| Mar 03, 2011


“What I like most about Verona is that is it mainly located on Road 38, and how narrow the street is,” said Mike Keene (photo left) of Fo-Tenn Consulting at a kick-off meeting for the Verona Community Improvement Plan (CIP) that was held at the Verona Lions Hall last Thursday, February 24.

The concentration of businesses and houses along the stretch of main street in Verona was one of the reasons that Verona was chosen as the first community in Frontenac County to have a community improvement plan done.

About 60 of the 75 or so people who came out to the meeting remained until the end of a presentation by Keene, assisted by Peter Young of Frontenac County.

Keene explained that CIPs are not a new tool for helping to bring new energy to rural towns seeking a revival.

“Gananoque has one in place, as does Campbellford and Stirling,” Keene said.

In Gananoque the improvement plan includes a heritage street sign, and a facade improvement plan that offers rebates to business owners who invest in improvements to the look and accessibility of their establishments. The plan is being augmented with a new cultural policy this year.

“What I appreciate about the Gananoque plan is that small investments can make large changes. Gananoque has dished out about $24,000 and businesses have put in $50,000. The numbers aren't huge but the changes are noticeable,” Keene said.

Under the Ontario Municipal Act, municipalities are severely limited in the ways they can spend public funds. That's why Community Improvement Plans were established under the Ontario Planning Act. CIPs are one of the few ways that municipalities can invest their own money or money they can access through grants directly to businesses and individuals in their jurisdiction.

CIPs require a public process, and also require that fixed boundaries for the improvement area be established.

“In the case of Verona, those boundaries could be the hamlet boundaries that are encompassed by the township’s zoning bylaw,” Keene said, “or they could be expanded. That is one of the things that will be decided through the public process. If there are granting programs they do not have to be restricted to businesses. Homeowners and not-for profit organizations can be eligible as well.”

The people at the meeting were given an opportunity to mark down specific suggestions about the kind of community improvement plan they would like to see in Verona. They did so by writing down suggestions, putting sticky tabs on specific locations on a large map, and talking their ideas up to their neighbours. These ideas included sidewalk improvement, signage, and others.

Some of the suggestions will be included in the Community Improvement Plan itself, and others may be pursued through other means, by groups that form or by the municipality itself

A meeting will be called for early April, after the information gathered at the meeting and through other research is completed. The plan itself will start to take shape at that meeting.

“I'm really glad to see so many people out tonight,” said Mike Keene, “it shows how strong Verona is and how much can be achieved.”

In addition to members of the public and members of the Verona Community Association, there was also a strong contingent from the township council in attendance, including Mayor Davison, Portland Councilors McDougall and Robinson, and Councilors Vandewal and York. Central Frontenac Councilor Bill Snyder was on hand as well.

Once the Verona plan is underway, a number of others are contemplated throughout the county.

 

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