Addington Highlands Council - September 26

Jeff Green | Sep 24, 2025

Flinton Anniversary

Maude Formosa-Topping wrote a letter to the township on behalf of the Flinton Recreation Club, concerning their plans for an event on August 1, 2026, to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the club and the 175^th anniversary of the founding of the Village of Flinton.

The club is requesting $5,000 from the township to support the event. They are planning to hold a car show, horse and buggy rides, along with displays, demonstrations and a vendor village.

The request for funding is what Councillor Hook described as a “big ask”. Councillor Helen Yanch said “I do not believe we have supported the rec clubs financially.”

Hook added that the event may be a good fit for the Lennox and Addington County Activation Fund for new events. He said he would put that question to Rob Plumly of Lennox and Addington County.

Deputy Reeve Fritsch propose a motion to defer consideration of the grant request to the 2026 budget and at the same encourage the Rec Club to seek grants from other sources.

“There is no sense them waiting until next spring and then maybe not getting the funding when they can apply elsewhere in advance of that,” said Fritsch.

Making Memories Fundraiser

Council also received correspondence from Marleen Mclean about an event being planned for the trailhead to the Lennox and Addington Community Forest. The event, scheduled for October 18, will include a horse and buggy ride, hot apple cider and live music at the trailhead, followed by a roast beef dinner at the Flinton. Mclean is seeking a noise bylaw exemption and she also referred to plans for a fire at a township approved firepit. The event will be limited to 70 participants, and proceeds will go to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Council asked staff to write back asking for the hours for the noise bylaw exemption, and for a site plan for the fire pit, since there is no designated pit at the trailhead or the Flinton Hall. The fire pit plan can be referred to the fire chief for comment, and the council will be in a position to respond once he does

Teri Woods

Council also received a letter from Teri Weeds, seeking support for a $2,000 application she plans to submit to the Community Foundation for Lennox and Addington. The money is for a drone to document and promote local events, and for a pair of portable beverage dispensers.

Woods is the organiser of the popular Touch the Truck and Meet the Machine events, which she runs as an independent community organiser.

Councillor Hook said that the foundation will want there to be an organization that ends up owning the items Woods would like to purchase.

Council directed staff to send a letter to Woods encouraging her to seek an affiliation, perhaps as a subcommittee, with a registered not for profit community organisation, before they can provide a letter of support for the grant application.

Report from Fire Chief

Mobile Live Fire Training has been set up at the Northbrook Fire Hall. Fire Chef Cuddy said that over 20 firefighters have been participating in the training. He also said that his department will applying to a provincial granting program for more Personal Protective Equipment.

Housing and Homelessness in Lennox and Addington and Prince Edward County

Deputy Reeve Tony Fritsch presented an update about initiatives by PELASS (Prince Edward Lennox and Addington Social Services) regarding housing and homelessness.

A meeting is scheduled for October 1, for all lower tier municipal staff and council from L&A and Prince Edward County.  

“Homelessness is very different in Napanee than it is here, but we do have it here,” said Fritsch, “so this information and brainstorming session is important,  because this is quite a complicated issue and no seem to have any solutions.”

He said that after the session, PELASS staff will likely follow up with all of the agencies involved in supporting people experiencing homelessness in the region. A new provincially mandated Homeless and Housing Plan is under development for PELASS to run between 2026 and 2035, replacing a plan that ran out last year.

The plan is designed to inform service providers as they support people facing homelessness or precarious housing. PELASS is also beginning to prepare an update to a “Housing Needs Study” in the region. It will include a current property inventory, in order to develop models for affordable housing projects in the region as well