Latest / North Shore News / December 12th, 2024

Transcript

December 12th, 2024 · North Shore News

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Welcome to North Shore News and Interviews on Amherst Island Radio.
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Each week we keep you updated on newsworthy events, happenings, and conversations that
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we've had with people in the local community and beyond.
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Playlist Township Council voted to enact a new bylaw for food trucks in the area.
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The bylaw will see a merit-based system implemented for determining permit allocation and a no
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more limit on the number of trucks per park.
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On April 9th, Council directed staff to review the bylaw considering added protection to
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associated businesses and the allocation of park permits.
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Public and stakeholder consultation was conducted from October 25th to November 18th through
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a survey that saw 289 respondents.
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Based on the input, staff chose to implement a park permit allocation system that gives
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weight to the applicant's experience, the quality of their proposal, the food diversity
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seen on their menu, and their contributions to the community.
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The bylaw will also expand the number of park permits available.
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Currently, the Township has three parks available to lease for refreshment vehicle operators.
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Fairfield Park, Finkelshore Park, and Bath Centennial Park.
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Previously, there was only one refreshment vehicle permitted for each park.
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The new bylaw does not include this limitation.
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Staff have also identified Babcock Mills as a fourth suitable location and would be working
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through the year to identify any others.
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Staff are making a new application form and would receive applications until December
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31st each year.
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Councillor Lorna Willis, who opposed enacting the new bylaw at this time, noted policies
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from other municipalities.
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I looked at policies in some of our surrounding communities and they have exemptions that
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are, I think, quite practical for things like not-for-profit groups.
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I know on Amherst Island, the Women's Institute has a coffee cart that they often bring to
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events and I don't think they ever make more than $20.
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They wouldn't be really wanting a license and I know that service groups often have
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popcorn vehicles and things like that.
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In other municipalities, those not-for-profits and service groups are exempt.
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They've also specified exemptions for people under a certain age because lemonade stands
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happen and things like that.
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So I think that we might want to give some consideration to that.
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Willis noted her concerns with the merit-based system.
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We're asking, we're determining what menu diversity and innovation is and one of the
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things is you get the most points if you have menu items that come from multiple continents.
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So a Thai food truck or a Mexican food truck is going to score very lowly even though that
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might be a very popular addition to the township.
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And also I noticed that we're looking for, we're giving highest points for trucks that
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are sourcing 51% of their ingredients locally and I have experience in food services and
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51% is a very high number for buying locally.
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Basically, if you sell coffee, you're not going to get those points because we don't
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grow coffee in the area.
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So I'm just, I'm concerned that this needs another, another run through.
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Councillor Paul Proderick showed his support for the merit-based system but noted one
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difficult aspect.
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The fact that it's a merit-based system, I think we have to stick to that.
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That's the only way to do business as far as I'm concerned, as far as the menu, I guess
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that's a tough one.
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The market often will drive the menu and let's face it, people who are at the sous chef or
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wherever are often going from A to B and maybe in a hurry but you know, again, people with
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experience in the food services industry would probably, I hope, agree that it's hard
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to dictate, you know, what you can buy and where you can buy it but again, giving credit
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to those who have been in the community for a number of years with their vehicles and
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providing jobs for the teenagers probably in the summer and things like that.
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I think the merit system is the way we go.
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Owner and operator of Soup Chef at Fairfield Park in Amherstview, Manette Boudreau, explained
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one of her concerns about the draft by-law.
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Section 5.6 says that the operators of the park permits are responsible for waste removal
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each day now.
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I'm not sure how you regulate that because everyone uses the garbages in the park.
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People come with food from other food premises in Amherstview, food from Kingston, people
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have picnics in the park.
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So I don't know how that would be discerned whose garbage was whose for us to dispose
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of at the end of the day.
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So I was a little bit concerned about that in the proposal.
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Director of Community and Customer Services, Laurie McFarland, explained how garbage collection
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would work.
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In terms of the waste management concerns that were brought up, so the intent is that
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a receptacle near the refreshment vehicle would be the responsibility of the owner of
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the refreshment vehicle and that there wouldn't be any waste associated with the vehicle.
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So potato peelings or garbage that is generated by the vehicle that could be permitted to
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be put into the other waste receptacles within the park, but that the township staff would
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continue to pick up the waste from the receptacles within the park outside of the area where
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the refreshment vehicle operates.
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Boudreaux also brought up a possible amendment.
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Another thing was 7.9 says that no one applicant can have more than one permit.
