Parry Sounds ~ Ideas and Opinions, In and Around Parry Sound

2017-05-15 9:00 PM: The original post has been edited to correct and expand certain points based on additional information received in the past 24-hours related to the purchase of property at 3 Bay Street. The original text remains with a strikethrough. The new text is underlined.

This week’s council meeting has a few items that caught my attention. There is correspondence (4.1) as well as deputations (5.1 & 5.2) directed to the activities of the Parry Sound Downtown Business Association. This is consistent with Council’s recent request for an update on the DBA’s plans and actions.

I have made a few comments on the south end Park to Park Trail agenda item (9.1.2). In a related matter, there was a short mention in the Staff R&R that the extension of Parry Sound Road to Oastler Park Drive feasibility study was “put on temporary hold”. The issue of deprioritizing the Parry Sound Road extension was discussed at the last meeting of Council, but no background was provided for the delay beyond that it was a closed session topic. This road extension would be a necessary improvement to support a casino in Parry Sound, so one would wonder if the casino is on the back burner. Some information may be revealed at the Town’s Review and Prioritization of the Town’s Strategic Plan on May 30 starting at 6:00 (Town Office).

I also offer some comments on the Town’s Park Management and Maintenance Plan that might be worth a look if you are interested in the Stockey Centre (9.2.3).

The Town continues to buy up property along the harbour waterfront, in this case the property between the OPP/Service Ontario building and Big Sound Marina (9.5.1). This is the same property as was originally labeld as the Darlington Boathouse. The price being paid is $862,000 which is consistent with the value as assessed by MPAC. An interesting clause in the resolution states that the funds for the purchase, which are taken from the Legacy Fund, will be repaid to the fund should the property be resold. Taken together with the recent purchase of the Darlington boathouse property, and the With the Feds divesting Big Sound Marina, it appears that there may be some near term commercial development planned for this section of the waterfront. When I asked the Town for additional information on the purchase of the Darlington property my request was shot down with the statement that the documents are confidential and would not be provided to me. Something’s going on and it’s a secret. Shhhh! The Town has released to the Public and posted to Town’s website today a copy of the announcement of the Darlington Boathouse purchase that was released to media outlets last month, but not to the Public. Here’s a link to the press release at the Town’s website.

Correspondence

4.1 – Dan DiNicolo, Business Owner. Suggestions regarding the operation of the Downtown Business Association

4.4 – Phillis M. Drury, resident. Questions about naming an island on Georgian Bay.

Deputations

5.1 – Daryl McMurray, President, Susan Hyrcyna, Executive Administrator, Parry Sound Downtown Business Association. Update on DBA’s activities regarding the Downtown Sustainability Report

5.2 – Dan DiNicolo, Business Owner. Suggestions regarding the operation of the Downtown Business Association

5.3 – Bill Parks, President of the South Seguin Snow Mobile Club and Vice-President of the Board for the Park to Park Trail Association. Park to Park Trail south end blockage.

Resolutions and Direction to Staff

9.1.1 – CN Station Sale. Resolution. That Council accepts the offer from Umair Ahmed Sharif for the purchase of the C.N. Station and property located at 1 Station Road, Parry Sound, in the amount of $100,500.00, this purchase offer being the highest offer of three offers received through Royal Lepage; and Further, that Council directs staff to retain the services of a solicitor to prepare the final Agreement of Purchase and Sale; and Further, that the net proceeds from the sale be placed in the Capital Asset Legacy Reserve fund.
We knew this was in the works. Lets hope the property gets the attention and investment that it deserves. It’s worth noting that the property had an MPAC assessed value of $277,000, and that number was the basis of the Chamber of Commerce’s rental agreement. It seems someone was paying too much.

9.1.2 – Park to Park Trail South End Blockage. Resolution. That in response to concerns from the Park to Park Trail Association and OFSCA regarding potential encroachment (allegedly created by Rona in Parry Sound) of municipal property known as the Parry Sound Colonization Road, and specifically the road allowance on or next to Lot 147, Concession A, West Parry Sound District, staff undertake to have a survey completed of where the most southerly points of the RONA property meet the Town’s road allowance; and Further, that staff take appropriate action to ensure free and clear occupancy of the property.
A note to Staff – black and white map of 09.1.2-ATT#1 sure is confusing. What is labeled as Highway 69 is now Bowes Street.  Are you sure that the original trail, the old colonization road, shouldn’t actually follow the dotted lines to what is now Oastler Park Drive, rather than head in from Bowes Street through what is now Rona?

