Grant possibility makes new accessible door likely in Piccadilly Hall’s future

Craig Bakay | Oct 05, 2022

Piccadilly Hall could soon have a new fully accessible door assuming a grant application to the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) is successful.

Council approved the application following a presentation from Manager of Development Services/CBO Andy Dillon at its regular meeting Sept. 27.

“The EAF from Employment and Social Development Canada provides funding for projects that make Canadian communities and workplaces more accessible for persons with disabilities,” Dillon said. “The EAF is accepting applications between Sept. 7, 2022 and Nov. 1, 2022, and they will screen flat rate applications on a first-come, first served approach.”

Dillon said the entrance to Piccadilly Hall has a clear width of only 31 inches with no power door operator.

“Piccadilly has the smallest entrance door of the four community halls in Central Frontenac,” he said. “One objective of the Accessibility for Ontarians Act is to have municipal buildings accessible before Jan.1, 2025.

“If approved for funding, the project would not be started until 2023 due to lead times required for material and labour.”

He said a successful grant would provide 80 per cent of the costs up to a maximum of $10,412.44. The project is estimated to cost less than $15,000.

“This is a great idea,” said Coun. Brent Cameron. “We had the use of the hall recently and the door was a bit touchy.

“The sign above the door has got to be 50 years old and I’m wondering if we can look at replacing it.”

“We can put it in next year’s budget,” said Dillon.

Coun. Tom Dewey asked about Kennebec Hall and asked if there was anything that could be done for an all-candidates meeting.

“Not likely,” said Dillon.

Charitable Donations

Following up on an item deferred from the last Council meeting, Council voted to take out ads in both the MADD Message Yearbook ($299 plus HST) and Courageous K9 magazine ($295 plus HST).

Council also asked staff to come back with a donations policy to decide what organizations the municipality will support.

Coun. Bill MacDonald had been concerned that Council’s lame duck status didn’t allow for such expenditures but CAO/Clerk Cathy MacMunn said that the donations were OK because they were well under the $50,000 spending threshold.

Council is considered lame duck (ie not allowed to change the employment status of managers, not enter into any real estate transactions and not approve spending over $50,000) if there is a possibility that fewer than three-quarters of the current council will not be returned (regardless of election outcomes).

Coun. Tom Dewey and Sherry Whan did not file for re-election and one of Coun. Brent Cameron, Nicki Gowdy or Phillip Smith won’t be returning as they all filed to run in Hinchinbrooke District and only two will be elected.

Fire Report

Fire Chief/Manager of Emergency Services Chris McDonough reported that six current firefighters and six recruits have completed the Fire Fighter Level I course. He said 11 current firefighters and five recruits are enrolled in the Fire Fighter Level II course.

McDonough continued with a presentation on the department’s plans for future training including exterior attack, interior attack, auto extrication, hazardous materials, pump operator, fire and life safety educator and water rescue.

Coun. Bill MacDonald asked the Chief if he was worried about losing firefighters to full-time departments after they’d received their training here.

McDonough said no, he wasn’t worried. In fact, he said, he has reason for optimism because a number of full-time firefighters have recently moved into the area and can be available if it doesn’t conflict with their full-time shifts.

“We have a couple of them right now,” he said.

McDonough said recruitment is going quite well.

“The training seems to have sparked recruitment,” he said. “Word’s getting out there that we’re stepping up and training.”

Farmers Market

Council received a report from the Sharbot Lake Farmers Market who reported seven new vendors this year with total vendor fees of $970 as of Sept. 20.

The average weekly attendance for July was 173 people per week and 156 people per week for August.