Harris keeps deputy mayor hat
Council also appointed members to 18 associations, boards and task forces
Notes from this week’s city council meeting…
St. Andrew’s Coun. Matt Harris has been named Deputy Mayor for 2019, continuing the role he’s had since 2017.
Harris was unopposed for the appointment on Monday, which would otherwise have been chosen in a secret ballot.
In addition to the deputy mayor position, council appointed members to 18 associations, boards and task forces.
They included a new nominating committee created to review the 32 applications received by the city after it put out a call for a citizen representative to sit on the board of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.
Port Dalhousie Coun. Bruce Williamson, who made many motions related to NPCA troubles over the last two years, was appointed to the committee along with fellow ward Coun. Carlos Garcia and Merritton Coun. Greg Miller.
Merritton Arena issues to be addressed
A working group focused on resolving outstanding issues at Merritton Arena is being established.
Merritton Coun. Greg Miller said the Merritton Lions Club, which helped build the arena and has been running it for decades, is operating without a lease. There are other issues with the ice time allocation policy as well.
“Coun. (Lori) Littleton and I have talked a lot about this with residents of Merritton, some of them are very concerned about it,” said Miller, who made the motion to create the working group to meet with Lions Club executives.
He said there’s opportunity with the two new ward councillors to get everyone to the table and start to resolve some of the operating issues out in the open, working closing with city staff and the Lions executive.
The working group will include Miller, Littleton and staff from parks, recreation and culture services and financial management services.
The group will report back to council with its progress by the end of March.
Policy for accessible playgrounds
The city is coming up with a new corporate policy for accessibility at playgrounds.
The policy will aim to ensure that future designs for city play spaces meet or exceed Niagara’s Facility Accessibility Design Standards by using the most appropriate materials and concepts available.
The design standards state playground surfaces will be firm, level, non-abrasive and drain rapidly and that areas below swings, slides and climbing structures will provide a safe landing surface.
St. Patrick’s Coun. Mat Siscoe, who made the motion after hearing concerns from a community member, said advances in current technology and materials provide municipalities with the opportunity to provide relevant and inclusive design options.
“I look forward in the new year to meeting about a new policy to come forward so that we can start to make sure that our parks are available and useable by all members of our community,” said Siscoe.
Director of parks, recreation and culture services Phil Cristi said the department could have the policy ready for council by the end of March.
Cristi said the department is proceeding with its next project in absence of a policy by taking that design approach already.
City staff will work with the city’s accessibility committee, social pillar committee and recreation facilities and programming master plan advisory committee to create the policy.
St. Catharines supports Oshawa
St. Catharines council is supporting Oshawa in its efforts to keep the General Motors Oshawa Assembly Plant open.
General Motors announced on Nov. 26 it would close the plant at the end of 2019, affecting more than 2,500 workers.
St. Catharines council endorsed and supported Oshawa city council’s Dec. 3 resolution on the importance of keeping the plant open. Oshawa city council has resolved that it is committed to working with GM and Unifor in order to keep the plant open. It requested support from several municipalities and organizations, including the Mayors Auto Caucus of which Mayor Walter Sendzik is a member.