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03 22 1997 SP Public Minutes i ii 1 I 'I I I I it I, ,I THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF ORO-MEDONTE SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING SATURDAY, MARCH 22,1997 @ 10:00 A.M. - COUNCIL CHAMBERS ~RED & 1Ji!RD MEETING 1994-1997 COUNCIL ìI 'I The following members of Council were present: 'I Ii I I II it Ii II :i 'I ¡I " I I ~taff Present: '! II 'I II Ii ~Iso Present Were: ii I II !I Ii II II I Ii II II II ! II II I; I¡ I I :¡ i! II II Ii I I 'I I II i ,I ~ayor Ian Beard chaired the meeting. I I ~otion #1 ~oved by Dickie, seconded by Bell Ii II " I; Mayor Ian Beard Deputy Mayor Murray Martin Councilor Walter Dickie Councilor Don Bell Councilor Neil Craig Councilor Thelma Halfacre Councilor Ron Sommers Kim Allen, Parks & Recreation Manager; Debbie Broderick, Director of Recreation & Community Economic Development; Jennifer Zieleniewski, CAOrrreasurer. Ian Coneybeare, Donna Cramp, Pete Cramp, Don Mcilveen, Alex McGuire, June McGuire, Bob Hunter, Arch Brown, Ted Bertram, George Lougheed, Bruce and Kathryn French, Francis Sutton, Pat Scott, Doug Scott, Bud Arbour, Bob Bome, Ron Edmonstone, Bill Wilson, Gail O'Brien, Shirley Woodrow, Nigel Ward-Paige, Larry Koza, Janet Tingheld, Carol Houyorimjian, Delsi MacKay, Marjory Shedd, Phil Lalonde, Shawn Fendley, Tom Fendley, Meryl Drake, Brian McKee, Garth Daniels, Allen Gilchrist, Scott Scandett, Sandy Flippin, Jenny Jermey, Ross Jermey, Craig Limpright, Wilf McMechan, Bob Armstrong, Bob Murray, Shirley Chew, Basil Emms, Ron Golden, Jim Edwards, Jane Thompson, Peggy Sarjeant, Judy Smith, Ted Bigelow, Catherine Mulder, Rick Mulder, L. Gillespie, Gerald Moran, William Burgess, Catherine Proctor, Jeff G. Proctor, Rosemary and John Dunsmore, Gail Raikes, Rod Raikes, Bob Marshall, Frieda Baldwin, Donna McQuay, David Mair, John Doll, Jane Blackstock, Russ and Velma Bradley, E. R. Austin, Roger Tomlinson, Sheri & Birch Bayley, Karen Sanderson, Peter Lang II , II II " il II II ìI 2 @e it resolved that the Agenda for Special Council Meeting, dated Saturday, March 22, ~997, be adopted. II II 11 Ii ~ayor Ian Beard opened the meeting and welcomed those present. Deborah $roderick, Director Recreation & Community Economic Development gave a brief ~escription of the rail line after which the deputations followed: Ii ii red Bigelow: thank you for the opportunity to speak in favour of the proposed conversion of the fbrmer railway line into a recreation tract. II ~henever I am asked if I have lived in Shanty Ball all my life, I can only answer "not ÿet". I had always assumed as a child that I would live in Shanty Bay and I achieved t~at ambition at 22 years of age. I still marvel that I can go for a walk or ski or run in the ~ountryside right from my door and that Barrie is a short ten-minute drive along a scenic ~ute at a leisurely 60 kilometres. (sometimes). II I am pleased that the present council is continuing the tradition of preserving the rural ~haracter of our community through controlled growth and careful planning. The ~onversion of the railway line into a recreational link between Barrie and Orillia, seems ib me, to be totally compatible with the vision of the Oro-Medonte Plan. The fact that pro-Medonte has a recreation committee is testimony of the desire to preserve a ~ealthy lifestyle for residents. Carried. tll was particularty anxious to support this opportunity as a result of my experience hiking , England and Scotland. While living there in 1980/198, and on subsequent visits, my Jlmily and I have hiked literally hundreds of miles. "Footpaths" as they are called in $ngland crisscross the country. Often landowners help maintain the paths which cross ~hrough their property - I never observed any litter or damage caused by careless ~ikers. It has been reassuring to see the same spirit of cooperation in Canada with the Bruce Trail, the Ganaraska Trail, the Trans Canada route, the Oro-Medonte Trails ~ssociation, the Rails to Trails Organization and now the present initiative. Ii II am a founding member of the Shanty Bay Rate Payers Association. That organization ~as founded to inform council of the interests and concerns of the residents of Shanty ~ay. A recent letter circulated by the Rate Payers executive expressed the opinion that ~ost residents are in favour of the acquisition of the railway line as a recreational reathWay. Indeed neighbours that I have spoken to are enthusiastic about the prospect. I¡Reservations center mainly about the operation of motorized vehicles in residential $reas. II II understand that the recreation committee have researched other converted rail lines ~nd that concerns such as those expressed by the Shanty Bay Rate Payers have been ~uccessfUIlY managed elsewhere. I 'It is my opinion that the opportunity to purchase this property is one that the Oro- lMedonte Council should act upon and that Councilors should be able to reassure ~esidents that it can be managed safely and as an asset to the lifestyle which we now $njoy. II iI ~ayor: ~ext deputation is the Barrie Terrace Association, Roger Tomlinson. I II ~oger Tomlinson: II ~r. Chairman, My name if Roger Tomlinson, I am a resident at 11 Barrie Terrace. I have copies of my presentation if you would like me to distribute them to members of pouncil. I am here with Mr. Richard Austin. We are here today representing the owners d II II II ,¡ I' II II Ii II !I , il II II II II Ii 3 lþf all twenty-one residences on Barrie Terrace, located in the south west sector of Ward Iß. We are seeking the assistance and/or support of Council to develop a road to our þroperties that would provide us with access that would be comparable to what most Ifownship residents enjoy. The availability of the CNR lands provides us the !