Sidewalk
The recommendation to Council that staff contact Tulloch Engineering and request a cost estimate for engineering a new sidewalk from the intersection of Highways 542 and 551, north as far as either the Mindemoya Hospital or the Sparrow’s Nest apartment building was accepted. “I think we have a duty here,” Councillor Stephens said. There are a lot of people walking here and I hope the MTO will allow us to do this. It would be great for our seniors.”
CAO/Clerk Ruth Frawley told Council that the MTO has been put on notice and noted that this is a new sidewalk and so has to be engineered. When Councillor Pat MacDonald asked which side of the road the sidewalk would go on, Ms. Frawley replied that the engineer will let council know which side is the best.
Councillor Dale Scott also spoke to this recommendation saying, “I think if we do the sidewalk, I think we have to watch who is doing the work. The boulevards were all done wrong. It wasn’t our project and now people suffer because of the access to buildings.”
Speed sign
Council accepted the recommendation that the municipality request that the speed sign coming into Mindemoya from the north on Highway 551, approximately 400 feet northeast of the intersection of Highway 551 and Ketchankookem Trail, be changed to 50 km per hour from the current 70 km per hour. Councillor MacDonald told Council that she had spoken to a few people about this change and the response was “Why wouldn’t we?”
Councillor Stephens also spoke in support, saying, “I am in that area quite a bit, there is lots of traffic, lots of close calls, you are on a corner. I think it is a real safety concern and it should be done.”
Unfinished business
In Unfinished Business, Council accepted By-law 2017-19 being a by-law to amend Section 8 of restricted area Zoning By-law 2002-07 to prohibit residential uses, in a Rural Zone, within 60 metres of the easterly lot line of Part Lot 26, Concession II, surveyed as part 2, Plan 31R-4099
Manor repairs
Councillor MacDonald informed Council that the HVAC system at Centennial Manor has to be replaced and it was decided that rather than put ongoing costs to the municipalities, there would be a capital one-time cost to Central Manitoulin Council of $20,000, which is their portion of the $93,000 costs allocated to Island municipalities. Councillor Scott asked about the total cost, which is $120,000. He also asked if there were any infrastructure grants that could be applied for and who does the research. Councillor MacDonald replied that Extendicare does the research and there are no grants available. Councillor Stephens made the motion to accept the recommendation which was then passed by Council.
