you for the 70 slide deck you have provided to us "I know the slide deck will also be made available to the public". But it was not added as an additional item like the PowerPoint slides presented at Planning Act Public meetings. Stopping and starting a meeting video is not at all the same as clicking through PDF slides and sharing them with others. Last term Council approved my motion to make the slide decks presented at the Planning Act Public meetings available on the City website. Why not do the same with slide presented at all Council meetings? * * * A couple other matters approved, and not approved by Council: The extension of the City's partnership with the community led Oshawa Sign Project members regrettably was not approved. Councillor Giberson, Councillor Gray and myself voted in support of the extension. I say it is regrettable considering how serious the team of Oshawa residents were about the project, facilitated by a individual with years of exceptional marketing, who piloted McDonald's fundraising for Ronald McDonald House in Canada in the early 1980s. I witnessed the support from others for a landmark Oshawa sign like the ones Toronto, Hamilton, Barrie and many other municipalities have. One Councillor claiming ‘taxpayers funding the $80K maintenance cost’ as his objection. However, this amount was something City Staff proposed and never considered an amount carved in stone. The Councillor's comments in my opinion were demeaning to a well-organized community initiative and especially hard to reconcile with the fact that all City assets require maintenance. In fact, only 2 minutes before he spoke against the OSHAWA Sign Project to be paid for bay gifted funds raised by volunteers, the Councillor and other members of Council in the same meeting chose to approve an extraordinary $880,000.00 for 4 signs marking the Northwood business park! ($880,000.00 from development charge funds which the City could have contributed to the Community Centre planned for the same area at Thornton and Britannia Rd. rather than glorifying a storage unit 'business' park (where Brocolini, Pantaloni and Martin Brower are constructing warehouse storage facilities. * * * Note that on a positive note, Oshawa Council approved reduced recreation fees for seniors in Oshawa to come into effect at age 55 (currently set at age 65). This change aligns with other communities in Durham that recognize age 55 in their recreation fees and can help promote more Oshawa seniors using the City's recreation facilities and programs! First, the Columbus Part II plan. 6 delegations shone a light on a lot of questionable background goings on. The delegations expressed their concerns about Report ED-23-117, which is the latest, very large growth plan coming to the prime agricultural zoned lands north of Hwy 407 in the City of Oshawa.
Soon to be added to the City's Official plan as Columbus Part II, it is planned for around 30,000 new residents, (coming on the heels of the 11 plans of subdivision in Kedron Part II (north of Taunton Rd, east of Ritson Rd. approved last term of Council which will see around 25,000 new residents added to Oshawa's expanding population. The Positive: by a slim 4-3 majority the Columbus Part II Plan vote was deferred until the next Council meeting, which is October 2nd. (Councillor Nicholson and I had made declarations of interest so couldn't vote and the Mayor and Councillor Marks were absent for the vote) The 6 delegations spoke against the Land Use and Road Plan the developers and City staff were expecting to have approved at the meeting. Imo it is shocking and does not constitute good planning to learn how the developers, who own over 80% of the vast Columbus area have gone ahead and redesignated at least 5 private property owner'ss lands without consultation (see map below where I added dots to indicate developer owned land). Adding Storm Water Management Ponds (SWM) to land that the developers don't own, imo is not only an erosion of property writes, but Not Good Planning considering it seems some of these developers are expecting the private property owners to sell to allow this. But when the private owner is unwilling to sell, (and two are indicating they can't be bought off) where do the SWM ponds go then? Answer: where they should be, on the developer's own property. The map below where I've added the developers names and the dots, is the June 2023 Land Use and Road Plan Map showing all the Columbus property parcels delineated. In my opinion, it is inexcusable that the public was not given this map showing the property parcels. The map in Report ED-23-117 which Council was to pass at the June 26th Council meeting was from May, 2023 and shows NO property boundaries. (I asked staff a couple weeks ago to add the property lines to the May 2023 map. When I received the new map last week I added dots to indicate the land owned by developers, and numbers indicating the names of the eleven developers.) Note that the majority of the land North of Columbus Rd. South of Howden is owned by Sorbara/Tribute, East of Simcoe St is Setcon, and Menkes West of Simcoe St is Valley Mead -(current owner of the Columbus Golf Course), Halloway Holdings, and 276 Columbus Rd. W. South of Columbus Rd. are the others, including Setcon, G8 Investments, Oxford, Tercot, and Delpark Homes and Mykinder. Attending a special event this morning .. the 1st of 2 CPR clinic courses being offered at Durham College today, Opening speech by DC President Don Lovisa (who will be retiring in March 2024), followed by Mayor Carter and then Sandra Mackie from Oshawa Fire Services who described the new Pulse Point initiative lead by Oshawa Fire Chief Clark.