þpportunity to do this and the existing track bed would in fact provide an excellent road iþase. II II :1rhe twenty-one homes on Barrie Terrace are accessed by a 30-foot wide driveway [f¡pparently established when the area was subdivided about 1910. This driveway :~djoins the south boundary of the CNR right-of-way. The Town::~:' provides snow iþlowing service, grading and dust control, at the expense of tne residents. The Ipriveway does not have an adequate granular base or proper drainage and with the I~xception of dry summer weather is usually in very poor condition; almost impassable ¡f¡t times. We understand that requests to former councils of Oro Township to assume ~he roadway were rejected on the basis it was too narrow to establish and maintain as a I~unicipal road. !, iI ~he residents of Barrie Terrace encourage the Township to purchase the CNR right-of- ~ay from Colborne Street easterly for a distance of about 630 metres, to provide ¡adequate lands to build a roadway to municipal standards on Barrie Terrace. Such a Itoadway would benefit not only the residents, but Township staff, such as equipment lþperators, Fire services, delivery people and the general public. II Ii ~e understand that the Township may not have the funds to construct a roadway at ~his time. We would however, appreciate the opportunity to discuss with Council some lþptions such as constructing the roadway under a Local Improvement Act or By-law; or ~he residents constructing the roadway with assistance from the Township, perhaps in ~he form of granular materials from the Township pits or the assistance of Township ~quipment. And there may be many other options we can explore. d Ii ~here are ample lands within the CNR right-of-way to accommodate a roadway plus a ¡piking trail or other facilities that may be required for recreational purposes. We do wish ~o emphasize, however, that we are opposed to the creation of any recreational facilities within the CNR right-of-way for motorized vehicles including snowmobiles, i~otor bikes or all-terrain vehicles. I would add that in my present line of employment I ~m home every day and I see an awful lot of vehicle traffic on that right of way coming ¡put of Barrie. i! II r'e would appreciate the opportunity to meet with Councilor their representatives to kJiscuss this matter and to review alternatives that would benefit all concerned. We also tWelcome any or all members of council to view our problems first hand. Ii Ii this has briefly summarized the needs and concerns of the residents of our lpeighbourhood. We have been put in touch with a private developer who also has an ¡Interest in the CNR lands joining Barrie Terrace and beyond. We are expecting to be lþearing more about his proposal very soon and are prepared to work with this person ¡provided it benefits our needs equally with his and has the Township's approval. We ¡Would also seek the Township's support ensuring existing resident's needs and Iconcerns are met. And I would assume that Council is aware of this person and his iþlans. i! lþn a somewhat more personal note, we wish to acknowledge the numerous and ~ifficult choices that council has to consider regarding the entire CNR right of way: the ¡çosts of maintaining a trail for a large Township may be very high. We would be very ¡Interested to know if rate payers will be responsible for costs such as liability ¡Insurance, additional policing, fencing and weed control. We have observed in our area ,~ome sections of existing right of way with poison ivy and it may take over the track bed I~ow that there is no spraying by the CNR. Simcoe County over the past two or three ÿears has re-paved and improved Ridge Road from Barrie easterly to, I believe, about ~he Seventh Concession. We often think that a safe hiking-biking trail could have been ~ncorporated to one side of that road way at very, very minimal cost while the re-paving I II :; " Ii II II , II I II 'I II II 4 !~as in progress. A recreational trail for Ridge Road would benefit from more Ißpectacular scenery in many areas, closer proximity to more points of interest, better Ißccess for seniors, and a greater level of personal safety for people walking alone lþarticularly young women and as much as there is at least some passing traffic. Mayor I~eard and members of Council, this is our presentation and I hope we will hear from !vou. :¡ l~ayor: Next is Orillia District Snowmobile Association, and Bob Birnie, I I iaob Birnie: " Ii I~ayor Beard and Council, I appreciate the opportunity to come forward and express the ¡desires of the snowmobile association to be involved with the Township and community 16nd acquire the CN Rail as a snowmobile trail. I do have copies of my deputation. II I Ißnowmobiling is the largest growing recreational activity, or sport, as some people call lit in North America. II I lit has been growing at a rate of 10% per year since the early 90's and shows no signs iþf letting up. II II rrhe economic impact of snowmobiling in Ontario alone is $652,000,000. Based on a lþtraight factoring of permit sales, the economic snowmobiling impact in our immediate lþommunity, meaning the Orillia District Snowmobile Association's community, is i~pproximately $9,750,000. This is quite a windfall when you consider the season is at lþest four months long. II II I~e know snowmobiling creates fifty-five full-time jobs at the local snowmobile dealers I~nd snowmobile equipment sales locations in our area. Many of these people would Ihave been laid off when the agricultural and summer recreational industries slowed !~own for the season. We know the local hotels and restaurants have increased activity ¡,n the normally slow months of winter due to snowmobiling. This activity allows lbusinesses to maintain full-time positions through the normally slow months of winter, lplus creates several part-time positions for students on the weekends. The Sundial Inn !~his year, a bad year at that with weather conditions, was booked solid on weekends ¡when snowmobile functions were taking place. The local Orillia Snowmobile i~ssociation has an annual operating budget of approximately one hundred thousand Ipollars. II I~he economic benefits of snowmobiling within our area are here. It will require I~veryone working together to keep it and not lose it to more aggressive communities. " II !~here are always problems created by a boom or explosion in any activity. ¡ßnowmobiling is no exception. There are a few radicals in any situation that cause I~rouble for the bulk of the participants. Snowmobiling has these people and we read I~bout them in the paper and hear about them on the radio. The local snowmobile !blubs, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs and the OPP have addressed this lþroblem with the STOP Officer Program. This program which our region is in the first Iyear of, will address the speeder, the trespasser, the individual who violates local by- .laws and the Ministry of Transportation road violators. In two more years, after !pompleting the training, the snowmobile associations STOP officers will be enforcing ¡the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act as special constables, called Provincial Offense ¡Officers. All of this is in conjunction with the authorities at no cost to the taxpayer. It is :r totally user pay funded program through the OFSC. I~TOP Officer "Snowmobile Trail Officer Patrol" Ii 11 1!ln some districts these same STOP officers have been sworn in as by-law enforcement iþfficers to enforce the local