And that's all for tonight! We have adjourned. I hope my head fits through the door after that compliment from Coun. Riel. Off to write! Thank you for following along this evening.
Coun. Keith Riel is now giving a shout out to the musicians who performed at Peterborough Performs for last week at Showplace as part of the United Way's 2025 campaign. I will say I too was blown away and it was an honour to play there with VANCAMP among so many talented musicians in this city!
Coun. Kevin Duguay is now speaking about a three hour tour of the city's water treatment plant and highlights the professionalism of staff at the facility.
Leal says he wants to respond to a CBC transportation expert who seemingly referred to Peterborough as a "backwater" and says he needs to pushback against this. "The question should never be why Peterborough, it should be why not Peterborough," Leal says.
Mayor Leal is speaking now to last week's Alto high-speed train open house. Specifically he highlights the large turn out of about 700 people over two sessions and the professionalism and preparedness of Alto staff.
We're now on to new business: Coun. Lachica is giving a shoutout to multiple arts and culture events which have taken place over the past month, including ReFrame Film Festival, Black History Month, and New Stages.
The motion passes 7-2 with Councillors Vassiliadis and Beamer voting against.
Beamer asks Boland if he would be able to stop and amend the pilot program if there is pushback from residents midway through? Boland responds that they wouldn't want to stop the program mid-way through.
Beamer is saying that people in the Parklands are strongly opposed to this and asks Boland if there are others against the program and if consultants had considered other areas that could be substituted. The answer seems to be no. Beamer says he'll oppose this due to his constituents' concerns.
He says that one of the major concerns of residents in the subdivision is the fact that parking on both sides of the streets makes buses and garbage trucks to pass and many need to back up. Residents have been opposed to this, he says, due to the narrow streets.
Coun. Beamer is now speaking, saying he supports it, and many have been asking for it. He says he is concerned with the fact that Parklands subdivision is unique as it was approved as a "pedestrian friendly" subdivision. The focus was on accessibility and less on vehicles.
Crowley asks if this might include direct mail to residents, and whether the city has the budget for it. Boland says that's a consideration and they would be able to.
Coun. Crowley is asking how residents will be alerted to the fact that they live in an area covered by one of the three zones included in the pilot program. Acting director of capital planning, Ian Boland says it will include media releases, social media, etc.
The zones were determined based on staff's direction during the contracting process to come forward with three zones, according to transportation planning manager, Robert Dunford. They wanted a mixture of old builds and new subdivisions, he explains.
Now on the main motion concerning the on-street parking permit pilot program, Coun. Keith Riel is asking how these zones were determined as, again, it seems there was no consultation with councillors before this report came forward.
Lachica's amendment that staff bring the results of the pilot program back to council passes unanimously 9-0.
Coun. @alexbierk.bsky.social is saying that "it would be nice for councillors to be able to see the results" of any pilot program, as, again, there was no consultation with councillors prior to the submission of this project's plan. Staff say that this is doable and they would be happy to.
Coun. @joylachica.bsky.social is moving an amendment to the motion on the on-street parking permit program, which would request staff bring forward the results of the 12-month pilot program (set to begin at the end of this month) for council consideration.
Bierk's amendment loses 3-6 with Bierk getting support from Councillors Don Vassiliadis and Matt Crowley voting in favour.
The motion will now read that staff "will consider" extending the one area as per Bierk's motion. Mayor Leal is now speaking about how closely the federal government is auditing and keeping track of HAF funding across the country. "We cannot afford to lose one dollar," he says.
Coun. Bierk says again that it's "a very reasonable amendment" and only extends the existing zone by a couple of blocks. Coun. Gary Baldwin asks for clarification about whether this is an ask of staff or a direction. Bierk says he'll amend it to make it a request to see if it's possible.
Coun. Beamer asks if council can vote on the first motion from Coun. Bierk first. Speaking to Bierk's amendment, Coun. Kevin Duguay says that this is a pilot project and there is currently no zone for his Ward. "This is time sensitive and I do not want to jeopardize the housing accelerator fund."
Now, Coun. Joy Lachica is introducing an amendment to the amendment...specifically seeking that before any final program is implemented based on the 12-month pilot program, that there is a review by council of all areas included in the program.
Bierk adds that he wishes the consultant as well as staff spoke to councillors and sought their input as they are the "subject matter experts" on problem areas as their field the complaints from residents. "As a councillor, it would have been nice to provide that feedback," he says.
Bierk adds that he understands there are different needs across different areas and where there are serious problems with people parking on side streets in the hopes of making this a successful pilot. "I'm frustrated to hear that we don't have time to make these changes," Bierk adds.
Staff also warn that this is part of the city's commitment under the housing accelerator fund and must be implemented by the end of this month, so any delay is no advisable. Bierk says "he might be naive" but it's only a couple of blocks that he is referring to.
He is proposing a fourth area of study for the project, which would include the areas between Weller to McDonnel, Murray and Hopkins Ave. Staff are now explaining that "it's not as simple as just drawing a line on a map" and the consultant did a lot of work in planning this out.
We're now on to the on-street parking permit pilot program. Coun. Alex Bierk is speaking to this report, which he says he supports, but says that there hasn't been a real opportunity for councillors to provide input.
A representative from Baker Tilly is presenting on the Peterborough Utilities Commission's (PUC) final financial report from the period of Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1 - March 31, 2025, as the organization was dissolved and authority transferred to the city. The commission has received a clean audit.
Two items on tonight's agenda have been approved on consent, meaning councillors will not discuss them this evening: Community Project and Investment Grants, and the Annual Drinking Water Summary. There is still an opportunity to delegate next week at council before these decisions are ratified.