The Pulse Point Emergency Alert is sent out in real time to everyone registered with the Pulse Point app within half a kilometre when a person is suffering a cardiac event. Those close by and available can make their way to the scene before first responders get there and initiate CPR to help save a life. Following Chief Clark speaking about how the Pulse Point started as a vision to increase survival rate of cardiac patients by making a difference when second and minutes count, Dr. Livingstone representing Ontario Tech described how so many people came together to make the app come alive. Dr. Randy Wax chief of staff at Lakeridge Hospital spoke on how your involvement is very vital. The need to not only get the app but also the CPR training. The training is not that hard to do but doing it makes all the difference! Charlene representing GM and On Star was key in getting sponsorship for this program for a Heart Safe Community. Promote building this community to become Pulse Point users. Below is a list of the 5 Applications on tonight's 6 p.m. Committee of Adjustment meeting. Here's a link to the Agenda
https://www.oshawa.ca/.../resou.../COA/2023-06-21-Agenda.pdf ...also the meeting can be watched live https://video.isilive.ca/oshawa/live-high.html The biggest project on the list is another Bond St. new 12 storey 233 unit building just east of the Court House, at 200 Bond, between Kenneth Ave and Division St. by Hans Jain, principle of Atria Developments and builder of 80 Bond St E & 100 Bond St. E Come downtown to the Fiesta Street Festival tomorrow! Sunday, June 18th, noon till 5:00 p.m. to begin Fiesta Week 2023. Fiesta Week celebrations are an Oshawa tradition for over 40 years! Enjoy the many craft vendors, food trucks and activities for all, along Centre Street south of King St, which will be closed to vehicle traffic to Memorial Park where there are more fun activities, a beer tent and music concerts in the City's special McLaughlin Bandshell landmark to enjoy!
Federal MP Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion made a announcement today concerning an investment of $14M towards constructing a new women's shelter in Oshawa. It will have 33 beds, on approximately a 1 and a half acre parcel recently purchased by the Region at 1356 Simcoe St. S. (the former Glengrove School now demolished). The funding is through the Women and Children Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative, announced in the 2021 Federal Budget, under the National Housing Co-Investment Fund.
www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/media-newsroom/news-releases/2023/more-homes-women-children-fleeing-violence?fbclid=IwAR1pdKB7SGOWJYZxpXzfsSH7ogdnC6KxE5_yzdNYdU_5sOlKP7e72uLN_xU Today Ontario's Premier gave Oshawa and 25 more Mayors expanded powers like Toronto and Ottawa were given last year as part of Bill 39, also known as the Better Municipal Governance Act. Steven Clarke said it's about "ensuring that those mayors have the tools to ensure that they meet their obligations,” specifically pointing to the province’s target of building 1.5 million homes by 2031". This will become effective July 1st, 2023 and will grant the Mayors a veto vote.
Last year Oshawa Mayor Carter said he did not support the expanded powers being extended, finding it undemocratic. But that may now be different. It remains to be seen if Mayor Carter upholds and reaffirms the motion (CORP-22-58) he made last September 12, 2022 at Committee and approved by Council September 26, 2022: that Oshawa City Council does "not support expanding additional powers" and extending them to other municipal mayors because they "could have unintended consequences including reducing the role and responsibilities of municipal Councils on such matters, thereby detrimentally affecting local democracy" Below is a copy of the full text of Mayor Carter motion last September and here's the list of the 26 municipalities just named (which includes all 5 of Durham Region's lakeshore municipalities) Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Brantford, Burlington, Caledon, Cambridge, Clarington, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Markham, Milton, Mississauga, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Oshawa, Pickering, Richmond Hill, St. Catharines, Vaughan, Waterloo, Whitby, Windsor Durham MPP Todd McCarthy announced this afternoon at Simcoe St United Church that the Government of Ontario is enhancing access to high quality low barrier mental health and addiction services in Oshawa and Durham Region by providing $1,100,000 in funding (one time) to Mission United Durham to continue operating their integrated care program.