bylaws pertaining to snowmobiling bylaws. This is a I~avings to the taxpayer while controlling snowmobiling destiny. II ,I II II ,I 'i II II il 1 Ii , II I d I 5 ,I i¡We like many other snowmobile clubs and associations are presently using parts of an ~bandoned rail line in our trail system. As we speak, we are finalizing the purchase of ~he CP line from Uhthoff to Coldwater. We are finalizing that purchase. We are excited ~bout getting this extension to our present rail line and getting off private properties and ~oads in this area. iJ 'I ~n our present trail network we estimate 75% of our trails are over private land. This ~eans that 75% of our trails are not permanent. We cannot make a good business ~ecision to spend a lot of money on these trails with a 60-day severance clause. ~ccess to more permanent trails, like abandoned rail lines in our trail system to facilitate ~he snowmobile traffic would allow us to invest and create a world class, safe, policed, ~asily controlled trail system in our own backyard. Like other shared use abandon rail 'lines that are used for snowmobiling, the shared uses of the railway trails by other ~ecreational groups in other seasons is workable and each group compliments the other ,In achieving the desired goals. Ii Ii presently snowmobilers located in communities from Concession 3 to 11, below the ~idge in Oro-Medonte wishing to go snowmobiling from their residence, must go on the '~ke and travel over ice to Carthew Bay to pick up ODSA's trail system. The alternate ~o this is they must travel the roads to above the ridge and pick up the trails to go $nowmobiling, in many cases violating the Snowmobile Act in so doing. The Oro- Medonte railline as a snowmobile trail would alleviate both the necessity of jeopardizing ~afety by having people travel on the ice, and properly licensed snowmobilers would ~ot be breaking the law traveling the roads getting to the other trails in the area. II We presently have two trails from the 14th Concession to Orillia. Our one trail, Number ß goes north of the railline winding through private property to the 15th Concession. There it enters the Forest Home Industrial Complex utilizing private industrial properties ~ntil we go on Highway 11 's easement. The easement crosses the heavily traveled ~Ioverleaf for the 15th Concession, it goes on to Memorial Avenue from here. At ~emorial Avenue it crosses just below the crest of a hill, partially blind visibility, to get ~nto Orillia. Our other trail 3A goes below the rail line and winds its way through private property until it gets to Shingle Bay on Lake Simcoe. Here it crosses the ice to IKitchener Park. This ice crossing must be monitored on a constant basis due to the þity's sewage plant discharge and constant ice thickness fluctuations. The Oro- l!V1edonte rail line as a snowmobile trail and a little co-operation from the City of Orillia frlould allow us to close both of these trails and remove many hazardous situations from ~ur trail systems. 'I I, ibrillia District Snowmobile Association is a member of the Ontario Federation of ~nowmobile Clubs, Huronia Trails and Greenways, and Oro-Medonte Chamber of !Commerce. We are an active Non-profit Organization with approximately 1,600 itnembers. We are bound by the operational rules and standards of the OFSC. These ¡rules and standards include a five million dollar liability insurance policy, environmental ipolicies and actions, safety and driver training programs, the Stop Officer policing iþrogram, Sled Smart safety program plus a complete trails audit every year for proper !~ignage and safety issues. II the Orillia District Snowmobile Association is prepared to sit down and discuss all the II lþossibilities of acquiring the abandon rail line with other interested groups and the ~ownship. II i~ayor: I, . Ifhe next person, Mrs. Baldwin. ;1 IFreida Baldwin: .1 hOOd morning, Mr. Mayor, Councilors, ladies & gentlemen, I'd like to speak to you ~oday as a representative of the Ontario Trails Council, about the Trans Canada Trail lþroject, which is a multi-use trail that will stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific II II 'I L II II II II iI i, Ii . Ii II I " d II 6 IDcean and to the Arctic for a total length of the trail is anticipates to be 20,000 ~ilometers. The trail will accommodate five basic uses: walking or biking, hiking, ~ycling, horseback riding, cross country skiing and snowmobiling. Ii d We are hoping to build 4,000 km of the Trans Canada Trail in Ontario. The main trail ~ill come through the Ottawa Valley, however, there will be many feeder trails from ~outh Central Ontario towards the main section. One of these feeder trails is planned tþ come north from Toronto in the direction of Parry Sound, and more specifically from ~he south end of Simcoe County near Tottenham via an abandoned rail line to Barrie, wnd we are also hoping to make use of the recently abandoned Barrie to Orillia line, Which comes through Oro-Medonte. I II !from Orillia, the trail will go westward towards Coldwater via the existing Uhthoff trail, '! Which is being expanded to Coldwater, on the old CP line. It is my understanding that ~he Township of Severn is purchasing this line in partnership with 2 trail user groups. Ii II And while the Trans Canada Trail is proposed to go north from Coldwater, we are ,I ~oping to create a local Simcoe County rail-trail loop, by continuing the trail to Midland, i!tnd Penetanguishene, and make use of a number of existing railtrails in the area: II Ii Tiny Trail (8km, owned by Tiny Township, in operation for 20 years) Ii Flos Trail ( owned by the County of Simcoe) i Ii North Simcoe Rail-trail (14 km, owned by Springwater Township) and then back :ì to Barrie. Ii Ii I }fVhile the Trans Canada Trail is a major undertaking, it is supposed to be owned and ~perated on a local basis, by local sponsoring agencies, municipalities, businesses, ~ser groups and individuals. While the total project is expected to cost $720 million, ~everal very large corporations have already come forward as major sponsors, some of ~hese are Canadian Geographic, Canadian Airlines, Chrysler Canada, Canada Trust, ~SN, etc., In addition to major contributions from the corporate sponsors, funds are also ~eing raised from the public in general through the sale of merchandise, and the sale of $ections of 1 metre of trail for $36. In exchange, donors get their name engraved in one Wf the pavilions which will be built along the trail. " pne such pavilion was built last year in the Village of Caledon East, where the Town of þaledon owns the right of way, on which the Caledon Trailway is built. Community ~upport for this