The Orillia Hall of Fame, pickleball, poverty reduction, a potential Lightfoot Museum, and other issues are scheduled to be debated Monday’s council meeting at 2 p.m. at the Orillia Opera House.
Orillia Hall of Fame inductees
Four new people will be inducted into the city’s hall of fame to kick off Monday’s council meeting.
Chosen for achieving excellence and widespread recognition in their respective fields, this year’s inductees include Kenneth “Ken” Woodhouse, Gordon E. “Gord” Smith, Robert “Bob” Bowles, and William “Bill” Swinimer.
Prior to their induction, a reception will be held at Orillia City Centre at 12:30 p.m. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
Orillia Pickleball Club
The Orillia Pickleball Club will give a deputation to city council, bringing forward two requests to further the sport locally.
The club is requesting that pickleball be made an integral part of the city’s recreation master plan, and will also request funds to construct six new pickleball courts in the city next year.
Poverty reduction strategy
Council will consider developing a poverty reduction strategy in partnership with Lakehead University, which will include a request for up to $50,000 during the 2024 budget.
Should council support the idea, CAO Gayle Jackson and Coun. Janet-Lynn Durnford will work with Lakehead to develop the strategy, which may include the following:
- Assessing the city’s current poverty-reduction policies;
- Creating focus groups to gain insight into the experience of poverty in Orillia;
- Engaging community partners to create a long-term poverty reduction strategy;
- Identifying potential funding opportunities, and more
Council reports
Councillors Luke Leatherdale and Jay Fallis will each bring forward reports seeking council’s support for two separate initiatives.
Leatherdale is requesting council’s support to install a backless bench on the floating dock near the Orillia Waterfront Centre, and he will also seek support to resurface the walking path connecting Coldwater Road West to the corner of Park Street and Brant Street. With council’s support, both ideas will be discussed further during the 2024 budget deliberations.
Fallis is requesting that an additional $100,000 be added the city’s affordable housing reserve fund, on top of the $200,000 already allocated on an annual basis, and he also hopes to gain council’s support to reduce metered parking rates on Mississaga Street East and West Street North and South from $3 to $2.25 per hour.
Lightfoot working group report
In September, council created a working group to look into the possibility of bringing a Gordon Lightfoot Museum to the community, and on Monday city council will discuss the working group’s report.
The working group has met on a weekly basis, identified potential locations for a museum, developed a marketing pitch, and been in contact with the executors of the Lightfoot estate to determine the availability of Lightfoot memorabilia.
However, Lightfoot’s executors informed the working group that their primary focus has been managing the late folk legend’s estate, and they have not made a decision on any memorabilia at this time.
The working group has suggested bringing another report back to council once the legalities of the Lightfoot estate have been finalized.
Traffic calming
Between January 2018 and January 2023, 37 motor vehicle collisions have occurred at the Old Barrie Road and University Avenue intersection, with 42 total collisions taking place in the general area over that time.
City staff have recommended a number of traffic calming measures to improve safety in the area, including speed display signs, implementing a right-turn on red arrow for vehicles travelling westbound onto University Avenue, and adding intersection turning lines to help drivers stay in the proper lane while turning.
Council inquiries
Fallis will seek council’s support for a report on the feasibility of increasing snow removal on some of the city’s streets, including Julia Crescent, Brant Street between Park Street and West Street, West Street between Fittons Road and the downtown core.
Fallis has also requested the report provide an overview of the city’s plan to address increased snow removal coverage during extreme weather events.
Click here to see Monday's 140-page agenda and to read the associated reports.
The public is welcome to attend Monday's meeting at the Orillia Opera House. You can also watch the council meeting here, starting at 2 p.m.
