| Sep 25, 2014


New Parham fire hall in holding pattern until school property settled.

Central Frontenac Fire Chief Bill Young was asked by Councilor Phillip Smith where the planning stands for a new fire hall to replace the ageing one that is located next to the Parham fair grounds.

The exchange took place at a meeting of Council at the Piccadilly Hall on Tuesday afternoon (September 23). Bill Young said that money for the hall has been put aside but that settling on a location has been delayed, and the township is not in a position to make a decision on their own.

The reason is that the preferred location for the hall is on the corner of Long Lake and Wagarville Roads, on the former Hinchinbrooke School property, which is still owned by the Limestone District School Board.

Township Chief Administrative Officer Larry Donaldson said that staff sent a letter of interest to the board, on Council's instructions, earlier this summer.

“I just received an acknowledgement today that they have received our letter, and that they will not start talking to anyone about the property until October 14th, when the expression of interest period is set to end. We will then have to consider a number of issues, such as whether the building is in a condition for us to take it over; how much it will cost; whether the building and all the property must be sold together, etc.,” said Donaldson.

He added that since the school property is the preferred location, it would be unwise for the township to go ahead and build a fire hall at the other possible location, which is on the lot where the existing hall is, only to find out afterwards that the other property is available and affordable.

“We will have the money set aside for it next year, and we plan to build with the same design as the Mountain Grove Hall, so we are ready,” said Donaldson.

“I just wanted to make sure it is not on the back burner,” said Phillip Smith.

“Oh no, it's on the front burner, but there are too many unknowns with the school property right now,” said Bill Young.

K&P trail north of Sharbot Lake named for Harold Clark

Marcel Giroux came to Council as a delegate, but in keeping with his past as a municipal politician (his last term of office ended in 1985) he had with him a fully drafted motion, just waiting for a mover and seconder.

His proposal was to include the section of the K&P trail that runs from the Cannon Road in Sharbot Lake to Clarendon Station on Clarendon Road in the Frontenac County K&P Trail network.

“The trail is in use, and is in pretty good shape with the exception of a few spots and one hole - which I have a picture of - and will eventually be an asset to the entire trail network. I'm not sure of the legalities of ownership. I leave that to you,” he said.

He had one more recommendation in his motion.

“Harold Clark was the Reeve of Oso in 1980 and he insisted that we buy that piece of trail at the time, If all the other reeves along the trail had his foresight, the entire trail would be complete today. I think we should name that section of trail after him,” Giroux said.

Council took Giroux's advice, and the motion passed in short order.

The details will be worked out later.

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