trail has been enormous. In the 2 months prior to the official opening in ~une 1996, over $100,000 was raised from the local community, in donations, materials ~nd services. Just a fantastic community effort. lit is my understanding that the Township of Oro-Medonte is currently considering ~cquiring the abandoned CN rail line. I would like to point out some of the other iþenefits associated with a rail-line acquisition are not strictly recreation related: !i If once fragmented, these abandoned rail lines would be extremely difficult to Ii reassemble should there be a need for a linear line throughout the township Ii later on; II I¡ II ! il Ii this right of way can in fact also be used as a utility corridor (as is being done currently in the Town of New Tecumseth, and which was also the case on the Georgian Trail near Collingwood, where Bell Canada was allowed to bury telephone lines underneath the trail, and reimbursed the various municipalities for the use of the right of way); Ii 1+ I ¡i 'I economic benefits (good for business, attracts tourists, raises real estate values, etc.); '.. I there is a value in the conservation of these trails because they act as windscreens, dikes, trestles; II I " I, ,I ¡' II [I III. , III III III Iii III , I III In III ill III iil Iii Iii ill III III iii ill II Ii¡ III Iii ,,' i'l ~ " ill Iii Iii III Iii ill !II III III ill iii Iii III III III ¡II III III II¡ Iii ill Ii! Iii ¡II III IiI III III III !I! ¡ilil lit !II II: III III ,¡II! Ii III III III III III ill !I III Iii III Hi III 'II !i! III Ih ii III + III ill III II! Iii III ¡,'I¡i ,II III Iii ¡III "I Iii II iii III Ii¡ IIi :'1 ¡ii III :11 III Iii III III II II 7 U ,I iI II ~ wild life corridor; social (safe walk to school, work, off a busy Ridge Road); ,¡ II H Ii I! Ii " II ~ would also like to touch on some of the myths that exist about rail-trails, and which ~ave proven wrong as experienced by the many rail-trails that already exist: iI II pne of the big myths is there will be lots of garbage. And that's totally wrong. You will ~nd garbage along the right of way will be there until it becomes a trail. On the North ~imcoe Rail-trail in Springwater Township for instance, we hold an annual spring clean ~p day, and we have found that we have difficulty finding enough garbage to fill our ~ags. Most of the garbage we find is plastic bags that have drifted in from other areas, ~nd are sometimes stuck on the outside of the fence, where there is a fence. It is not /þft by trail users. This year, for instance when we do our clean up, we are adding tree flanting to because there just isn't enough garbage to pick up. ¡i ~nother myth is we can't afford the trail. My position on that is that we cannot afford not .0 secure the right of way now, as later on it will be much more expensive to put it back ~ogether should it be needed, plus we owe it to this and the next generations to freserve. Also, financing can be done in stages (buy now, enhance later on when ~oney is available). And if the trail is to become part of the Trans Canada Trail, there ~ill be development funds available for fencing, access gates, signage, drainage wontrol, etc. $200,000 was provided for two trails in southwestern Ontario last fall. Pften we also hear the complaint that liability insurance will be too high. This is not the ~ase either: rail-trails are usually covered under the blanket municipal parks insurance, ~t no extra cost to the municipality. I, !! ~nother myth is that property values will go down. And again, we find that real estate ~sually goes up. One of the selling features become: how far is the property from the ~rail? II ~nother myth is that someone will steal something, or stangers will come to our H ~eighbourhood. Actually, cyclists, hikers, families walking, skiers, snowmobilers, ~questrians have other reasons for being here, they want to enjoy the nature, they want ~o exercise, etc. None of the existing trails have had problems with trespassing, Wandalism or security. We have yet to see a hiker steal a TV and carry it out via a rail- ~rail. If they want to steal these days, they'll come right through the front door. iI II ~nother myth is there will be lots of accidents. Again we are encouraging rail-trails ~ecause hikers, cyclists, etc. are now off our bi-roads, and therefore are in a safer ~nvironment. What better place to teach your young children to ride a bicycle? Ii Ii ~n additional myth again is that maintenance will be too expensive (mowing, paving, ~owers, etc.). Again, in comparison to the maintenance costs of other facilities such as ~n arena, pool, etc., which may be used part of the year only, a rail-trail is open year Iround, can be used by any age group, at much less expense, and is in many cases Itnaintained with volunteer labour. Ii ~nother myth is that people will come on my property and I would like to speak to that. Wrail users prefer to stay on the trail, because that is where they want to be, usually ~here is no need to come off. 'I il ¡We also hear the complaint that snowmobilers and hikers are too close together, and I~nowmobilers are noisy. I would like to say the newer machines are much quieter, and I,.,fnore environmentally friendly and in terms of sharing the right of way in winter, it surely ,is possible, provided users show respect for each other, and if you don't like walking the ~rail in winter time because of snowmobile traffic, I would like to remind you that the i~now season is only four months long, which leaves eight months to enjoy. it can also be used as an outdoor education classroom. II Ii I' I! II II II , II I, II II .1 II II II hope this has cleared up some of the misconceptions and fears that are associated With rail-trails, and I hope that residents of this municipality will support the acquisition ~f the right-of-way by the Township, in support of a rail-trail, and hopefully also a ~ossible route for the Trans Canada Trail. I would like to leave you with some copies of ~he Trans-Canada newsletter. Thank you. II II ~Odney Raikes: ~e live in Lot 1, Concession 1 of Oro Township, in the area of Thunder Bridge. Our ,þnds include approximately six acres, with 1064.5 feet of lakeshore, south of the ~ridge. Our family also owns property north of the bridge. bur position is that we are not opposed, in principle, to a trail. However we want this ~rail to follow the south side of Wilberforce Street, Line 1, as it passes our property, not ~he CN line. The attached sketch provides the details. We also support a ban on t!notorized vehicles. I ~e ask that the trail be diverted along Wilberforce Street, as widened, and rejoin the þN Line where Thunder Bridge crosses