Ward 5 candidates focus on Northcrest, city issues
Fifth in a weekly series looking at Peterborough ward races
The Examiner has spent the last five weeks asking city council candidates, ward by ward, what they think are the biggest issues facing the city and their ward.
You've heard from candidates in wards 1-4 (Otonabee, Monaghan, Town, Ashburnham), and today we wrap up the series with a look at Ward 5, Northcrest.
While the other four wards each have five people running, Northcrest has only four, including its two incumbents, Dave Haacke and Andrew Beamer. They're being challenged by Zach Hatton (who ran for the local NDP provincian NDP nomination earlier this year) and Stephen Wright, who ran in Northcrest in 2014.
As in weeks past, we asked each candidate two questions: What's the key issue facing your ward, and what's the key issue facing the city? We asked them to answer, in writing, these questions in 250 words or less, and we present their responses here, unedited.
Haacke had not responded to our questions by Sunday evening.
Andrew Beamer What is the key issue facing your ward?
The key issue facing
Northcrest is traffic volume and speed on residential streets. We have to find a way to efficiently move traffic away from local streets and neighbourhoods. It is not good planning to continually have traffic speeding through our residential streets. Northcrest is the fastest growing area of the City - an area that is projected to double in the next 15 years. The traffic issue is only going to get worse over the years and it is critical that we deal with it. We need to complete the Chemong Road widening project, which is scheduled to begin in 2019. We need to continue to enhance intersections with turning lanes. 2019 will see the implementation of a Neighbourhood Traffic Calming Policy and a Traffic Signal Control Program, both of which will help reduce traffic speed and volume on residential streets. Council also needs to plan and build a North/South transportation link for our growing City.
What is the key issue facing the city?
The key issue facing Peterborough is managing growth and investment over the next 4 years. Over the next 4 years approximately 3,500 new homes will be built, the 407 extension will be completed, and new business and investment will occur at the Airport and at CleanTech Commons. This significant growth in our Community will attract new residents, business investment, much needed housing stock and many new jobs - all of which will benefit the community. With a housing crisis and a 1% vacancy rate we need to continue to focus on development and intensification while at the same time maintaining and upgrading our roads, infrastructure and City Services. With employment continuing to be a challenge we need to actively promote an atmosphere that encourages economic development, ensuring future prosperity and long-term sustainable jobs. The growth and investment that Peterborough will experience over the next 4 years will be a great opportunity to move this Community forward.
Zach Hatton What is the key issue facing your ward?
The greatest issue facing Northcrest Ward is traffic. Traffic on residential streets is putting our children, pedestrians, and cyclists in danger. The Parkway is on the minds of many, but I do not feel as though it is the best option for Peterborough. The economic and environmental impacts that will be the result of the Parkway is too detrimental to Peterborough citizens and our greenspace that I would not support the Parkway in its current form. That does not mean I am opposed to alternatives and other
options that could be discussed in the next council term. I would support reducing the speed limit on residential streets to 40 km/h from 50, and a reduction to 30 km/h near schools and parks for the safety of our children. People I talk to at the doors show major concerns for their children’s safety, this should not be the case in Peterborough. I am committed to serving you and your families and protecting our vulnerable. The cost of the Parkway will only raise taxes on you, and kill our greenspace, that is not the progressive city I wish to live in.
What is the key issue facing the city?
The biggest issue facing the City of Peterborough is housing and the affordability of our housing. This issue has become so far out of hand that not one solution can fix the massive issue. I have had many great conversations with residents about different ways to tackle housing. Giving developers incentives that require them to build affordable housing for the people of Peterborough and what they can afford is a good place to start. Driving down George St. I see a number of brownstone developments near Peterborough Square, if we get these spaces developed our downtown will be able to revitalize itself around housing and filling storefronts below. Another option we have is co-housing. Co-housing is a relatively new idea that if we bring to Peterborough, can deliver shelter to many people for lower costs. We also must ensure many different layout options at an affordable cost to accommodate the needs of the many different family dynamics Peterborough has.
Stephen Wright
What is the key issue facing your ward?
In short, the issues that are top of mind for many residents in Ward 5 include increasing traffic flow, diminished employment opportunities, the preservation of our natural/green spaces, and the post-PDI sale impact.
Residents in some parts of the Ward are frankly tired of the increasing heavy traffic flow on residential streets that were not designed to be major streets. They are ready for elected representatives to push forward on a solution that expands existing roadways without impinging on greenspaces.
Others have cited the lack of employment opportunities in the city as creating a nuanced problem for seniors. We have a shrinking tax base due to the lack of economic development and an exodus of educated adult children who had no choice but to leave Peterborough to find employment. We need to bolster economic development on more than a few fronts to keep more of our talent local and to build a stronger tax base.
Another key issue, which overlaps with the Ward and the City, is the overwhelming frustration I heard from many residents over how the PDI sale unfolded and that there are still just too many unanswered questions. One homeowner pointed out the likelihood of a 1% freeze on rates appears to be zero to zilch because PUC no longer has access to read water meters. He questioned if that meant PUC would have to absorb an administrative fee in order gain access to read the meters or if PUC will need to hire more staff to manually read water meters. This homeowner is a senior on a modest retirement income and a rate hike will impact his limited budget. There were many more insightful comments made on this issue in Ward 5 and it basically boils down to “bread & butter” issue for them. What is the key issue facing the city?
I think it’s fair to draw the conclusion many residents want a different approach to how City Council engages with the public. What I heard from people in my Ward, which is also echoed in the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce 2018 platform, is that doing business the “old way” will hinder our ability to move forward on critical issues like job creation, access to affordable housing, and improving and building infrastructure, etc. I put my name forward to run as a Ward 5 Councillor so that I can be one vote on the side of positive and progressive growth for Peterborough.