He said Mission United provides wrap around support services to individuals in Durham Region who are dealing with homelessness, housing and food insecurity and health and addiction concerns. PLEASE EMAIL clerks@oshawa.ca at your earliest convenience. Ask for an open discussion on the shared e-scooter program. At this early time before bad habits become hard to break, Oshawans could ask the City to investigate what new rules or policies could be enacted in Oshawa for the program to be made safer and a better fit.
On Saturday, in the CBC article on the shared e-scooters in Oshawa "Is it time for Oshawa to pump the brakes on electric scooters? Some call for pause on project While many tout e-scooters' convenience, others worry about safety" it states: "CBC News has reached out to Oshawa's mayor and the councillors who voted against hearing the motion but has not received a response." Meanwhile many have written me, in fact, I am behind on sending thank you replies. Concerns range -not just of the number of Bird or Neuron e-scooters scattered in parking lots, blocking paths of travel on trails and sidewalks, but how a number are seeing them with 2 people on one e-scooter, and the shared e-scooters being driven on sidewalks, through red lights, or down the middle of the road, weaving around vehicles in traffic. A commenter posted on my social media page on the weekend how an Oshawa Councillor told her husband: "It's a non-issue. Other than the fatal accident, other issues have been minimal. More issues with regular bikes." "OTHER THAN THE FATAL ACCIDENT" imo is extraordinarily tone deaf and the "more issues with regular bikes" is unreal given that no members of Council have been provided any comprehensive data on the shared e-scooter program 'issues' in Oshawa. No word on the number of complaints, accidents, injuries. Bikes have been around forever and most learn to ride them as children. It seems very unbalanced to relate data on bike accidents, injuries and deaths in Oshawa from over a longer period of time...to the shared e-scooter program which has been in Oshawa for less than 2 months. Most cities in Ontario are unique in a lot of ways, irrespective of similar population size and geographic area: the layout of their roads and infrastructure, speed limits, traffic volumes, one way streets, types and lengths of trails (off-road or on-road) can make comparisons between them like trying on a coat. A coat may be your size but consider how many times it doesn't fit or feel right. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/oshawa-electric-scooter-program-1.6869849?fbclid=IwAR3Xq97U4zgU9SDPj-mmFycbYqR9H_0lOV3WcQPeo3d4_krG2H4z-tCXFIQ Below is the slide deck presentation from the Monteith Brown consultant Anand Desai, outlining what a new community centre in North West Oshawa might include. Several staff and members of Council think the location should be in the Northwood Business Park, which will require the extension of Britannia Ave West over the Oshawa Creek and more new infrastructure to extend water and sewers there too. The Consultant indicated this was the City’s location of choice and the City expects it to be completed in 2026. Monteith Brown supports it, although was not engaged to consider alternate sites. A new community recreation centre is definitely needed in Oshawa’s north west. But when the consultant says this location is to service the 11,000 residents in the Windfields Part II Plan PLUS the coming 29,000 new population forecast for north of Hwy 407 with the Columbus Part II Plan, in my opinion the City should get started planning yet another Community Centre north of the 407 soon too, rather than put it on the back burner like they did with this one east of the college and university at Britannia Ave. and Thornton Rd N. (when they connect). When projects have rushed timelines they usually cost more. To say this is to be completed in less than 3 and a half years… it may be possible… if money was unlimited. I asked the consultant if he knew what is the proposed cost for the new Whitby sports and recreational centre which he referred to in his report ( soon to be constructed only 5 km from the location where Oshawa is proposing to build). He said he did not know. It will be interesting to compare. It seems the construction tender for the Whitby Sports Complex is open until Jun 28 so the cost should be available in the fall. On the other hand, this spring Clarington put a pause on its plans to build a new recreation facility when it’s costs increased (more than doubled) from $60 Million to $134 Million! It will be exciting when things start to fall into place… meanwhile however, rumour I heard is that Rotary Pool will not be completed next year in time for the Oshawa Centennial. I