Mayor Ashe’s COUNCIL MEETINGS SUMMARY – March, 2025
Hey Pickering,
It’s Mayor Kevin Ashe and here’s some of the monthly reach out to our council meetings. It’s last night’s meeting at March 24th, I’d like to update you on.
Pickleball news
One of the things I hear a lot about is taxes and another thing I hear a lot is pickleball. And I was able to open a new pickleball facility here in our city center at the ‘Shops at Pickering’ City Center. Private sector investment in this great sport. Six courts opened on Friday evening. We also need as a city council determination to alter the arrangements at Shadybrook Park and we’ll be moving the current four pickleball courts to to Princess of Wales. We’ll be investing over a million dollars and six new door courts which hopefully will be up and running in the summertime.
O’Canada anthem playing
We had the nitty bitty gritty part of government and that’s the procedural bylaw. That’s how we operate our council meetings. And we made a determination to play O’Canada at our council meetings. Our country is under attack and we’re getting a new sense of patriotism and our sovereignty must be defended and what better than to play O’Canada before council meetings. And that was passed on a six to one vote.
Buy Canadian
We also received a letter from Uxbridge indicating that they’ve entered into a new initiative buy Canadian policy and Councilor Butt and Councilor Brenner are working on Pickering’s very own buy Canadian policy and again that passed on a six to one vote.
Anti-litter campaign
The education of our cities very important to me. We have great outdoor spaces. Parks, our waterfront trails and we have undertaken an anti littering campaign that will be happening over the coming months. I think it’s very , important that we all take personal responsibility for our refuge, our garbage and beautification of our streets, parks and waterfront.
Dubarton pool repair
We also have invested some money in some emergency repairs that the Dunbarton pool to the roof and that will be happening over the summer months. So it’s ready for next winter. We hope to have the pool up and running and remain open over the local for those very many months.
Pickering Forward
And finally we received the retail market survey which is part of the prelude to the official plan for Pickering Forward and the need to protect commercial space and retail space here in our city center, south part of Pickering as well as make it grow in our Seaton and northern communities.
Ajax attack incident
And finally I want to offer a note of support for the unfortunate circumstances that happened in the Ajax over the course of the weekend, whether there was an unprovoked attack at the Ajax library. This is very close to home and let me say and be crystal clear that one’s race, one’s identity, one’s faith should not result in a targeted attack. And we’re better than that and I’m offering my prayers and support for the family, to the friends and to the whole community in regards to the impacts of this unprovoked attack. [See -> AJAXLIBRARY ]
That’s it for this month folks. If you need to reach out to me email mayor@pickering.ca. Questions or comments about the services customer care at pickering.ca. Thank you and I appreciate the opportunity to share with you this update and thanks for watching. Thank you.