9.2.3 – Parks Management and Maintenance Plan. Resolution. That Council approve the Parks Management and Maintenance Plan, per Schedule “A” attached.
This is a very comprehensive plan of action that is to be commended. There is one very obvious oversight – the Stockey Centre is not included on any of the plans. And it shows when you visit the Stockey Centre. The inside of the concert hall is first class while the grounds look like a former oil tanker field. The reason for why Waubuno Beach looks so much better is that the Stockey Centre is a non-union facility, and as a result Town Staff will not work on the property. That means the Town is required to hire a private contractor to maintain the property. And because the Stockey Centre operates at a loss there is little interest in paying for anything more than the bare minimum. As the current leader of the free world would Tweet: “Sad”.

9.4.1 – Service Line Warranty of Canada Program – Privacy Statement. Resolution. That Council for the Town of Parry Sound approve the Water & Sewer Account Privacy Statement and Notice of Collection, attached as Schedule “A”.
The cost is $73/year sewer, $64/year water, indoor plumbing $73/year. You can apparently choose one or more of the services. You may also want to check with local plumbers, or your insurance company, to see if they are able to offer similar warranty coverage. It’s better to buy local, but it may not be an option.

9.5.1 – Funding Land Purchases – Capital Asset Legacy Reserve Fund. Resolution. That Council hereby approves the use of $862,000 from the Capital Asset Legacy Reserve Fund for the purchase of properties located at 3 Bay Street; and Further, that any proceeds recognized on the disposal of said property up to $862,000 shall first be used to replenish the Capital Asset Legacy Reserve Fund.
This is the property between the OPP Station and the Big Sound Marina. It’s currently being used by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. This is the Darlington Boathouse property that was previously approved for purchase by Council and is also referred to as 3 Bay Street.

9.5.2 – Provincial Offences Act (POA) Write-offs. Resolution. That Council for the Town of Parry Sound, hereby approves the write-offs for the Provincial Offences Act Court outlined in Schedule “A” attached.
The amount in question is about $220,000 and it is from the 1991-1995 era. See, it pays to ignore those fines. Going forward the Town may be able to apply a little more pressure on those who refuse to pay their Provincial Offense Act fines by denying these folks the ability to renew their vehicle license plate registration.

By-laws

10.2.1 – Request for Deeming by-law – 22 Victoria Avenue and Lot 12 of Plan 123. By-law 2017 – 6739. Being a by-law to deem certain lots in the Town of Parry Sound not to be part of a registered Plan of Subdivision (MacDonald – 22 Victoria Avenue).

10.2.2 – Rezoning Application – Z/17/3 – 24 Addie Street (Habitat for Humanity). Consent Application – B/5/2017 (Habitat for Humanity). By-law 2017 – 6740. Being a by-law to amend by-law 2004-4653 (The Zoning by-law), as amendment, for 24 Addie Street (Habitat for Humanity).
Resolution. That Consent Application No. B/5/2017(PS) – Habitat for Humanity, be supported subject to conditions of consent which require:

1. The payment of $2,677.00 for cash-in-lieu of parkland dedication.
2. That the applicant enter into a site plan agreement with the Town of Parry Sound which requires wooden privacy fence and the driveway construction as per Attachment #3. The Mayor and Clerk will be authorized to execute the agreement. That the property be successfully rezoned to ensure compliance with the Zoning bylaw; and
3. That the applicant be advised that each proposed lot requires individual water and sewer connections.

10.5.1 – Striking tax rates for fiscal year 2017. By-law 2017 – 6742. Being a bylaw to Strike the Tax Rates for Municipal Purposes for the Year 2017.

10.5.2 – Business Improvement (BIA) Levy by-law – Downtown Business Area. By-law 2017 – 6736. Being a by-law to Adopt the Estimates of the Board of Management of the Downtown Parry Sound Business Improvement Area and to Strike the Tax Rate Thereon for the Year 2017.

I was out of town for the last meeting of Council and watched it later on YouTube. That was great and I offer my thanks to Staff and Council for making the meeting proceedings available online. I do have a couple of suggestions:

1. Increase the volume of the audio on the feed. It’s too low.
2. Councillor Borneman needs to speak a little closer to the microphone. The same goes for Ms. Middaugh. The other councillors came through loud and clear.

No need to improve the video, it isn’t great, but it’s more than adequate. What is important is the audio, and it needs some fine tuning.

I’m going to catch this week’s meeting in person. The deputations should be interesting.

Our Parry Sound