ATV club seeks routes to connect trails
The Peterborough County Trails ATV Club is asking councillors to allow its members’ four-wheelers and side-by-sides on some sections of county roads to better connect trails in the east end of the county.
Weity Hamersma, the president of the group formerly known as the Havelock and District ATV Club, spoke to county councillors Wednesday before members chose to have public works staff investigate the request.
He asked for a one- or two-year bylaw that would be revisited in the future “because our club is committed for the long haul.”
The club has the support of residents on the affected roads – eight of them were on hand – as well as backing by the Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Chamber of Commerce, Hamersma said.
The proposal, which includes sections of county roads 48, 46, 52 and 504, would link trails between the Ottawa Valley and “north country,” council heard.
Coun. Jim Martin, the deputy mayor of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen Township, had nothing but good things to say about the club and its proposal. “It’s a good thing.”
Coun. Bev Matthews noted there have been “no problems whatsoever” with ATV clubs in Trent Lakes, where she is mayor. “They are good people and they contribute to economic development.”
The timing is good to revisit the issue, as it has been two years since the county bylaw governing ATV use was reviewed, engineering and design manager Peter Nielsen.
Speed limit reduction in
The speed limit on an 1.8-kilometre section of County Road 620 west of Glen Alda will soon drop to 60 km/h from 80 km/h.
County councillors approved a recommendation to do so by staff who analyzed the stretch of road in North Kawartha Township.
One factor in the recommendation is that the layout of the road compromised three entrances to private properties, Nielsen said.
Different options were reviewed, including geometric improvements that were quickly ruled out because of their high cost, he said.
The OPP indicated the area has no history of collisions, but staff speed monitoring found many motorists speeding at about 95 km/h in both directions, Nielsen said.
The area is designated a settlement area in the county’s Official Plan and staff are also hoping to encourage growth there, he said.
The measure is a “no-brainer,” said Coun. Rick Woodcock, the mayor of North Kawartha. “I’m very pleased to see action being taken.”
Surface treatment
County councillors awarded a $960,579.80 contract Wednesday for road surface treatment to Royel Paving, a division of CRH Canada Group Inc.
The $911,735 deal includes HST and provisional items amounting to $48,844.80.
Miller Paving and Duncor Enterprises submitted higher bids for the work on county roads 11, 12, 44 and 54, as well as cross culverts, fog sealing and pavement markings.
Commissioner named
Newmarket-area lawyer Robert J. Swayze was awarded a contract to become Peterborough County’s integrity commissioner Wednesday.
Municipalities are required to do so as per new provincial legislation, purchasing co-ordinator Chris Allen explained.
No local lawyers bid on the work.