Council Highlights from the March 13, 2023 Meeting
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Council supports call for new school in Newcastle
The Municipality of Clarington supports the local school board’s funding request to the Ministry of Education for a new Kindergarten-to-Grade 12 school in Newcastle.
Due to over-capacity issues at the elementary school in Newcastle, the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board has decided to move younger students to the Pines Senior Public School on Highway 35/115.
Local parents have raised several concerns about this plan, including:
- The 90 km/hr speed limit on Highway 35/115, while most school zones have a 40 km/hr speed limit.
- Younger students, including those with special needs, are at a higher risk of possibly fleeing from the classroom, which puts them at risk of road danger.
Newcastle is growing, with development anticipated to add 1,300 new housing units and potentially 230 more students by 2027, according to an estimate from the local school board.
The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board has resubmitted a Capital Priorities funding Request to the Ministry of Education for a Kindergarten-to-Grade 12 school in Newcastle. Clarington Council voted unanimously to support that funding request at the Monday, March 13 Council meeting.
Heavy truck traffic concerns Clarington hamlets
The Municipality of Clarington is calling on the Province to make Highway 407 toll-free for heavy trucks carrying aggregates in north Durham.
The noise from gravel trucks early in the morning and on the weekends is disturbing the residents in the small hamlets of north Clarington. While the Municipality does not wish to restrict commercial traffic to specific roads or times, we need to protect the safety of local residents in these neighbourhoods. The heavy truck traffic is passing through Clarington to deliver construction materials to support housing being built west of the municipality.
The Provincial government is prioritizing new housing development. Therefore, the Municipality of Clarington is asking the Ontario government to waive toll fees on Highway 407 for heavy trucks carrying construction materials in north Durham for a trial period of one year.
Golfing for a good cause
Mayor Adrian Foster and members of Council presented the 2022 Clarington Golf Classic proceeds to Frank Cerisano from the Bowmanville Hospital Foundation.
Clarington rethinks recreation plans
Due to a significant increase in construction costs, Clarington Council has voted to pause plans for the South Bowmanville Recreation Centre.
In the 2022 budget, there was $61 million earmarked to expand the Bowmanville Indoor Soccer facility into a state-of-the-art recreation facility. However, construction cost increases led to a new cost estimate of $134 million, and the plan for the new recreation facility is being paused.
For now, Council has asked staff to create a plan for a new outdoor refrigerated skating surface (trail and/or pad), not to cost more than $20 million of the funds earmarked for the South Bowmanville Recreation Centre. The location of the new rink is still to be identified.
The South Bowmanville Recreation Centre project will be paused until the Clarington Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plans are completed to help determine what should be built based on the financial constraints.
Council approves efficiencies in the planning process
Clarington Council voted to delegate several powers to the Director of Planning and Infrastructure Services to fast-track the approval process for new development. From now on, the Director is authorized to approve the removal of holding “H” symbols, temporary use of zoning by-law amendments, and housekeeping by-laws to make clerical or other changes to assist in the interpretation of a zoning by-law. Previously these approvals were brought to Council for approval. Delegating this power to the Planning and Infrastructure Services Department will help the Municipality meet new timelines from the Province for processing development requests.
Council thanks Bethesda House Executive Director
Mayor Adrian Foster and members of Council thanked Jaki MacKinnon for her 20 years of service as she retires as Executive Director of Bethesda House. Under Ms. MacKinnon’s dedicated guidance, Bethesda House has grown from a small shelter for women and their children fleeing domestic violence to a respected agency that provides a comprehensive professional support system to diverse individuals dealing with all types of abuse and gender-based violence. Council presented Ms. MacKinnon with a certificate of acknowledgement for her retirement.
Mayor Adrian Foster presents Jaki MacKinnon with a certificate of acknowledgement for her work at Bethesda House.
The next council meeting is Monday, April 3, 2023.
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