hope the rumour is incorrect, but when I tried to ask that question at Committee today I was interrupted and unfortunately didn’t get confirmation or denial .. though I intend to find out because as many say, managing expectations is important. Meanwhile today’s report CO-23-33 gives me more reason to object to the City spending $880,000.00 on 4 signs to mark the gateway to the Northwood Business Park… would be better to hold that DC and reserve money for the new Community Rec Centre IN THE Northwood Business Park. Council will be voting on this June 26th. I posted the 3 design choices the Economic Development Committee chose from ..and question the need. At the June 5, 2023 Economic Development Committee meeting the Mayor chose Option A. If major corporations like Pantalone and Broccolini want nice signage surely they can afford it. IMO the City has many more pressing priorities. Ironic how a community group which is volunteering their time and not taking any City money for a Community OSHAWA SIGN in a downtown parkette has had people make a big fuss…, but it slides by when the City is planning on using Oshawa reserve funds and DC funds for these North Wood Business Park signs, You would think the public would find more fault with these Northwood Business Park signs, as something unreasonable and unnecessary for the City to spend money on, than a Community funded OSHAWA SIGN. Two Committee Meetings today, 9:30 a.m. Community and Operations; 1:30 p.m. Safety and Facilities fairly uncomplicated (light) Agendas. The 4 Standing Committees reorganization 6 months ago was to achieve more balance but this does not seem to be playing out.
Although the time left today is short, if you've never dropped over to the award winning Oshawa Peony Festival you can check it out this afternoon and see what all the excitement is about! I'll be at the Oshawa Accessibility Advisory Committee table. Below are some pictures I took yesterday.
The above is a video clip of a 3 minute delegation a local resident made about the need to improve accessibility in Oshawa. It shows her interest and courage in speaking up and pointing to a solution that other Ontario municipalities allow. Asking why portable ramps are not permitted in Oshawa is a legitimate question. Hopefully they will be permitted in the City in time for Oshawa's Centennial in 2024!
Today is the national holiday of Portugal, which is celebrated on June 10th each year by Portuguese people throughout the world. It commemorates the death on June 10 1580 of the country's national poet, Luis de Camões. The first celebration of Portugal Day took place in 1880. It became a national holiday in 1919. Google released a special Doodle to celebrate Portugal Day today.
Last Monday, May 29th, in response to my request that a motion be heard related to the shared e-scooter pilot program, 8 members of Council including the Mayor made no comments other than their NO votes.
So the e-scooter motion Councillor Neal and I were attempting to move and be brought before Council was not read or discussed. Later in the week local reporter Reka Szekely published an article “Oshawa opts not to reconsider e-scooter pilot project after woman’s death” which contained comments made by Oshawa’s Mayor. The Mayor did not acknowledge the many concerns and complaints the public have been raising. Not acknowledging them does not make them go away. The narrative on the shared e-scooter issue in my opinion should not be that one sided. There is an on-going police investigation into 20 year old Kaitlyn Pollock’s death while driving a shared e-scooter. I extend my deepest condolences to her family and friends and all devastated by her tragic death which occurred May 17th in the Taunton and Harmony Rd. area. Irrespective of when the police investigation is completed, the police really have no say when Oshawa Council may advance an investigation to determine what, if any additional restrictions or rules need to be put in force for improved safety. Tomorrow will be the 45th day since the City of Oshawa's agreement with the two vendors, Neuron and Bird, was launched. I sincerely hope Oshawa staff and Council look at the example the City of Kelowna provides on how to respond to public e-scooter concerns. In April 2021 Kelowna launched its shared e-scooter program. By June, 45 days later, Kelowna Council was intent on making improvements. Two Council meetings in June were held to address the many issues. At the first meeting, "after nearly three hours of presentation, deliberation and comments, council endorsed 19 changes to the program...to help remedy those issues" "Changes ...included a ‘pledge’ that users are sober; helmet selfies that earn riders rewards, restrictions on late-evening scooting and limiting the speed of first-time riders, quicker retrieval by operators of improperly parked scooters, sidewalk stickers to remind riders to keep off the sidewalks, and limiting scooter density by requiring operators to place no more than 30 per cent of their scooters downtown." According to one councillor who did not mince his works, ‘the rollout was reckless and haphazard and there are far more negatives than there are positives. Change is needed rapidly.’ Physicians at the hospital in Kelowna were were saying the public needs to know the e-scooters are ‘fracture machines’. At the second Council meeting later in June more restrictions were passed. https://www.kelownacapnews.com/.../helmet-selfies-and.../ https://www.kelownanow.com/.../Kelowna_city_council.../... In November the Kelowna General Hospital provided the City with a report on the incidence of scooter related injuries and suggested policies to mitigate injuries. https://kelownapublishing.escribemeetings.com/filestream.... "Studying KGH e-scooter head injury data in conjunction with consistently high rates of head injuries and low rates of helmet use from the studies discussed above points towards an urgent need for stringent policies regarding helmet use for e-scooter riders.” Imo this type of dive into how the Oshawa shared e-scooter pilot project can be improved is necessary and should be welcomed by Council sooner rather than later. Monday June 5th's 1:30 p.m. Economic Development Committee meeting Agenda is a long one with 11 Items in the Public Session and 9 Items in Closed Session plus 2 Applications for the Planning Act public meeting session at 6:30 p.m. Below is my one page summary of the Agenda. The meeting begins with the Parsons Inc. consultant making a presentation on the land use and transportation plan around the planned Oshawa GO Station at the former Knob Hill site in Central Oshawa. Below is a slideshow of the 13 Slides for the Presentation on new Oshawa GO station. Also below are pictures related to: 1) the massive Columbus Part II plan with a last minute major reduction of park size from the March 6 2023 public meeting, and 2 school sites removed, which City staff are recommending both Oshawa Council and Region Council now approve as is and be added to the upper and lower tier Official Plans; 2) ED staff's $800,000 project for a Northwood gateway sign at 4 sites around the Northwood Business Park, Taunton Rd. W. /Thornton Rd. N./Conlin Rd. area (Council to choose one of 3 sign designs); and 3) ED staff project for temporary Photo Art display coming to Ed Broadbent Waterfront Park (picture of site where display will be located.) Below is a copy of the Land Use and Road Map from Report ED-23-117 Columbus Part II Plan Below are the 3 design options and location options for the Northwood Business Park $800,000 sign project being Report ED-23-118 pub-oshawa.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=12568 Below is location may where staff recommend the temporary public art photograph display be located in Ed Broadbent Waterfront Park
Report ED-23-125 pub-oshawa.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=12573 This evening's Planning Act public meeting had two pretty smart looking 22 and 21 story apartment building proposals for the downtown. The 22 story one is at 88 King St West (former roller derby site) with 220 condo apartments Picture renderings of the building are below. The application submitted by GHD on behalf of 2702758 Ontario Ltd. for lands at 88 King Street W. is for a mixed-use building containing 220 residential apartment units ( 142 one bedroom units - 72 two-bedroom units - 6 three-bedroom units) 180 bicycle spaces and commercial space in two ground floor retail units. (There is an error in the report (ED-23-120) where it states 200 parking spaces - the GHD consultant told the Committee the parking space number should read 176.) The request is to amend the Oshawa Official Plan to add a site specific policy to permit a proposed residential density of 1,467 units per net hectare; and to amend Zoning By-law 60-94 by rezoning the lands from CBD-A.T25 (Central Business District) to an appropriate site specific CBD-A (Central Business District) Zone, to implement the proposed development with site specific conditions to permit certain performance standards such as, but not necessarily limited to, increased residential density and building height and reduced parking and building setbacks to street lines above 12m in height. HIGHER DENSITY The Oshawa Official Plan guideline indicates that High Density II in the Residential category generally permits 150 to 550 units per hectare (60 to 223 u/ac.) within the Downtown Oshawa Urban Growth Centre. However, the density for this project is proposed to