Town Hall (Ward 1) REPORT
Ward 1 Councilor Maurice Brenner cohosted a Town Hall meeting with Paul White, President of the Fairport Beach Neighbourhood Association at Frenchman’s Bay West Park on July 12.
Perfect weather, an ideal summer evening, an inviting setting and an informative and engaging Town Hall.
The agenda
The Brenner aim with this Town Hall was to engage the community and provide community-related news to the participants in attendance. Success!
The two items of discussion were:
- Frenchman’s Bay West Park Implementation Plan and
- Fairport Beach Association: History and Endeavours
Frenchman’s Bay West Park Implementation Plan
Arnold Mostert, manager, City of Pickering, Landscape & Parks Development, examined and discussed the City’s “Implementation Plan” for Frenchman’s Bay West Park. Mostert’s presentation covered many aspects of the plan for this waterfront park.
The presentation included details relating to:
- Ensuring accessibility for those who need this consideration;
- A boat ramp and launch facility;
- Nighttime lighting for safety and security
- Fencing and bridge use where needed to ensure good traffic flow
- bylaw enforcement and monitoring to ensure safety and security in the park
Councilor Brenner emphasized that the park is a publicly-owned facility the city intends to develop into all-year-round use.
Ward 2 Councilor Mara Nagy, one of the guests attending the Town Hall, announced two events being planned for the ‘off-season months,’ a “Fall Fling” event for two weekends in October and a “Winter Wonderland” event for mid-winter.
Audience guests queried issues regarding parking and homeless persons relating to the park to which Councilor Brenner responded specifically and with clarity. Parking would be regulated with designated areas and city permits, with no plans for greater expansion unless necessary. As to possible use by the homeless, he described how the one incident so far was managed by the city with sensitivity and appropriate care using social service professionals to ensure the individual was treated properly and respectfully and the situation was resolved.
To the question of open fires in the park and on the beach, Brenner emphasized that the bylaw forbids the use of any open fires. Bonfires and flamed barbecues are specifically banned. He stated that Durham police regularly patrol the park both during the day and evening to ensure that it is being used properly.
Fairport Beach Association: History and Endeavours
Paul White, president of the Fairport Beach Association, and the second presenter at the Town Hall, examined the history and endeavours of the Fairport Beach Association.
The Fairport Beach Association is a neighbourhood alliance of interested local residents volunteering to work on the development and continual improvement of the public aspects of the area. It has been an ongoing and active operation for many decades and is involved in a variety of community endeavours: food banks, land donation for public use, monetary donations to regional hospitals, financial support of the city animal services department, and more.
White emphasized that the 100-year history of the area has seen it transition from being cottage country to its current use as a publicly owned and popularly used recreational facility.
As Brenner underlined, the city is indebted to these neighbourhood associations, particularly the Fairport Beach Association, for such passionate dedication to the ongoing development and improvement of living in the City of Pickering.
The Town Hall was a pleasant evening of information dissemination, commentaries and opinions expressed by local residents. The setting was idyllic, the weather ‘made to order.’
Councilor Maurice Brenner and President Paul White are to be commended for the particularly informative and engaging evening.
The next Town Hall, (subject to confirmation) will be held Sept 25 at the Chestnut Community Centre of Pickering.
