Norfolk to continue providing security at Talbot Gardens

Alan Duthie, Ward 5 Councillor

Luke Edwards

Advocate Correspondent

After some sober second thought, Norfolk councillors decided to continue offering security services at Talbot Gardens.

They made the decision at the April 23 council meeting, approving a motion put forward by Coun. Alan Duthie that calls for a security guard to be hired for up to 36 hours a week through the summer and into the upcoming hockey season. His motion was similar to a recommendation at the April 8 council-in-committee meeting that was defeated.

Duthie brought up issues at the arena back in the winter. At that time stories of kids coming across drug paraphernalia or finding people in arena bathrooms who appeared to have just taken drugs caused council to approve a security guard on an emergency basis.

The April 8 recommendation would have seen a security guard hired for Talbot Gardens beginning in the fall and continuing through the hockey season, while council would also receive a more fulsome report on options to consider ahead of 2026 budget deliberations.

It was defeated, though staff was directed to continue working with user groups and report back to council, including the consideration of user fees.

“We were aware of the problem, we instituted a solution for a period of time. Admittedly when we did it, it was meant to be temporary,” said Duthie.

“But then we chose not to renew it because we didn’t want to spend the money on it.”

Coun. Kim Huffman said some sober second thought following the committee meeting convinced her of the need to provide security at the arena throughout the year whenever youth are accessing the facility.

“I feel very strongly that it is the responsibility of council, this is a community issue, it’s a community concern and we need to show leadership in our community,” she said.

A petition signed by more than 150 people, as well as a presentation from a community member at the April 23 meeting likely helped.

“It’s just too high of a risk for one child to make that fatal mistake of picking up something… I just couldn’t live with it,” said Coun. Linda Vandendriessche, referring to the possibility of a child picking up used drug paraphernalia and putting themselves at risk.

While he understood the need for a guard at the arena, Coun. Adam Veri maintained his position that it wasn’t a taxpayer issue, but instead a user issue.

“I don’t believe it’s something we pass onto the taxpayers,” he said, offering several other examples where the county insists the costs of an increase in service be borne by the users.

Despite moving forward with a guard at the arena, councillors are still asking for a report back from staff before the next budget deliberations. Security issues have been raised at other county-owned buildings, including the administration building and the Simcoe branch of the Norfolk County Public Library. 

The costs for the guard continuing the rest of the year are unclear. Councillors worded the motion to approve up to 36 hours a week to give staff flexibility. Bill Cridland, general manager of operations, said he wasn’t sure how much a guard would be needed in the summer, but suggested it would be significantly less than 36 hours a week.