| Jun 23, 2005


Feature article, June 23, 2005

Feature article June 23, 2005

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Addington Highlands might help out with NF dock Council meeting June 20, 2005

by Jule Koch Brison

Tappings Bay Dock: Although Addington Highlands does not own the public dock at Tappins Bay on Mazinaw Lake, AH councillors have heard a lot from local ratepayers about its possible closure.

The dock is in fact owned by North Frontenac Township, At a recent meeting, North Frontenac Councillors discussed a request by the Mazinaw Lake Property Owners Association that the dock be improved, and several NF councillors voiced the opinion that North Frontenac should sell it to the association for a nominal fee or tear it down if the association doesnt want it.

Reeve Hook has received emails on the subject, and at the Denbigh council meeting on Monday night, he read out one from Robert and Diane Fisher. The Fishers stated that the launch is used not only by cottagers; Hydro One and Bell Telephone workers also use it, as do carpenters and contractors working on cottages. The Fishers said that cottagers who have only boat access to their property are paying taxes for no services and that the dock is important to the economy of the area.

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For Councilor Bill Cox, the matter is simple; Addington Highlands doesnt own the launch and should not take on any responsibility for it. Councillor Louise Scott, however, said that since Addington Highlands receives taxes from cottagers on the lake, why not improve it?.. Theyre our cottagers we dont do anything else for them. Deputy Reeve Lorraine Berger concurred, saying, We do make money off it. Although Berger and Scott felt that helping to improve the dock would be money well spent, Councillor Cox expressed concern that other cottagers might expect the township to pay for their docks. However Reeve Hook pointed out that would not be a problem as those would not be public docks.

Council deferred making a decision until after an upcoming meeting with the Mazinaw Lake Property Owners Association, when they will try to find out what the cottagers want.

Contents of Denbigh storage builsing free for the taking: Roads Supervisor Royce Rosenblath said that since it was reported that a storage building at the Denbigh Ball field would be torn down, he has had a number of calls from people asking if they could take various items. Councilor Cox was asked what was in the building and he replied, Nothing but junk! Council decided that allowing people to remove whatever they want will save the township time and money in cleaning out the building; however Royce Rosenblath wont call the people who enquired earlier to give them the go-ahead. Resident Elinor Duncan was asked, and agreed to make a sign to put at the building letting people know they can take anything.

Other matters: Council refused a request to build a road into upper Mazinaw Lake, which the township estimated would cost about $1 million; however the township would consider maintaining such a road if it were built.

Royce Rosenblath expressed satisfaction that tarring and chipping on the Buckshot Lake, Glastonbury and Peterson Roads has been done early, and will result in a better surface. We are one of the first townships to get it done, he said. He said that work on the Hartsmere Road would start next.

AH resident Janet Searles has requested that the township consider upgrading and/or closing a road allowance on which the entrance to her familys property is located. The road allowance is used by ATVs and skidoos and has become greatly eroded. Royce Rosenblath was not familiar with the problem and council was concerned that closing the road allowance would cut off access to other lots. A decision was deferred until more information could be obtained.

A public payphone will be installed on the side of the post office in Flinton.

AH will re-submit the same proposal to the second COMRIF intake that they submitted to the first intake.

Pending solicitors comments, Council approved a bylaw prohibiting the being at large or trespassing of animals other than dogs or cats. Dogs and cats are already covered in a bylaw.

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