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So to me that says that if, say Babcock Mill, there's no one in that position at the moment.
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Let's say no one applies for that.
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Could Scott, if he was at Finkel or I was at Fairfield, could we not operate a second
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truck in that spot?
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Because according to this it says we can't.
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So I'm just wondering if that could be amended to maybe in case someone wants to operate
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more than one in a spot that isn't being used at the moment.
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If there isn't a huge demand then maybe someone could operate more than one.
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Conta Raja explains the situation regarding multiple permits and the township's choice
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of wording.
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Regarding the number of park permits as per section 7.9 of the draft bylaw, it does say
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that one park permit per operator, but then it also says that if there's vacancies in
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park locations then subsequent park permits would be issued if that's the desire of the
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applicant.
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The reason that we have it written this way is because we want to make sure that there's
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diversity in food options in the community and obviously not create a monopoly for one
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operator over others.
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Conta Raja went on to explain how the selection process would work for applicants in search
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of multiple permits.
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The operators can apply through the application process, can indicate their preferred part
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of the park locations and if there are multiple applicants looking to establish their vehicles
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at the same park location then we would use the scoring system.
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Then the applicant that scores the highest using the scoring system would be given their
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number one pick.
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Then we would make sure that all the applicants in who've applied for the park locations are
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granted a park location if we have any available and then we would start allocating the second
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park permits for the operator.
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Willis made a note about taxes.
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I did look at what the property taxes are for some of the standalone food service locations
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bricks and mortar in the township and in a couple of cases those taxes aren't much higher
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than what the food trucks are paying in fees and the food trucks are also providing employment
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in the township so I think we need to be careful of disrespecting one type of business for
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another type of business.
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Willis went on to question one of the exemptions in the draft by law.
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It says that a license is not required for a refreshment vehicle operating on township
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and or private property and zones permitted under the zoning bylaw for a period of not
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more than three days in the calendar year with a valid license from another municipality
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within Kingston, South Frontenac or county of Lenox and Addington.
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Other policies that I've seen just refer to a valid license from another municipality
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because we're not identifying Napa Nihir for example.
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There may be vehicles that come from Gannonokway that come to the area for a period of time
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so just leaving it just another municipality may be something to consider.
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Willis went on to question a distance limitation and the wording chosen regarding the types
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of businesses.
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The 100 meter distance, how did or 120 meter distance from another food service and a couple
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of things with that.
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We're wondering why 120 meters, why did we determine that that's the right amount and
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also that you said that you've removed the condition that they be selling similar products.
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So you know for example a hamburger truck outside of a pizza place is not selling the
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same thing so what are we trying to protect there.
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Township clerk Ann Kantharaja explained the choices staff made and how they've changed
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the wording for the final form of the bylaw.
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The 120 meter rule came from the existing refreshment vehicle bylaw which states that
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no refreshment vehicle should operate within 120 meters of the business selling similar
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products just paraphrasing.
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The reason so that's where the 120 meter rule came from the current bylaw has that additional
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phrase within businesses that sell similar products and what staff are proposing right
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now is to remove that last phrase because it is subjective and this year in 2024 we
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were faced with some concerns on the interpretation of that phrase as the staff and members of
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the public interpreted that phase very differently and this is going back to the motion passed
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by council in April asking staff to review the current bylaw to protect existing businesses
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that employ residents and provide tax revenue.
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Councillor Carroll Parks showed her support for enacting the new bylaw.
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I brought this originally forward as a motion to review this due to some concerns that were
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raised about some situations that were happening in the village last summer so I think the
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basis of this is good and it's what we can work with.
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Willis noted why she would be voting against the motion.
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I can't support the motion because I think that there are too many details in this that
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need some revision and I think our good intentions are going to leave us with a bit of a mess.
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Contra Raja explained what would happen if council didn't accept the new bylaw before
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2025.
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If it's the intent of council to refer this back to staff for a second look what would
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happen tomorrow is that we would open the refreshment vehicle applications under the
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current bylaw and allocate the 2025 park permits through the current the existing bylaw and
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then we would bring the second version of this draft to another meeting in 2025.
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Councillor Paul Praterick brought forth the motion and it was ultimately passed for Amherst
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Island Radio and the local journalism initiative.
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I'm Ted Evans.
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This is North Shore News.
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Nearly 60% of respondents in a fundraising campaign study for the W.J. Henderson Recreation
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Center said they'd be likely to donate towards the $2 million goal.
