Category: News 2022

Little Public Interest Shown in Parking Changes

John Draper

At tonight’s Public meeting to hear about proposed major changes to parking in Cobourg – both downtown and waterfront  – only one member of the public cared enough to make any comment.  Mike Holden’s concern was about the logistics of payment by visitors for parking on Perry Street. He otherwise approved of the idea.  The proposed changes are wide reaching and complicated but important for the Town – especially downtown and the waterfront.  Two issues that are really separate are being addressed: 1) Managing parking for the waterfront during the summer and 2) Downtown parking fees. The elephant in the room is that Downtown parking currently depends on two lots that are not owned by the Town (they are leased)… Read complete articleLittle Public Interest Shown in Parking Changes

HKPR DHU Provides Video Explaining Covid Statistics

John Draper

Many Canadians have trouble understanding some of the statistics available on hospitalization of people with Covid-19. One source of confusion is that the number of vaccinated people in Hospital is higher than the number not vaccinated. Without thinking it through, this appears to mean that vaccination does not help but in fact, the reverse is true. But our local District Health Unit (Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge DHU) has a responsibility to educate so they are promoting a video produced by the Eastern Ontario DHU which explains this (see below). Unfortunately, anti-Vaxers incorrectly take this statistic as evidence to support their objection – they are effectively saying that they do not believe medical experts. If they act on their belief, they… Read complete articleHKPR DHU Provides Video Explaining Covid Statistics

Update on Brookside

John Draper

At Monday’s Council meeting, MPP and Minister for the Environment David Piccini updated Council on a wide range of issues. He spoke about increased funding for the hospital and long term care homes as well as other items but the item of most interest was an update on Brookside. David reported that work on decommissioning Brookside has moved quickly and is now in stage three. That means that all equipment has been removed and both the Federal and Provincial Governments have declared they are not interested in taking over the property.  Stage three means that the “municipalities have first right of refusal and can express interest in the property”. The question now is: Who is going to buy it and… Read complete articleUpdate on Brookside

Town wants Comments on Harbour Repairs

John Draper

Over the last year or more, Council has reviewed then decided on repairing the Harbour. The scope includes the East and West Breakwaters, the North and East harbour walls, the fuel dock and the centre pier walls. Since the Town will be spending $12,755,000 over 3 years, someone in the Town decided that citizens should be given a forum to comment and ask questions. Engage Cobourg is usually used for surveys but there have already been multiple surveys on related subjects – this time, it’s more that the Town is providing information and allowing comments and questions. The finish date is February 17. The good news is that a short presentation is included that provides a good summary of the… Read complete articleTown wants Comments on Harbour Repairs

Covid-19 Update – January 2022

John Draper

Although Ontario is scheduled to lift some restrictions at the end of the month, by no means are we out of the woods.  The good news is that we are past the peak that occurred around the end of December; the bad news is that cases have plateaued at a high rate – for Northumberland that’s around an average of 30 new cases per day (see graph below).  Worse, that’s an underestimate – the real number is higher.  That’s because it only measures the results of PCR testing.  Many Omicron cases do not get recorded in official figures.  Because of this, the HKPR DHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Bocking, says that we should watch other indicators like ICU admissions,… Read complete articleCovid-19 Update – January 2022

Will Daintry Crescent Park happen?

John Draper

According to Michael Clark, there is a long history of a promise of a Park on Daintry Crescent.  Michael is a resident of Daintry Cres and he spoke at last night’s Committee of the Whole (CoW) Council meeting.  Michael said that when houses were first built on Daintry crescent in 1992, they were on the north side of the road with a strip on the south side that bordered on the railway line.  The developer intended to then build Townhouses on that strip but permission was denied because they would be too close to the Railway – so the land has been vacant since that time and the Town eventually took ownership.  There were promises that it would be made… Read complete articleWill Daintry Crescent Park happen?

Staff Propose Licensing Developer Sales Trailers

John Draper

When moderate sized developers want to sell their homes, they will often park trailers on their land then use them as model units, construction offices and/or sales offices.  Two Downtown examples are the failed development on the “Quigley Lot” at 202 Second Street and the failed development of expansion of the John Lee Jail property.  I’ve labelled them “failed” since there have been no units constructed at those sites.  But the trailers for those projects have overstayed their original purpose and citizens have complained about them – calling them an eyesore and “being a place for individuals to trespass and shelter”.  Staff have now proposed that these structures be licensed so that they can be managed and they will present… Read complete articleStaff Propose Licensing Developer Sales Trailers

Parking Rate Increases Planned

John Draper

In response to citizen concerns about waterfront/ beach parking, staff have spent considerable time coming up with plans to respond. They propose significant changes in recommended rates and areas metered with four related plans: 1) expansion of places where parking fees are charged with a new daily pass proposed; 2) seasonal passes for residents, both located near the waterfront and elsewhere; 3) increases of rates downtown and changes in passes; 4) improved provision for those needing accessible parking.  A fifth plan to separate downtown lots into tiers was deferred until there is experience of the other changes.  Considerable input has already been received from advisory committees and citizens but staff are recommending a public information meeting on 7 February and… Read complete articleParking Rate Increases Planned