Ward 2 Town Hall Report
The Ward 2 Town Hall, Apr. 25, held by WARD 2 councillors, Linda Cook and Mara Nagy was a very informative and friendly event. These rookie councillors could give veteran councillors some needed pointers on staying current with constituency issues and city policies. These councillors demonstrated that have done their homework and solid preparation for their town hall.
The main presentation
The main agenda of the evening was “Activities and Events in the City.” Kim Bradley, Activities coordinator, Pickering Recreation Programs, gave a comprehensive description of events and activities available to the city residents. Kim did a marvellous job distilling and summarizing the extensive list. The presentation covered all the bases, from athletic to cultural to social. Events held at the Pickering Central Library were also included in the presentation. Because there is so much information Kim suggested persons confer with the ‘Recreation Guide’ available online at Pickering.ca (The spring guide: https://issuu.com/esolutionsgroup/docs/638130830779042885 )
In short, the City of Pickering offers a treasure trove of activities and events to residents who are interested in being more active and involved with their community.
The Q&A session
The open Q&A session ranged broadly in topics:
- The Liverpool nautical village events and parking facilities;
- Lakefront events to attract residents, Winter, Summer;
- Improvement and expansion of washroom facilities at the waterfront;
- Pickering Budget update: tax increase 5.2%;
- Traffic issues, now and upcoming, even consideration of roundabouts;
- Important upcoming City events in May;
- June: Seniors Month
Councillors Cook and Nagy are to be congratulated on holding another very informative and worthwhile town hall. However, there are some reservations about the compliment. Furthermore, town halls are information sessions not campaigning opportunities.
Clarity of comments/questions
Though the acoustics are very good at this venue, Cook and Nagy should remind all attendees that it is important to speak loudly and clearly to benefit if everyone. The very least officials should is take the essential rule from “Szpin’s guide to better communication:” repeat the question for everyone’s benefit. Too many commentors or questioners at such meetings forget their comment/question is for the benefit of the entire attendance. They need to voice their comments/questions with that in mind. This is not a question of good hearing. It is a matter of conversational clarity, verbal enunciation and crisp commentary.
Some personal comments regarding Town Halls
Town halls are an excellent venue for residents to express opinions, ask questions and initiate needed discussions with their councillors. However, only those who attend benefit. Councillor Cook acknowledged the problem in talking about tax payment assistance in the City at the last WARD 2 Town Hall. She criticized the city’s publication of such needed information underlining that a serious review and significant improvement of communication with the people of Pickering should be undertaken. She is correct. The City’s website at www.pickering.ca needs substantial modification for both what is being reported and published and how it is being presented. However, the onus of being informed rests with the city residents themselves.
Councillor newsletters
Additionally, attending Town Hall events is not always practical, easy or feasible for many Pickering residents. But there is a tremendous amount of information that is covered and non-attending residents learn nothing about it. Some councillors have launched personal newsletters, an excellent supplement to the actual town halls. However, the Pickering demographic is aged, and the majority of people interested in such information are older adults. Councillors publishing newsletters should consult with seniors or experienced publishers about such material. Seniors are challenged by extensive and overly comprehensive publications. Keep it simple and succinct. One town hall attendee at another town hall lamented that it took hours of navigation and manipulation on the city website to find the information being sought. This lament is corroborated by residences in a particular Pickering seniors’ residence. “We find it very difficult to find the information we need on the city website.”
The extrapolation from these difficulties relating to the city web site should be considered with newsletters also. Residents will appreciate and understand more when the material is present in a succinct, summarized form.