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Researchers for the study were conducted by BNP Goldie Canada.
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Loyalist Township Council approved the motion to receive the report and approved commencement
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of the capital campaign outlined within it.
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Senior consultant with BNP Goldie Canada, Lee Pejo, spoke about the amount of people
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willing to donate.
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Close to 60% of people said they would make a donation they're ready to give and those
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who weren't sure nobody said no.
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Some said unsure.
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The majority of those said they were likely to give if they could understand the rationale
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behind it a little better.
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So that again, it was seen as a fairly positive comment.
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Pejo explains the focus of the study.
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Our question was to determine whether raising $2 million in donations for the renewal of
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the W.J. Henderson Recreation Center in donations and sponsorship is realistic and achievable.
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So we wanted to determine whether a fundraising campaign could be undertaken and how much
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support that campaign would have in the community.
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We wanted to identify the level of participation in that fundraising campaign by donors and
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volunteers and to identify campaign leaders and to assess their level of engagement so
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we know who would be working with Loyalist to raise the funds.
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Pejo detailed the process they took in the study.
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We prepared a case for support or a rationale around the question.
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We worked to get a list of people to interview, influencers, decision makers, people in the
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know in the community.
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We prepared and agreed to interview questionnaire and we sent out some meeting requests by email
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and follow them up.
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Then of course we do the appointments and then our third phase of course is the consolidation
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of those results.
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Our analysis, the creation of the report, that all happened between September and today's
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date.
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Pejo noted the main demographics that showed interest.
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There were generally two types of people that were considered to be interested in the project
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itself and that's the new or younger residents and potential residents of Loyalist Township
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who want services like this and will move into an area where there are services.
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And then there are more established residents who are interested in the product because
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they wanted something to be proud of.
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Pejo explained some of the challenges they found in the study.
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The challenges of running a $2 million campaign right now was that there are competition from
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other large charities such as the hospitals and post-secondary institutes in the area.
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There is a perception from some people that it is already built because it is and therefore
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is already paid for.
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So why would you need a campaign?
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The general economy and community demographics were seen by some as a challenge.
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It was also commented that not everybody uses it.
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There are some regional dynamics at play because Loyalist is a smaller community next to a
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larger community and there were some who wondered that aren't the taxes already paying for it.
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Pejo spoke about the response to the $2 million goal itself.
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We talked about and we tested the $2 million goal.
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The feedback we got was either uncertain or positive, there was no negativity around
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that.
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And the uncertainty we had was people projecting their uncertainty onto others.
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So the people we interviewed said, I think it's a great idea, but I'm not sure how others
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would take the goal.
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So that was really an interesting part of the campaign for us and something again that
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will need to be addressed in communication.
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Pejo noted some common themes brought up within the interviews.
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There was general agreement that the facility is needed and a new facility, that it is a
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world-class project.
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It's not just another arena.
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It is regional.
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It is not just Loyalist Township that they would bring people in from other areas and
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that many clubs, groups and ages can participate in the community campaign, that there would
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be broad acceptance from the general community.
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And there was a broad support for donations and participation across the interviews.
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Pejo detailed the next steps.
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The immediate next steps is that our organization BMP will create a campaign plan and timeline
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that will put all of this together, include a campaign committee, a working committee.
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So those volunteers are going to hit the ground, get out there and get the major donations.
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That will mean in terms of reference, the scope, the scale of what they're doing.
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A fundraising advisory committee that would be made up of both council staff and volunteers
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so that there would be a bit of an oversight to what's going on.
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And specifically around timing, goals and naming opportunities.
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And again, that's about quantifying something so that you know when you've achieved something.
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And specifically a very strong communications plan that sets out actionable items as well
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as strategy to make the campaign successful.
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Pejo went on to speak about a timeline for next year and beyond.
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In January, we will complete the campaign case, the justification, the full rationale
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around it, as well as recruiting campaign leadership, getting a campaign chair specifically.
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And then next year, we would start with recruiting the other committee members, finalizing the
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communication materials themselves, create a campaign reference guide and training materials
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for those volunteers and staff, those question and answers, scenarios, you know, the ability
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for people to move forward on some things like that.
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And then finally, next January, have our final report and future planning for sponsorship
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and other activities.
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Pejo noted the positive outlook in the interviews and highlighted a positive quote.
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One of the big things that came out of it was that it was a legacy project.
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It was a rallying point for the community.
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This is a once in a generation project, as in this quote, it's a community hub, it's
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safe in its accessible space.
