Public weighs in on Harrowsmith CIP

Apr 20, 2016

On April 13, a public input and information session regarding the implementation of a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) for Harrowsmith was held at the Golden Links hall, with roughly 20 members of the community attending. The township plans to roll out the CIP this year and the meeting was led by County of Frontenac community planner, Reid Shepherd.

The meeting had two objectives. The first was to outline the CIP program, which offers $70,000 in funds to residents and business owners.

The primary elements of the CIP include grant and loan programs to residents and business owners to support facade improvements and commercial space funding, as well as help for municipalities to fund public space improvements and local infrastructure.

To date, CIPs have been implemented in Verona (2011), Sharbot Lake, (2012), Marysville (2013) and in North Frontenac this year. Shepherd said that the Harrowsmith CIP is nicely timed and will coincide with the plan to improve the village's main intersection at Road 38.

The second aim of the meeting was for county staff to hear what residents would like to see achieved with the CIP. Guests were split into groups to discuss and list their priorities, their visions for the future, and what programs and objectives they hope the CIP addresses.

Surprisingly, the guests all shared a similar vision. The main focuses appeared to be on facade improvement to some of the buildings in the village, and the hope of attracting new businesses to the area.

Beautifying the village center was also a common aim, and the addition of flowers, benches, and bicycle racks was suggested. Many attendees also agreed that a pathway should be constructed to connect Centennial Park to the trail, and that a community building at the trail hub with a washroom and other facilities would benefit trail users.

Regarding the types of programs to implement, many agreed that grant/loan programs be geared to attract new businesses, since many store fronts have been vacant in the village center.

Other suggestions were: building an outdoor skating rink; dealing with derelict buildings; rehabilitating the old cheese factory property; keeping St. Paul's United Church as a community hub; and looking into investing in more seniors’ housing in the area.

It was also agreed to expand the CIP target area to include the Golden Links Hall and the cemetery. Reid Shepherd said he was pleased with the turnout and the commitment shown by the attendees, who included not only community leaders but also county and township staff; namely, county planner Joe Gallivan, CAO Wayne Orr, John McDougall, Ron Vandewal, and Anne Marie Young.

The next steps will be for Shepherd to draft a plan based on the input from the meeting. The plan will be presented to council for their review, and will be followed by a public meeting. Shepherd will then seek council's final approval for the plan.