Canal beach, Christmas lights motions on city council’s agenda
A beach on the Welland Recreational Canal, a sidewalk on Woodlawn Road, new access to the recreational waterway, bylaw officers working weekend shifts, and downtown Christmas decorations are some of the motions being brought before Welland city council tonight. At a previous council meeting, Ward 3 Coun. John Chiocchio put forward a motion asking that city staff investigate and put a conceptual plan together to develop a beach and water sport park at the Lincoln Street docks and scuba dive park. Chiocchio’s motion also says that costs associated with the project include municipal funding, grants available through both provincial and federal funding, and stakeholders who may want to participate. He asks that if approved, the project be executed by next summer. Another motion put forward by the councillor asks that staff prepare a report for council consideration regarding re-establishing Christmas lights and decorations throughout the downtown core for the 2017 holiday season. Ward 4 Coun. Pat Chiocchio wants staff to prepare a report on the potential of creating an economical pedestrian pathway to provide access to the Welland Recreational Canal for residents in the St. Lawrence and Lancaster drives area of the city. With Welland striving to be a walkable and accessible community that promotes public health and safety, Ward 1 Coun. Mark Carl is asking that city staff to work with Niagara Region staff to develop a report on installing sidewalks on Woodlawn Road between Clare Avenue and South Pelham Road. He asks that a report come back to council before 2018 budget deliberations begin. Ward 6 Coun. Bonnie Fokkens asks, in her notice of motion, that staff review the requirement and costs for having bylaw officers work weekends with minimum cost effect to the city budget, and that it be included in 2018 budget considerations.