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It's something that many people in this council probably would only make a decision on once
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in a lifetime.
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Mayor Jim Hagedorn spoke about the report and where the township stands.
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I had great information and it looks like we've got a solid plan to start moving forward
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on.
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For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
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This is North Shore News.
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BGC Southeast, formerly the Boys and Girls Club of Kingston, shared its year end update
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with Loyalist Township Council.
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The update focused on BGC's growth this year as well as going forward as the partnership
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continues.
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The township entered into a five year agreement with BGC Southeast in 2022 for the delivery
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of day camps.
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This year, summer day camps were offered in Amherst View and Bath, but not in Odessa due
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to a lack of a suitable location.
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Chief Executive Officer with BGC Southeast, Harold Parsons, explains how they're looking
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to grow next year.
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Although we're making some headway, we know there's more to do and we're happy that since
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we changed our name to BGC Southeast, that Amherst View is very much in the fold of where
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we see as a service delivery opportunity.
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That combined with expanding our big brothers, big sisters to a lot of different smaller
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communities and schools will continue to be our strategic plan over the next year.
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Parsons notes how the Big Brothers Big Sisters program has grown.
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We oversee finance admin and fund development for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
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Every employee that works for that organization is frontline and service delivery.
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As a result, we've seen more than triple the numbers of children served.
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We've more than tripled the budget for the organization.
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We've now been able to go into communities that the Boys and Girls Club were not able
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to before.
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We've particularly expanded Big Brothers Big Sisters and Loyalist Township through
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in-school mentoring.
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That's been great to see in the synergies and working with families and children that
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have greater needs for support as well.
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Parsons explains that day camps are still part of their plans.
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We do know that summer camps are still needed and in demand.
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We know that Odessa in particular has been some challenges because of school renovations
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and so on over the last couple of years.
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But certainly in our plans this year would be programming for the summertime in Bath,
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Amherst View and Odessa.
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We also know that we're getting feedback from Amherst Island as well about what can we do
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there and how do we support children that live on the island.
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Parsons describes how the partnership has helped the aquatic programs in the area.
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We stepped up when the swimming pool was down for renovations and we're really happy to
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have Loyalist Township as a partner for aquatics.
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We see the partnership here as great as we do any other municipality and because of our
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proximity we're again more than happy to see the number of families we've been able to
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serve.
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Parsons spoke about the success of day camps this year in Loyalist Township.
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This year's summer camp in Amherst View and Bath have been very successful.
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Almost 93 to 94% filled.
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We've had 19 staff.
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The majority that live in Loyalist Township work for us in those areas and we've been
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able to provide a lot of families with subsidies, almost $20,000 to make sure those children
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can attend a camp at either no fee or a greatly reduced fee.
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Parsons notes the programs that BGC offers and their impact.
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We talk about impact.
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We start to say okay, you know, at what point do you go from having all these children after
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school to how can you start to measure what you're doing in your communities that you're
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delivering services to.
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We go back to a few things.
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We think that there's some critical opportunities that are lacking.
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One of them is in literacy.
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So we actually have partnered and we now have acquired the reading clinic, which is a one
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on one multisensory literacy approach for children that is dyslexic or below the reading
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curve.
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And we've been doing that for about six years now.
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And we implement that into all of our programs so that children that come to the club as
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early as kindergarten have been giving an advantage to reading.
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Programs describes what the club does for families and touches on the growth they've experienced.
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When you look at the club, you think about what parents may need.
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If they need daycare because they're going to work or they're in school, if they're looking
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for a place after school for their children for the same purposes or for enhancement for
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programs for their children as well.
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Our programs consist of physical activity, of some education supports, and health and
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nutrition.
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And I'm pretty happy to talk about our numbers and our growth because they've been continuing
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to expand year after year.
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Parsons speaks about their decisions as a business and fees that they help families cover.
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Although we're an incorporated not-for-profit, we also very much look at ourselves as a business.
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And we look at our programs that we deliver and the only qualifier we have is that no child
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is denied access due to inability to pay.
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But we provide services and we charge fees that are different depending on what they
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might be.
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Parsons describes a service that BGC Southeast decided to not continue.
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Since 2014, we moved into the new space in the Frontenac Mall.
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We've been providing transportation for families from three local schools in Amershew on our
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busing system to come to the site.
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And that's been great.
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And we would have as many as 20 to 40 children come.
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So we also talking about expansion and growth and serving communities as well.