Wilberforce Street for two reasons: 8 ,I ii ¡,) We would, by purchasing the CN lands which my great grandfather sold to the ~ailway, regain road access to this portion of our lands. II ~) Routing the trail along Wilberforce Street, as widened, would dissuade ~respassers from using our property. Presently we have a path and access to the lake from the north part of our property across the railway and through a gate which is well ,! þosted with "private" and "no trespassing" signs. The lakeshore property, which is ~enced and accessed by this gate, is wooded and natural, and leads to a path to our þeach. Neither the gate nor the beach path is visible from our home. II ~ummer and winter we do have trespassers on this property. This winter we have had ~'..: ross country skiers go through the gate onto our lands and ice fishermen use it for : ccess to Kempenfelt Bay. In the summer, we have walkers and their dogs, and teens I ~oing down to our beach. Increasingly we have to be more vigilant and we are willing ~o be so; however, we do not wish to make our property more accessible to more people. If the trail follows the CN Line, this will happen. That is why we are asking you ~I.. 0 divert the trail along the edge of Wilberforce Street and then under the bridge, ¡rejoining the existing CN Line. II ,I Ißarrie's demographics are rapidly changing. The city is growing in population and the !population in general is aging. The trail will be well used by us, and more than well Ipsed by Barrie residents, as it passes our property situated so close to Barrie. II ~.f.¡ 0 give us road access and protect our privacy, locate the trail along Wilberforce Street, I s widened, for the portion adjacent to our property. ! 1 I iI Ii ': Ireggy Sarjeant: II ~hat an opportunity to purchase acres and acres of parkland for present and for future ¡generations. As our Township builds in population, we will need more and more park Ißrea for our children and grandchildren. II II H Itrhis is a one and only chance to add park area to the whole Township at a reasonable ¡cost. In the next few years Oro-Medonte would have to buy land for parks from private IPwners or from developers at much higher real estate prices. II II ~he rail bed is a ready-made trail, crossing the Township from south to north, making it II Ii iI I' II Ii Ii Ii II II Ii , :1 i 'I Ii I II d 9 #vailable to all residents. " II This is an attractive green belt within our community. It is an area for people to study ~ature and wildlife, to appreciate quiet or to hike or bike with friends. II there is some opposition to this proposal because of snowmobiles and other vehicular traffic. Parts of the trail can be restricted to motorized traffic, particularly in built-up ~reas. I suggest that the local snowmobile clubs be invited to be trail sponsors. $nowmobiles make a nice track for walking or skiing (Also they help keep the weeds ~own). II h trail sponsors could help with trail maintenance (under township supervision) Such #ponsors might be: " IJ II Ii !I Ii I; Boy Scouts and Girl Guides Community Ratepayers Associations Oro-Medonte Trails Association Seniors Associations Service Clubs Snowmobile Clubs " I II ¡! I (Fach spring when bicycles reappear, every driver on Shanty Bay Road hopes she/he Will not be the person who runs down a biker. That road, (one of Ontario's prettiest), is $0 narrow and full of curves that bicycling on Shanty Bay Road should be prohibited. The Lakeridge Trail (the old rail bed) could be the perfect solution to that problem. It ~as no automobile traffic. It is quiet, scenic and peaceful. ! 1 ~ost of us live in Oro-Medonte because we appreciate a rural environment. Here is an ~pportunity to hold some natural space for all generations to enjoy in the years to come. II urge council to buy the CN property now for the sake of the future. IJ !I II I ~Ob Marshall: II am in favour of Council obtaining the abandoned CNR line right of way. This is an ~stablished transportation corridor and if it was closed it is highly unlikely that it would $ver be opened again. Having it closed could only benefit adjacent property owners, I \fJhile having it open could benefit everyone in the Township as well as the rest of the province and of Canada. It could be used as a recreational trail and form part of the ~etwork of trails in the County. It could also form part of the Trans Canada Trail. Using ~he corridor as a trail would also protect this area from development and enhance the rural nature of the Township. ;! ;1 !I This past summer I hiked the Caledon Tramway which is an abandoned CNR line just $outh-east of Orangeville. It is owned by the Town of Caledon and crosses a wide wariety of terrain while passing right through the municipalities of Inglewood and þaledon East. It is a recreational trail used frequently by local residents and attracts ~any visitors to the area. It is also part of the Trans Canada Trail. il I Phil Lalonde: Ii ßince moving here in 1989 our family has grown and put down roots. We were, and still ~re, attracted to this part of the world due to its location and rural character. Shanty IBay provides easy access to urban services, a community environment and commuting ~istance for employment. Its rural setting provides a pleasing landscape for enjoying ~nd interacting with nature. I' " pur family is quite an enthusiastic supporter and firm supporter of the acquisition of the ~bandoned CN Rail line. This provides an unique opportunity to acquire a corridor ~etween Barrie and Orillia. We believe that this rail line should be converted to a trail II II 'I ,; il 'I Ii , II Ii , ii 'I II II ,I Ii 10 ~or fitness and recreation thus enhancing safe access for walking, bicycling and a wariety of other activities. Ii The current situation in Shanty Bay is not safe. The ever increasing traffic volume ~Iong Ridge Road with its narrow road allowance, in fact, produces dangerous ~onditions for persons using local roads, who are not in vehicles. Over the long-term ~he situation will continue to worsen, depriving residents safe use and enjoyment of ~on-vehicular access to the community. 