Council Highlights - July 8th, 2024

Stay-up-to-date with what’s happening at the Council table with the Town of Arnprior’s meetings in just a few minutes.  Please note these summaries are not an official record of Council meetings. Official minutes are posted online once they are approved during a subsequent meeting. You can also access the meeting recording on the Town’s YouTube channel.

Delegations and Presentations

Rotary Club – Peace Pole Initiative

Council received a request from the Arnprior Rotary Club to install a Peace Pole, in the vicinity of the Rotary Bike Repair Station in Hydro Park West by International Peace Day on September 21st, 2024.  A Peace Pole is a monument that displays the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth”, printed in multiple languages on the 4 sides of the vinyl sleeve. More information on this project can be found at https://rotarypeacepoles.world/.  Council agreed to allow the Peace Pole to be installed.

Arnprior Public Library – Outdoor Programming Space/Resource Enhancements

Council received a presentation from the Board Chair and Chief Librarian / CEO from the Arnprior Public Library regarding a few projects including an art installation (book bench), a sunshade for the patio area and a remote library locker which offers convenient self service holds pick-up, browsing and returns. These projects would be funded with monies from the Scharf Family Charitable Trust and the Neumann Bequest. Council directed staff to work with the Library Board on these projects.

Cultural Night Market Update

The Manager of Culture/Curator and Deputy Clerk provided Council with an update on the exciting planning underway for the annual Cultural Night Market scheduled for Saturday, August 24^th, 2024 from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM in downtown Arnprior (John Street North and Elgin Street West). The mission of the event is to showcase artists, vendors, and artisans from a variety of cultures to celebrate the rich diversity of Arnprior and beyond. Council learned about the event schedule of performers, vendors market, event layout and various additional elements, all of which will provide a fun evening for our residents and visitors again this year. 

Recreation and Parks Master Plan

Stantec Consulting provided an overview of the draft Recreation and Parks Master Plan, which includes 67 recommendations in the areas of:

1. Planning and Policies
2. Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces
3. Indoor Recreational Facilities
4. Programs and Service Delivery
5. Projects, Staff, and Finances
6. Building a Sustainable Community
7. Strong Partnerships
8. Promotion and Communication
9. Monitoring
10. Planning for the Long‐Term.

The presentation also outlined the Implementation and Financial Strategies associated with the draft plan. Council will consider the adoption of the Plan in September 2024. 

Staff Reports

Award of Tender – Road Resurfacing and Patching

Council passed a by-law to award a road resurfacing and patching tender to D-Squared Construction Ltd. for $178,891.20 and authorized staff to negotiate with D-Squared Construction Ltd. up to an amount of the budgetary surplus of $88,902.93 to complete additional road and sidewalk patches. The scope of the project includes various asphalt and sidewalk patches to address areas of failing road surface, repairs to service break locations and sidewalk deficiencies. 

Award of Tender – Robert Simpson Park Revitalization Design

Council passed a by-law to award the Robert Simpson Park Revitalization Design Project to Stantec Consulting for a total of $595,015.00 and authorized staff to spend an additional contingency value of $60,549.00. Council also authorized the budgetary overage of $205,457.57 to be funded 85% from Capital Expenditure Reserve Fund and 15% from Development Charges Reserve Fund. 

The scope of the design assignment includes a wide variety of elements as follows:

• Shoreline modifications and breakwater design;
• Bathymetric Surveys and Geotechnical investigations;
• Establishing network of accessible pathways;
• Establishing boardwalk for accessible route from the upper-level parking lot to the beach level;
• Replacement and improvements to play features including the splashpad, play structure(s) and swing set(s);
• Permit applications regarding shoreline modification and working in the Ottawa River and Environmental Assessments;
• Indigenous and public consultations.

The result of the design will include tender ready contract documents.

Museum Fire Protection Update

Council received an update on the efforts to increase fire protection at the Museum. As a result of the update, Council directed staff to discontinue the planned Museum Sprinkler Retrofit project but to bring forward revised construction values for both the fire alarm and fire escape projects for consideration in the 2025 budget process.

Proclamation – National Drowning Prevention Week

Council proclaimed July 21st to 27th, 2024 as National Drowning Prevention Week in the Town of Arnprior.

By-Laws and Resolutions

Council passed a by-law to authorize the Corporation of the Town of Arnprior to enter into a Municipal Funding Agreement with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) for the Canada Community Building Fund (CCBF).

Council passed a resolution for support calling for Investment in Municipal Infrastructure for Eastern Ontario’s Small and Rural Communities. Council joins the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC), the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) in calling on the Governments of Canada and Ontario to immediately and sustainably partner with Municipal Governments by investing in both the new and ongoing maintenance and repairs of municipal infrastructure in Eastern Ontario’s small rural municipalities and for the Federal and Provincial Governments to immediately review data and work together to implement solutions based on the EOWC’s Municipal Infrastructure Policy Paper in partnership with small rural municipalities.