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And then we thought, well, how can we take children from a community, bring them into
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another site, then try to develop programs in that community?
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It just really doesn't make sense.
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Parsons explains why they ended this service.
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This past year, it wasn't necessarily a popular decision.
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But we did decide that for this school year that we would no longer provide transportation
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from Amershew to Kingston.
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But we would deliver an after-school program in Amershew.
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And it took us a lot of work to get it started.
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But we think the potential and the growth will be substantial.
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So we're happy to be in Amershew Public School.
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And we have children from the three local elementary schools being served there.
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But we can only see that as growing in the future.
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But again, mindset of if you want to develop in a community, then you have to be in the
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community.
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And we made that happen this year.
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Parsons provides a breakdown of the club and their programs.
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Our club is broken down in sort of two ways.
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One is that we operate licensed programs, New Area with LARC, who does a great job in
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providing licensed child care and after-school programs.
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We do that in two locations in Kingston.
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We also are the early on provider in Kingston as well in partnership with ACHC.
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But where we come into play here is that we've also started to look at what we call, refer
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to as authorized recreation.
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And that is in communities that either have high priority needs, that may not need a
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licensed program or a daycare setting, but there's opportunities for children from ages
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4 to 18 to be served and provided services.
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Our authorized recreation programs, they include two high priority schools in Ruda Heights
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in Kingston, in Joyceville, in Harrow Smith, and in Amershew.
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And that's a way that we're able to start delivering after-school programs at a low
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feed of parents, but also start to meet some of the needs in the community as well.
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Parsons noted the local public response they've received.
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A lot of the families that are accessing that are residents in Loyalist Township, they certainly
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are letting us know that they appreciate programming and additional programming in their community.
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Parsons speaks about the partnership with Loyalist Township.
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We have a great relationship with the recreation department and we're here to support and to
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do as much or as little as, I think, council or Loyalist Township staff would see us.
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But we're a resource there and we're here to support the community and we believe that
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children, it doesn't matter where they live, it's our mission vision to support as much
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as we can.
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Parsons provides a history of the club.
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A start of the 1993 incorporated primarily for the highest needs that the community of
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the Kingston established at the time, which was primarily the DeRio Heights community.
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The club started to help children and youth that were disadvantaged, whether that meant
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financially or in a household that didn't have the same resources and opportunities
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as others in the community.
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It's also seen as a way to reduce crime by giving mentorship and new opportunities to
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be in a safe environment.
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Councillor Paul Pradox spoke about his experience with the program and how it's been important
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locally.
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One of the first programs started at St. Pat's in 1993 and I was the principal at the time
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and to see the growth is amazing.
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And I think the most important thing I get out of it is that the number of kids, at least
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in that St. Pat's community that became sort of mentors and I think that's what makes
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the program unique and the reading clinic from an educator's point of view, that's unbelievable
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because I know schools at this time, it's hard to support those things.
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Mayor Jim Haggadorn shared his support for the partnership and appreciation for the work
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they're doing to grow.
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It's great to see the new programs.
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I toured, I guess it's been a couple of years now since I toured it and some of the photos
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that I saw there, they were still in the dream spot, I guess at that time and working towards
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them.
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So it's really great to see them come to fruition and being utilized.
29:50
For the 2024-2025 school year, BGC Southeast is offering a new afterschool program at Amherst
29:55
View Public School, available to all children ages 4 to 12 years of age.
30:00
For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
30:05
This is North Shore News.
30:16
Loyalist Township is reminding residents that they can take advantage of a special discount
30:20
on dog tags now through March 31st, 2025.
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The discounted rate is just $15.
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After March 31st, the price will return to the regular fee of $30.
30:33
You can pick up your dog tags at locations like the Odessa Municipal Office, Free Flow
30:39
and Shells Market and Bath, Amherst View Pet Hospital, or WJ Henderson Recreation Center.
30:46
And you can also purchase them online at loyalist.ca.com.
30:52
For Amherst Island Radio, I'm Jordan Webster.
30:56
This is North Shore News.
31:06
Lennox and Addington will see its first ever holiday pantomime event this year in Odessa.
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Torrent Productions, a production company formerly based in Toronto that has recently
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relocated to Lennox and Addington, are preparing to host the event.
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Cinderella, a merry magical pantomime, will be running from December 19th to 24th at a
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manual United Church in Odessa.
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Pants are now on sale.
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Torrent Productions is run by husband and wife team Rob Torr and award-winning choreographer
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Stephanie Graham.
