Central Frontenac Council

Jeff Green | May 15, 2014

5th Lake/Wagarville Road project underway

A large road project linking Central Frontenac and Stone Mills Township will be getting underway in the coming weeks. Cruickshank Construction has been awarded a tender at a cost of $1.83 million. This portion of the multi-year project includes the rehabilitation of Wagarville Road from Parham west to McLean Road. The project also includes a bridge project that was completed last year at a cost of $434,000.

A further section of road is slated to be rebuilt in 2015. The engineering contract for that section was awarded this week as well, to Jewell Engineering at a cost of $32,500. The budget for engineering for the project was $120,000.

“Did we get lucky here?” Councilor John Purdon asked Public Works Manager Mike Richardson.

“Nobody gets that lucky,” Richardson answered, before explaining that the contract with Jewell leaves room for a number of required permits and studies to be undertaken, which will likely eat up most of the original $120,000 budget.

The multi-year project is being funded by two granting programs from the provincial government. The grants are unusual because they cover 95% of project costs, whereas most granting programs cover 2/3 of the costs.

“I'd like to point out that this is a major upgrade. Until now those roads have been tar and chip rods; there is now going to be an asphalt road all the way from Parham to the township boundary, a major upgrade,” said Mayor Janet Gutowski.

Slow start to 2014 building season

“I hesitate to make comparisons on a single month basis, but at this point in the year it is clear that the first part of 2014 has been slow in terms of construction permits,” said Chief Building Official Jeremy Neven.

On April, the department sold just over $1,000 in permits for $81,000 worth of construction. In 2013, permits for $1.3 million in construction were issued, and even in 2012, one of the slower years in recent memory, permits for $750,000 in construction value were sold.

The year to date statistics are not much better. Permits for $344,000 in construction have been sold since January 1, as opposed to $1.75 million for the same period in 2013, and $1 million in 2012.

“I have talked to building officials in other townships and they are seeing the same thing,” Neven added.

“The weather has not been ideal,” said Councilor Tom Dewey.

“The cost of lumber is certainly part of it, too,” said Councilor Jeff Matson.

Septic reinspection targets Sharbot Lake

The township has contracted the Mississippi/Rideau septic office to offer voluntary septic inspections in the village of Sharbot Lake in 2014. Residents with septic systems and those with holding tank systems will have the opportunity to have their systems tested. A council committee continues to consider the merits and logistics of a mandatory inspection program for the future.

Friends of Arden – New footbridge and spawning bed work in Kennebec Park

Terry Kennedy appeared before Council on behalf of the Friends of Arden. He described the latest project that the group is undertaking, a two-phased improvement to Arden Park. The first phase, to be undertaken this year, involved putting in a Walleye spawning bed in the section of the Salmon River that runs through the park, and the second, more ambitious project is a major rebuilding of the foot bridge over the river in the park. The new foot bridge will not be quite as fancy as an artist's conception of a fully covered bridge that was done by Ardenite John Duchene, but according to Terry Kennedy it will hopefully include two half gazebos.

“It will be what is called a kissing bridge, not that I would know anything about that,” he said.

The Friends of Arden will be receiving a $9,300 grant from Frontenac County and will be fundraising for the rest of the $15,000 they need for this year's work. They also will be looking at how to raise the necessary funds for the new footbridge, which they hope will become a signature project for Arden.

Council expressed universal support for the initiatives, with the only concern being the possibility that the bridge could become a “hangout”.

The location is quite open, and we will work on some lighting for it as well,” Kennedy said. “We are certainly hoping for a kissing bridge, not a carving bridge.”

New hall rental prices adopted

In spite of last minute objections, Council approved a new set of policies for township halls, including new rental prices.

Councilor Purdon asked that the price for the basement of the Olden Hall be lowered from $45 to $30 so rental of the entire facility would be $75, and other councilors were concerned that the offer of a discount to “service clubs” such as the Lions club and Legions, was too vague. In the end the bylaw was approved without changes and will come into effect immediately.