have a net residential density of 1,467 units per hectare (593 u/ac.) which is greater than the High Density II Residential classification. HIGHER BUILDING HEIGHT The current zoning would permit a new mixed use building with a maximum height of 25 metres (82 ft.) (generally 8 storeys) The application is for 22 storeys. The proposed building includes parking on three aboveground levels and a mezzanine incorporated into the podium of the building with driveway access from McMillan Drive. The proposed building also includes the following features: A rooftop garden/amenity area on the fifth floor; A rooftop amenity area on the roof of the tower; Private balconies along the east, west and south elevations for each apartment unit; Communal indoor amenity spaces; and, Storage lockers. The Applicant is proposing to install and utilize an automated parking system. To park their vehicle using the automated system, drivers would first drive their vehicle into an elevator device, then exit the vehicle and use a control panel to automatically park the vehicle on the mezzanine level and floors 2 to 4 in a stacking system. To retrieve their vehicle, drivers would use a control panel and their vehicle will be automatically retrieved in an elevator. The driver would then get in the vehicle and drive out. This feature allows more parking to be provided over the same floor area than a traditional parking structure that utilizes ramps. Here is a link to the Report: https://pub-oshawa.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx... __________________________________________________________________ The 2nd proposed apartment building, 21 stories high, 198 units, at 10 Mary St, is behind the 7 storey 70 King St East (former Genosha Hotel). It actually is a revised application to the one made last year, but with an improved 'Smart' new look, one that frames the former Genosha making 70 King St. E. look even more special! What a turn around! I said previously I was not keen at all on the infill project previously proposed, but now, it seems a much more promising project, one to bring new vibrancy to the downtown streetscape. . Here's a link to the report pub-oshawa.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=12577&fbclid=IwAR3oQhK27WMG803jCkmawbugqE7BLyxE5rV-mJWnfie-OjUXszLnz6kRiu0 BELOW FIRST ARE RENDERINGS OF THE 88 KING ST WEST PROJECT 10 Mary St. Project renderings below: This, imo, is unfortunate. "Niagara Centre MPP Jeff Burch called it “disturbing” that the provincial government shot down legislation that would have allowed municipalities to essentially fire city council for bad behaviour. The province decided not to do anything at all,” he said.
This bill has come forward for the second time, the exact same bill. It was passed unanimously in the Legislature previously. But Wednesday, he said “all the Conservatives voted against it — all the other parties spoke in favour of, spoke about the need for it.” “We’ve seen time and again in this province councillors get away with absolutely disgusting and egregious behaviour...When councillors who commit such acts are not held to account, it denies justice for those who’ve been harassed and creates an environment that prevents others from coming forward. He said without that legislation, local leaders can operate by a different set of rules when they should be held to a much higher standard...when councillors who have harassed municipal staff or their fellow councillors can retain their positions, no matter how serious, it creates and protects toxic workplaces; which in turn has an adverse effect on mental health in the workplace and throughout the community.” But, go figure, the majority of Oshawa Council REFERRED IT TO STAFF (which I commented on previously on my blog) —it is not the sort of matter to refer to staff, it is like a confidence vote, a personal, subjective matter specifically for those in municipal elected office... imo the referral to staff was like ducking going on record making a decision to support or not support, which was odd considering 1) that 156 municipal Councils in Ontario gave their endorsement of Bill 5 including Oshawa's neighbouring municipalities, the City of Pickering, Town of Ajax and Town of Whitby; and 2) Oshawa's 6 Regional Councillors (who make up a majority of Oshawa's 11 member Council) gave their unanimous support at Region Council in April, but less than a week later would not confirm their support when I asked at the May 1st Oshawa Council meeting. www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/news/niagara-region/2023/06/02/failed-legislation-would-have-defended-the-defenceless-from-abuse-by-elected-officials-says-proponents.html?fbclid=IwAR2YU-euzix2jUwRmEz7VkYvtN3oxWBqupWo6mYeyQXZHZ7cAXH3JwKoWgk |