Recommendations to expand Central Frontenac’s CIP

Julie Druker | Sep 03, 2015

At a special public meeting hosted by the Township of Central Frontenac at Oso Hall on Tuesday, September 1, Peter Young and Anne Marie Young from Frontenac County made a presentation to a small group of Central Frontenac residents regarding expanding the township's community improvement plan (CIP).

Councilors Jamie Riddell and Victor Heese pushed for a geographical expansion of the program at a council meeting back in April.

The plan aims to encourage and stimulate economic development by making grants and loans available to business and home owners for facade improvements, accessibility enhancements, and business start up funding.

Currently the funding from the plan is available only to businesses and home owners that fall within the boundaries of the hamlet of Sharbot Lake.

The total available funding for the program was set at $80,000 and to date just over $46,000 has been spent, leaving $33,000 remaining. Peter Young outlined possible options to expand the program by including the hamlets of Arden, Mountain Grove and Parham or making the funding available to residents across the entire township.

The public who attended the meeting suggested that it should be expanded to include the entire township. With the limited funds left in the pot, Anne Marie Young suggested other potential changes to the current plan that could include prioritizing funding for businesses only, reducing the total maximum funding to $2,500 per project, reducing the pay-back period for loans to three years from five.

Input from the meeting will be taken back to council, who will then discuss and revise the plan. It will be up to the township to change the by-law in order implement the changes, a process that could take a number of months.

For more information about the township's Community Improvement Plan visit the township's website at www.centralfrontenac.com