Body rub parlour, fire hall on city council agenda

County courthouse, Cavan Monaghan policing to also be discussed at meeting

A proposal by a company looking to open an adult body rub parlour on The Kingsway is back before city council Monday night.

Council has already given preliminary approval for a rezoning that would allow the business to operate in the area, which is largely an industrial park.

The owner of the proposed spa business has told council that seminude attendants would be touching clients and listening to them talk.

City police requires this sort of business to be located in industrial areas. In April, city planner Caroline Kimble, who recommended the rezoning, told councillors the idea is to add a permitted use to the current industrial zoning to allow the business to open.

A city staff report to council recommended the rezoning, stating body rub parlours are permitted in Peterborough with special zoning.

The public can speak to council about the proposed rezoning Monday. The virtual meeting begins at 6 p.m. and can be seen under “Watch Council” at peterborough.ca.

Northcrest Arena

Also on the agenda: Final ratification of a decision to demolish Northcrest Arena to prepare the site for a new fire station.

That decision met with unanimous approval at a city council meeting April 12. The new station would replace the existing fire hall on Centre Line at Carnegie Avenue.

The $10.9-million cost would be partially covered through a $5-million federal loan and $750,000 in grant funding, council heard.

County courthouse

Council will be asked to ratify the decision to grant heritage designation to the historic Peterborough County courthouse

property.

The property, located in the city but owned and operated by the county, had never had historical designation. When an unnamed developer made an offer to purchase the property, the city stepped in to give the building heritage designation. This would also apply to Victoria Park and the park located behind the courthouse on the old jail site.

Policing

City council will be asked to approve a plan to submit a proposal for a new long-term contract to offer policing in the adjacent township of Cavan Monaghan.

The city police service has been patrolling the community since 2015, with the contract set to expire in 2020. It was extended a year, and is due to run out Oct. 1.

The city originally indicated it was not interested in continuing the arrangement, but the township then received a quote from the Ontario Provincial Police and talks with the city resumed.

The OPP proposal indicates an annual charge of $1,575,398 (including a startup cost of $125,976 for vehicle and equipment costs).

That’s $196,377 more than the city would charge. A staff report to council states that the township would pay $1,319,021 for policing from Jan. 1 to Oct. 1 this year.

Rink/Olive

Up for final approval Monday is $257,017 in incentives for an affordable housing project being built at Rink Street and Olive Avenue, near Del Crary Park. Ashburnham Realty’s new project would be a six-storey, 64-unit building with affordable rents. The company has begun razing 10 homes on the block to make room for the new building.

Council has considered waiving $257,017 in municipal fees for the project, which is receiving financing under a federal program that requires at most a 20 per cent reduction on market rents.