'I I Whe overall issue here is improving our community, making it a better, safer place to '~ve. There are some members of this community that will argue against this rail-trail ~ecause of their concerns for security and noise. I would argue that these problems ~xisted previously. ì ßut I believe the proper decision concerning this issue should reflect the best interest of ~he local and wider community. While respecting those concerns of my neighbours, ~nd at the same time, wishing to push my interest for a safer, better trail access; I've ~sked myself if there might be a solution which we could find a large consenses. What ,~ we could decrease the amount of traffic in the village of Shanty Bay? What if we ~ould deal with traffic issues, safety, trail use and access in one comprehensive ~pproach? " iI }¥\that I suggest for the Shanty Bay community is a creation of a by-pass road and a Willage multi-use trail road. This would entail connecting the rail line from the 4th Line ~o just west of Shanty Bay, about approximately 2 1/2 miles into a new Ridge Road By- pass in the village of Shanty Bay. Users of the rail-line would be diverted through the Willage through the existing Ridge Road. It would be converted to multi-use trail road ~ith only local access promoted. Measures such as, reduce speed (50 km or less), ~top sign installation, paving of shoulders, road markings, and use signage would be /"stalled to promote and allow equal use consideration for non-vehicle users. This is ~ot unlike a number of other trails where part of the system is directed through an urban ~oad network. This design consideration would offer additional options to increase use ~nd integration of a trail corridor to improve a sense of village community. ! I The rail-line corridor is approximately the same width or slightly larger than the present ~idge Road road allowance. The costs of this solution are very reasonable since the ,ail-line corridor provides excellent road infrastructure with its sub-grade and drainage ~rovisions. In addition to the Rail line corridor, only a small amount of land for the INesterly interchange would need to be purchased. II H ¡iln summation, the rail-trail Shanty Bay By-pass option offers a reasonable cost win-win ~olution based on compromise principles. It might be the kind of approach that should þe considered in planning activities for Lake Simcoe, Barrie, Orillia corridor. It is an ~xcellent opportunity to strengthen and improve the livability of this area. And I think ~hat we should look at the planning of the overall area that we are talking about, to look ~t other types of activities that would be promoted by having a corridor of this nature. ii II Ii I ~eff G. Proctor: II " Mr. Mayor and Council members: I love to ride my bike. As a kid it was my escape ~ehicle and as an adult it continues to be. In addition, the bike being a provider of ~njoyment, it's also an environmentally responsible means of transport. I can't imagine ~ better way of starting and ending my day. I see this route as my daily commute. r! ¡!In addition, this low slope direct access route should be protected for the future needs ~r our community. We would want to maintain this valuable resource as we really have ro idea what those future needs will be. " I [fhe Interest of the many can not be held at bay by the economic interest of the few þver a very short term. II II rI II II II II 'i P III- d . Iii :i 1:1 Ii, "I 11 I:i III ili Iii "1 d !' Pi 1:1 ':1 III i'l 'I III 1;1 pI ill III !ii III Iii i', III Iii III I' Iii !it III ill , ,II Ii Ii, 'Ii ill III q! :'1 iii III I!I iii ill IiI !II Iii iii ill 1'1 III III "I ,II iii ill It¡ iii 'II III III III ili III Iii II! ill II' I" Pi :II Iii "I III i iill II Iii 11.1 Ii III "I ill III I!I ill l1i III I'll. " Iii III II! Iii Iii Iii Iii :Ii II' 1'1 III ,ii ill Iii 1111.. , III [I' :II III II! ill iii 11..1 Ii ili Iii Iii III III Iii II iii Iii "I ill Iii 'I ii, iii III iii Iii III Ii! II II , II II Ii II I I iI II Ii 11 Illn terms of the future our challenge is to be visionary, to look to the advancement and ~enefits of this linear greenway in terms of 1 OO-year increments. II I, ~he proposed cost sharing by the County and the Township should be pursued since I~~~t:idge Road traffic corridor will be potentially relieved by this alternate commuter Ii I! Ifuture development of the lake side area between Barrie and Orillia will require a utility ~orridor which could easily and economically be accommodated. II Ii II Çommunities benefit from continued control of these resources. Having visited the !Öeorgian Lightfoot Trails and Uthoff Trails, as well as the in Niagara Parkway, and ~pent money there for food, lodging, and material goods, the benefits are obvious. Iì I this trail must be connected otherwise, what's the point? People would probably ride it ~nyway. II IJrhe bottom line is to maintain public control of this valuable resource and debate the Ilssues as they arise. Thank you very much. I! Ii parth Jays: II II am very pleased this morning to have the opportunity to come before you to discuss the possible usages of the rail road lands. This general area means a great deal to me I~s I lived in Barrie and have worked in Barrie for six years. I sailed on Lake Simcoe for Wifteen years and my wife and I have brought property in Hawkestone, in which we will lþuild a retirement home. II !, Ii believe that lands should be kept for recreational purposes benefiting all the area Iresidents. Ideally, I believe that motorized recreational vehicles, dirt bikes, A TV's, etc... Ißhould not be permitted and that the land should be kept for walking, jogging, bicycling, I~kiing. Our reasons for wanting to ban motorize vehicles are as follows: it reduces ¡pollution (both air and noise); it encourages wildlife to be an integral part of the trail, ¡making it a true nature trail (recreational vehicles are loud and would tend to scare I :mimals away); and the trail would be less disruptive to those residents neighboring the :Iands. ,I il II INow on two topics of which I know nothing about in terms of either precedent or Ilegality. These are really only one person's observations. Purchase of the land, if in Ifact CN was given the land originally, then the County should not have to pay more Ithan a normal amount to obtain it. Presumably the rational for the initial free land !grant was that is was in the "public interest". If the County intends to create a ¡recreational trail, which benefits all residents, then it continues to be in the public I!nterests and no compensation is warranted. iì I~econdly, co-funding with neighboring municipalities. It seems to me that the residents Ibf both Barrie and Orillia will greatly benefit from the creation of recreational trail, and lþerhaps even more so than the Oro-Medonte residents. The benefits to both Barrie land Orillia would be two-fold. II " II Ißarrie and Orillia residents would then undoubtedly use that trail as it will be a I~I remendous natural resource literally at their back doors. Barrie and Orillia are the logical entry points to the trail for visiting non-residents and they therefore will derive i ost of the economic spin-off benefits of possible increased tourism. II ¡rrhis being the case, it seems only fair that Orillia and Barrie share costs associated ItNith the recreational trail. Things like initial acquisition, if there is any, surfacing and ¡þngoing maintenance. I sincerely appreciate this opportunity to share my views with I~ou. Unique opportunities such as the one currently provided by these rail way lands II II II !