Category: News 2019

Major changes in Recycling and Garbage collection

John Draper

This year, the County is making major changes in recycling and garbage collection.  For recycling, instead of using clear plastic bags, you will get a blue box and a grey box. And garbage will be changed too – you’ll get a green box for organic stuff that can be composted.  In addition, there will be more places to dispose of hazardous waste.  There will be an extensive education program which has already started – read the Waste and Recycling Collection calendar which every household should have received at the beginning of the year (via Northumberland News).  At Cobourg’s Committee of the Whole Council meeting on May 13, Adam McCue from the County will make a presentation on this subject.  Some… Read complete articleMajor changes in Recycling and Garbage collection

Cobourg Police now have Forensic Investigation Officer

John Draper

A year ago, a safe was stolen from a residence in Cobourg and on the same day a vehicle was stolen.  Unfortunately for the criminal involved, he had been in trouble before (and was on Probation) so his DNA was in the DNA Databank.  Samples from both crime scenes were sent to the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto to be processed with the result that recently 27 year old, Baltimore resident, Andrew Christian Drysdale was charged with both crimes.  “Processing the crime scene” is done by a Forensics Identification Officer (FIO) – just like on the TV shows, they dust for fingerprints, take photographs, collect swabs, and maintain a secure scene.  But in this case and going forward, the… Read complete articleCobourg Police now have Forensic Investigation Officer

Northumberland Military Tattoo

John Draper

Chris Barker has a long history with the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets “Skeena” and with the ship that gave the cadets their name – HMCS Skeena.   The Canadian Navy destroyer was lost in a storm off Iceland during the Second World War (1944) with the loss of 15 crew members and 2019 is the 75th anniversary of this event. Chris and the other volunteers working with the cadets want to take 30 cadets to Iceland this Fall to participate in events that remember these Canadians who gave their lives.  Their fundraising activities included a “Military Tattoo” at the Baltimore Arena on Saturday, May 4.  A first of its kind in Northumberland (as far as I know), local Cadets and bands… Read complete articleNorthumberland Military Tattoo

CDCI West Playing Field being readied for Sale

John Draper

When the CDCI West School was sold, the sale did not include the land behind the school used for sports.  In Cobourg, this is prime waterfront land and occupies (by my estimate) about 1.4 Hectares or 3.6 acres.  It fronts onto Durham Street.  For 15 years, the school board had a hand shake agreement with the Town allowing a boardwalk to be built across the unused part of the land near the West beach.  This easement was never formally/legally setup because the School Board said they had “no intention of developing the property in a manner inconsistent with the Town’s continued use of the easement”.  But now, the situation has changed and the School Board wants an official/legal easement but… Read complete articleCDCI West Playing Field being readied for Sale

High Lake Levels at Cobourg

John Draper

There were record water levels on Lake Ontario in 2017 with extensive flooding on lake fronts.  This has understandably caused many people to be nervous that it might happen again so when levels get higher than average, anxiety increases.  Lately, water levels are higher than normal but as yet not near the record levels of 2017.  According to the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA), as of May 1st, “Lake Ontario is rising at a rate of 2 to 3 cm per day and its current level (6pm May 1) is 75.38 m above sea level, which is 40 cm above normal. Rising water levels are expected to continue for at least the next week until downstream water levels subside at… Read complete articleHigh Lake Levels at Cobourg

Another Amendment to Strategic Plan?

John Draper

Cobourg’s Strategic Plan has had an unusual amount of input from the public and has had significant changes after it was supposedly complete.  At the Committee of the Whole Council meeting on April 23, a number of changes were made, notably to kill the idea that there might be boat slips added into the West Harbour.  This idea is of course part of the Waterfront master plan which has a number of other ideas for the Waterfront.  At Monday’s regular Council meeting (April 29), when the strategic plan (with amendments) came up for final approval, Councillor Brian Darling moved an amendment wanting to loosen the restriction on use of the West Harbour.  There was a good discussion before there was… Read complete articleAnother Amendment to Strategic Plan?

Council Planning to upgrade Notifications to Residents

John Draper

Over the past few years, there have been concerns raised by citizens about the notification process for actions planned by Council that might affect them.  This was a major issue in the rezoning of land to permit a French language school at New Amherst – see links below.  At that time, Council asked staff to come up with a definitive policy that would improve this type of communication with the public.  At the Committee of the Whole Meeting of Council on April 23, 2019, staff provided a 42 page report including some recommended upgrades and it was approved by Council for implementation subject to consultation with the public.  This will involve an online survey available from May 6 to May… Read complete articleCouncil Planning to upgrade Notifications to Residents

Marina Boat Lift In

John Draper

Every year at about this time, boat owners get their boats moved from storage and lifted in to the harbour.  The operation is jointly organized by the Cobourg Yacht Club and the Town’s Marina staff and the cost is paid by boat owners.  It involves a truck which moves masts and boats out of storage then a crane to lift boats into the water (see the video below).  This year, the operation spread over two days (Friday and Saturday) with Third Street, the Esplanade and the bottom of Division Street closed.  Masts from many boats were temporarily stored on the Esplanade grass – the crane was scheduled to help re-install them once all the boats were in the water. Over… Read complete articleMarina Boat Lift In