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They are hoping to make this an annual tradition for the community in Lennox and Addington.
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Co-artistic producer Rob Torr explains what pantomime is.
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Pantomime is a wonderful medium because we have music, we hope, that satisfies all the
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different generations.
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There's voodoo comedy, there's silly comedy, there's classic music, there's up-to-date
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music.
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Wordplay.
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Wordplay.
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It's all the things.
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There really is something for everybody.
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Torr describes the company's history and his own personal connection to pantomime.
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We're from Toronto.
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We moved out here about three and a half years ago.
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We've done four successful pantos downtown Toronto in a very small-town feel.
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We were doing it at the local Legion.
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Panto is my passion.
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It was before we started them, but after producing them and seeing the magic that they created
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is why I want to continue doing it.
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We saw memories being formed and that's what I want to do.
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I want families to be able to come to this and have memories and remember having a good
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time together and silliness.
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I always say that Panto is not going to change the world, but it might make it a better place.
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Co-artistic producer Stephanie Graham explains what they do at Torrent Productions.
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We have three core mandate things about Torrent production.
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We want to bring affordable professional theatre to Southern Ontario.
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We're interested in developing new shows and then encouraging and nurturing bridges between
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generations and the diverse demographics in our community.
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Those are our three pillars.
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For right now, we're focusing on the Panto and building that, but who's to say what might
33:32
happen more in the future?
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The couple notes how the show could expand and what they may be working on in the future.
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I've got three more shows written and ready to go.
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Our hope, like this year, we're only, at the moment, we're scheduled to do eight shows,
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but we are able to extend.
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If possible.
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If we have enough, and again, that's all based on ticket sales.
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I'd like to make this in the future.
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I'd like a six-week run.
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I'd like people coming from all up and down the seaway to come to Odessa, come to Lenox
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and Addington, come to our little part of the world and enjoy all the things we have
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to offer here.
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The couple note how the show is currently run and how they'd like to foster more local
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talent in the future.
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We're asking Toronto-based actors to come out here for four weeks at the holidays.
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We have to pay them and we have to house them.
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What I really would love to do is to be able to attract Kingston actors who've gone abroad
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and bring them back home so that they can be with their families during the holidays,
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but also so that we as a community can celebrate the talent that this community has helped
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create.
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We live in the area too, like we get it, and we would like to foster something.
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Not just truly, not just the talent that's on the stage, but also stage managers and
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technical and also teaching audiences how to enjoy live theatre.
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Because that's something that we don't do in this country.
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And pantomime is like an entry-level form of live theatre.
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Because it's not children's theatre, it's family entertainment.
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The couple spoke about the long-standing tradition of pantomime in the UK.
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My ultimate goal is to have a child that comes to see our show when they're seven or
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eight, and then we probably don't see them when they're 15 or 16, but then they go away
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to university and they come back and they go, you know what, let's go to the panto,
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and then they come back with their kids.
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That's the tradition in the UK.
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We didn't invent this format.
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It comes from a long, long tradition in the UK.
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And it's that thing that you do during the holidays.
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You go to a panto and you have some silliness.
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Tor describes why he's so passionate about pantomime and is excited to bring it to Lenox
35:59
in Addington.
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There's a magic that happens between the actors and the audience.
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And that's something that, you know, as the director, writer, producer, that relationship
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is something that, you know, I nurture.
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But what we find with this style of theatre is a magic that I don't have control over.
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And that's the moment when a parent and a child laugh at something together and then
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look at each other and notice that they're sharing that moment together.
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And that's the magic I'm interested in creating.
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I think those are the special moments.
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Those are the special moments that we hope, and we saw them every show.
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And it was, it really was, it sort of become my raison d'etre to nurture an opportunity
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for that to happen.
36:55
For Amherst Island Radio and the Local Journalism Initiative, I'm Ted Evans.
37:00
This is North Shore News.
37:10
Naturally L&A has released Lenox and Addington's Ultimate Holiday Shopping Tour, a guide to
37:16
local businesses to shop at this holiday season from Loyalist to Greater Napañí, Stone Mills
37:22
to Addington Highlands.
37:24
Visit NaturallyLA.ca and check out the local businesses involved in the local shopping
37:30
route.
37:31
For Amherst Island Radio, I'm Jordan Webster.
37:34
This is North Shore News.
37:37
This has been North Shore News and Interviews.
37:41
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37:50
Contact Amherst Island Radio for more details.