ì II II I i, II I , 'I II ;, ,I Ii 'I II ~on't come along very often. i II ~s they say, the only sure things in life are death and taxes. But in my opinion, there is ~Iso no doubt that increased concern and appreciation for the environment will increase ~ to grow in Oro-Medonte and Barrie and Orillia - we will greatly benefit and appreciate ~ recreational nature trail. I'm sure other municipalities and their residents would envy such a tremendous natural resource. ! I thank you for your time. :1 12 II Wed Bertram !I 'fd like to thank you for the opportunity to speak. I am a resident of Georgina Drive. I j~st wanted to speak on behalf of the people that live adjacent to the railway. I: I~'s our belief that the vacant CN Rail line should not be used as a public trail through ~ny residential area, and in failing that, there should be no motorized vehicles allowed þn this line. Ii $ome of this will probably be repeated, but upon the knowledge of the CN being ~bandoned past Georgina Drive the residents made it clear to the Rail Road in writing q pn May 29, 1996, that if it was going to be for sale they would be interested in purchasing the land adjacent to their properties. The reason for this interest was to ~nsure the final use of the land was not detrimental to the neighbourhood. II II 'In a further meeting with the Rail Road representative, Dan Hayes, who no longer *,orks for the Rail road, on October 30, 1996, I was led to believe that they would prefer ~o sell the property in large sections or the whole line. A letter was then sent to CN ~cknowledging our interest in doing so in November 96'. 1 :I rhe other question I have is basically, why would the Township buy the land when .here are residents willing to purchase these properties to ensure privacy and safety ~nd security of said land? Where will the money come from if the Township is going to buy it? Will it not lose revenue by buying the land, initial cost of purchasing land plus ~he loss of revenue from taxes? How would the cost of the maintenance be covered - ~he fencing, culverts, washouts, road crossing, grading, steep slopes and littering? Ii The cost of liability insurance could be prohibitive. And it seems to me a few years ago ~urplus Township properties were sold off because of concern of liability. Would policing of the lands become an issue? Public pathways may lead to difficulties in policing the remote areas. Pathways could be used as a feeder to remote areas i.e.: ~ush parties and living next door to vacant property they definitely have bush parties ~nd cause problems with accessing through there. Ii ;1 !If it was sold to interested residents the above would not become Township issues, ~uch as liability, no outlay of money by the Township with respect to purchasing; no on- ~oing maintenance cost; in addition there would be revenue generated from taxes, less ¡policing and owners responsibility. d I~ow the other possibility is there is a possible compromise. If it isn't going to be ~vailable for the residents would you consider looking at maybe a 30-foot wide strip of ¡walkway path. Or move the trail to one side of the right-a-way so the adjacent property ~wners could use the section as well. This also would produce a more winding trail, ~hanging of the elevation would add interest and make it safer in areas that the track Iped is elevated above the existing grades. This will allow for the use of buffers along ~he trail. I II IWnder no circumstances should any motorized vehicles be allowed on this property. 'I II II iI II I I :1 q II !' II Ii , 11 II II II :1 I 13 II have one question for the Council, when you started this morning you said you know Where your at with negotiations with the railway and that your waiting for some input. (þan I get some kind of feedback of what your thoughts are? !I ~ayor: We are negotiating with the railroad, we cannot comment on that. II 'It ed Bertram I~ must have been the way I interpreted it , but it seems funny that you as the Council ~new where you're going, yet we are having these meetings to get input to see what we ~he tax payers want to say. II ~ayor: '(ve are in the process of saying to CN what we want for it, or what we want to pay for it, ¡!now we are saying to the tax payers: Do you want us to buy it before we approach ÇN? i: ~igel Ward-Paige i! II ßood Morning, I am here as a runner. Hopefully (the trail)presents me an option to run $ marathon or (provide an) available place to hold one. I think one of the things that iunners look for is a unique opportunity for running especially large events, Boston d ~arathons etc... rhis area would be good for a number of reasons: no traffic, safety, reduced pollution, þwer cost, easily controlled, scenic. The Runners World magazine, a U.S. publication, ,lists 300 marathons in the U.S., Canada, and the World listed in there. The Twin Lakes I ~run) in Orillia is listed. Many of these are weekend celebrations with huge numbers of ~eople in attendance. But what I am thinking about, is what draws people back to ~aces? Why do people go back to some every year. :1 ~nd I think the uniqueness is what it is. I have traveled around and gone to a lot or ~aces and the uniqueness could be the geography, it could be the architecture of the ~ity, the entertainment, the geography the prize money. But here this would be a þanadian type of event. 'I '! think having something like this in this country would be a real asset. They hold them ~n Walt Disney World, Mardi Gras, Death Valley and the Boston Marathon has 37,000 runners. These are usually weekend events where families and huge numbers suport ~he area where they are attending. All the big cities, even Las Vegas even holds an ~nticing race. Anyway, the profits usually go toward the community or a charity or ~omething like that. t! II . lIt benefits the community such as hotels, restaurants and every other support area. I think the Barrie Rotary 5 Km challenge that they hold in the spring, alone makes as ,tnuch as $40,000 for each race. Collingwood benefited substantially from the Special iplympics with the huge influx of people. Ii rhe bottom line is this would be a very good setting for the race on the track bed. It ~ould be an exciting Canadian setting surrounded by tress and the lake. I this this is ~hat would help draw people. i: ,I i¡ ¡6herri Birch-Bailey: (Shanty Bay Ratepayers - no copy provided). Thank you Mayor !Ian Beard and Councilors. My name is Sherri-Birch Bailey, I am president of the Shanty !