Tillsonburg council news in brief

Jeff Helsdon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A sweet donation

A letter from Schep’s Bakery Ltd. to the Town of Tillsonburg requesting a town logo made council members aware of the new industry’s plan to donate 4,500 invidiually wrapped Stroopwafel cookies to attendees at the annual Santa Claus parade.

Surplus allocation

Tillsonburg council followed Director of Finance Renato Pullia’s recommendations in allocating the $2.2 million surplus from 2024.

The breakdown of the allocations was: employment reserve, $1.25 million; asset management reserve, $197,150; cemetery reserve, $90,493; facility infrastructure reserve, $180,338; fire department equipment reserve, $57,290; fleet and equipment reserve, $121,834; police reserve, $4,614; and tax rate stabilization reserve, $347,292.

Potter’s Gate Park

Town council recommended the development of a park in the Potter’s Gate subdivision be included in the 2026 budget.

The developer transferred a piece of land on Beretta Street to the town, along with a $112,000 payment in lieu of parkland.

Director of Recreation, Culture and Parks Andrea Greenway told council at the Oct. 27 meeting that the town’s master plan states there should be parkland within 800 meters of residences.

“Currently, this subdivision doesn’t have one in that distance,” she said.

Coun. Kelly Spencer said she has heard from people in that subdivision of a need for a park.

“A park would be beneficial for the people in this area,” she said.

Deputy Mayor Dave Beres shared that as the subdivision grew, he has seen youth running across the street to play on the grass on the church property, which he didn’t consider safe.

Horticultural society agreement extended

Council approved extending the memorandum of understanding with the Tillsonburg Horticultural Society.

Through the agreement, which expires on Dec. 31, the society has maintained many gardens in town, including Annandale House, the Broadway parkette and more.

“The work that is done by this volunteer group is absolutely awesome in this town,” said Coun. Bob Parsons.

The new memorandum of understanding extends the agreement for three years.

Cleaning contracts extended

Contracts for cleaning several town facilities were extended for one year.

Staff recommended exercising a one-year optional contract extension with two cleaning contractors. According to a staff report, cleaning duties for the customer service centre, corporate offices, public works, fire station, police station, and Annandale National Historic Site are shared between Cheema Cleaning Service and Horizon Maintenance.

Council endorsed the recommendation for the extension.

Council to look at alternative physician model

Town council endorsed a motion for a staff report to look at a model used by Colwood, B.C., where the municipality operates the physician clinic, and its possible application in Tillsonburg.

The motion, from Coun. Kelly Spencer, referred to the “municipally-led initiative to directly employ family physicians and operate a clinic model that is designed to be revenue- and cost-neutral, to the municipality and no additional cost to the tax payers,” and suggested a report for a partnership-based clinic, including municipal leasing of clinic space and employment of physicians and support staff, funding sources, an implementation plan and possible collaborations with the Ministry of Health. The completed report would then be forwarded to the town’s Community Health Care Advisory Committee, the MPP and Minister of Health.

“With more doctors retiring on the horizon in the next couple of years, many folks are driving hours to get to their old offices where they used to live,” Spencer said after the motion was read. “Many are still unrostered and there will be more and the needs of our town won’t be met.”

She said such a model would be cost neutral and it would be in the best interest of the community to explore it.

Coun. Chris Rosehart asked if town staff would oversee such a facility, if it was implemented. CAO Kyle Pratt said it would fall under the manager of innovation’s portfolio, but wasn’t sure of the exact details of the Colwood model.

“I’m not sure what the financial implications would be to the town,” he said.

Town to look at Saturday parking limits

Tillsonburg staff will look at two-hour parking limits on Saturday in the downtown.

Coun. Chris Rosehart, who presented the motion, said, “If you’re downtown shopping, you’re parked downtown, you stop to get a bite to eat and you’re two hours is up before you know it, then your walk back to your car and you have a ticket.”

Coun. Bob Parsons said the two-hour parking lot has been in place for years.

“It assists a business by making sure the patrons, potential customers, have a chance to come and go,” he said, adding the resulting report should be referred to the BIA for comment.

Rosehart agreed the restriction has always been there, but people didn’t used to get tickets on weekends before.

Coun. Kelly Spencer asked if there is a retail study of the downtown, noting Saturday seems to be the busiest day for shopping.

Development Commissioner Cephas Panschow confirmed there is traffic data and Saturdays are the busiest day.

“What’s different is we don’t have 4,000 people coming downtown to work on the weekend,” he said.

Former school to be sold

The former Elliot Fairburn School will soon be for sale.

Located at 31 Earle Street, the facility was declared surplus in 2019 when it was thought that PeopleCare would locate a long-term care facility there. Since PeopleCare relocated to Maple Lane, Development Commissioner Cephas Panschow recommended selling the property to avoid long-term maintenance costs.

The property has been leased to the OPP for a training facility since it was purchased by the town nearly two decades ago. The current lease to the OPP extends to 2029, and could possibly transferred to a new owner.

Coun. Chris Rosehart questioned if the OPP were informed of the possible sale, and was told this had occurred.

Council endorsed the recommendation to proceed with the sale.

Town looks at municipal right of way bylaw

Municipal right of way

Council sent a staff report to look at a possible municipal right of way bylaw back for more work before being passed.

The municipal right of way is the portion on any property which is owned by the town as access for sidewalks or utilities. Up to this point, issues with the right of way have been dealt with without the presence of a formal bylaw.

A staff report suggested establishing a formal bylaw.

Deputy Mayor Dave Beres asked if water sprinklers were on the right of way if there should be an encroachment permit.

Chief Building Official Geno Vanhaelewyn answered that there should be a permit, which costs $50. With further questioning from Mayor Deb Gilvesy, Vanhaelewyn explained town staff needs to know the location of sprinkler systems in case there is digging in the area.

Coun. Chris Rosehart asked about provisions potentially restricting running pool water on the right of way, asking where it should be run. Vanhaelewyn said there have been some issues with pool water and it should be dechlorinated before it hits the catch basin.

Coun. Chris Parker raised concerns about the use of skateboard and scooters in municipal right of ways.

The report was referred back to staff to allow investigating the definition and restrictions of “leisure equipment,” clarity on snow accumulation placement, the responsibility for property restitution, the regulations on mud tracking, the requirements for draining chlorinated pool water and the encroachment permit requirements.

Community centre safety review

The Tillsonburg Community Centre received passing marks in a safety review of the facility by the OPP through a Safeguard Assessment.

Julie Dawley, Recreation Programs and Service Manager, said the review found areas that security was being management effectively and also contained suggestions for improvements.

One suggestion was to install security gates as there is currently no way to lock off some areas of the building that are closed while other parts of the building are open. For instance, Dawley said when events are occurring, people could wonder down into the new wing.

“For security’s sake, it might be nice to lock it off,” she said.

The report also suggested an increase in the number of security cameras, installing concave mirrors at blind corners, adding syringe disposal in the washroom, locking dumpsters and other measures.