ßay Ratepayers Association. I spoke at your previous public meeting last Thursday. r,Jve represent some 750 households in our area. As pointed out to you we have been ~ooded with phone calls. My phone was ringing off the hook this morning. We've also Iteceived letters of correspondence. This is an issue that concerns and involves leveryone, obviously. I thought since I was going to be speaker I thought we could ,I II II II ;1 11 Ii Ii Ii II I' Ii II II Ii 14 ~ummarize the comments that you have been hearing from these last two meetings. II V¡Je have had interesting comments, a majority of residents seem to appreciate this wpportunity to connect with the Township. And many to their credit are thinking of the fluture. I think as well, if you were to do a referendum or a vote of some sort that a slim t'.,' ajority of people might favour a trail or walking path for runners, bikers, I think that Ihis would be of some interest to a majority of residents. However, not to take away . rom the impact of some very important statements we have a collective organization ~rom Barrie Terrace who want the Township to consider an adequate road situation for ~hem. I think that is an important situation. I have been down that road and it is very ~arrow, it is impassable at times. We have some residents that are concerned about II ~The following comments are transcribed from the Clerk's notes due to a ~alfunction of the recording device.) ~ohn Dawl: rMr. Dawl is a retiree who has moved to the area from Toronto. He expressed how ~mpressed he is with the beauty of the area and the rail trails in the area. He would like ~o see more trails and walks regularly. He stated that he found snomobilers to be ~ourteous and found they slowed down when they encountered walkers on the trail. He ~ould like to see the rail line used as a public-use trail. II !I Evelyn Perdue: Ms. Perdue said she was in favor of the Township purchasing the rail line to be used as ~ trail. Ms. Perdue suggested the that if the Township purchased the land the Wownship could look to the colleges or other similar institutions for a partnership. The rownship should however retain control over the use of the land. II ¡Larry Posa: iMr. Posa is a Barrie Terrace resident and said he had not been consulted by the ~.I ssociation as to his position on the rail line. He is in favor of purchasing the land as it lis a once in a lifetime opportunity. He believes there is enough space for road concerns ~o be met. He expressed his opposition to snowmobilers using the trail as walkers and I~nowmobilers do not mix. He would like to see the trail kept for a walking trail. II I~r. Lougheed: IMr. Lougheed is also a Barrie Terrace resident. He would like to see the road improved, lþut he would also like to see a recreational trail, but would not want snowmobiles !Flilowed. I! II ¡peter Lang: i~r. Lang is a resident of Shanty Bay who expressed support for the acquisition of the Iland for recreational purposes. He expressed his belief that walkers and snowmobilers !þould use the trail co-operatively, but he does not feel all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are I~uitable.. II ¡¡rom Fenley: IMr. Fenley is a avid cyclist. He expressed frustration that he has to travel outside the I~ownship to ride trails. He believes the Ridge Road is unsafe for recreational cycling land supports using the abandoned rail line for use as a trail. He noted that the lpollingwood to Meaford Trail has not been an increased policing issue. I~on Golden: ., ¡Mr. Golden is a seasonal resident and has been for 25 years. In his experience, safety lþnd policing are not an issue. He has traveled many trails that are in existence now and i~his is an opportunity that should not pass the Township by. II 1~1~~~~~~~r~~mmented on the constant number of enquires from tourists about hiking I~rails in the area. The trail would be a great benefit to owners of Bread and Breakfast lþstablishments. She added that the flat bed of the trail line would allow handicapped Ii II II II ¡II I i! H II' . III . :1 II ill III III 'I; i'í ¡II Iii 'ii 1:1 !:I : I ill III ill Iii III Ii, Iii III ¡iI ,II It I II ¡Ii II! .iII Iii "I ili Iii ¡Ii ill Iii itl iii Pi III III ,,! III Iii III iii Iii iii II ¡II ¡II 'I' III Iii "I III ill I,I Ii! Ii III III Iii Iii Iii 1I1I 'i 1:1 " Ii! Iii II II iii III In 'II ill iÌl iii III I!I " II 'I: II! il, III , It.'il I:, ¡Ii Iii !ÌI Iii III Iii III III III il' Iii ill Iii II! HI 'l Iii ,!' iii I!I iI Ii! Iii Ii I I " 15 Hesidents and visitors a chance to see the beauty of the municipality. She urged Council II mot to ban wheelchairs which are motorized. iI þebbie McKay: ~s. McKay is a Shanty Bay resident. She expressed her support of using the trail to ~arrie. Ms. McKay is interested in roller blading which she said is not compatible with ~he traffic on Ridge Road. She would support the usage of this abandoned line for this wurpose and for bicycling. She believes the trail would be a boom to the Township but $he expressed opposition to summer vehicular traffic but was not as concerned with ~nowmobile traffic in the winter. I Ii ~im Edwards: Mr. Edwards encouraged Council to purchase the land, stating that the front edge of the II !3aby Boomers are approaching their 50s and recreational past times may be changing ~s the population ages. The trail would be suitable for this demographic and others. ,; David Muir: Mr. Muir stated that he has walked the track several times and feels it is a wonderful ~sset to the Township. The abundance of nature on the trail is both an asset and an ~ttraction. Mr. Muir expressed his hesitancy in respect to allowing motorized vehicles on the trail. II Arch Brown: Mr. Brown said he would like to see the Township purchase the land from Barrie to prillia and the Georgian Drive residents could then negotiate with the Township. ¡rhe following correspondence from W.E. Mallory of Mallory Insurance Brokers Limited fuf Barrie, ON was read: II þear Mayor Beard and Councilors: 'i ¥Ve understand that the Township has been negotiating with the representative of þanadian National Railway with a view to considering the acquisition of the abandoned ~ailroad line between Barrie and Orillia. We have also heard rumors that you have ~een negotiating with the snowmobile club as well in this regard. " I I! ~uch of the foregoing is hearsay as it appears your meetings have been pretty ~onfidential. II i¡ i~ understand a public meeting is being held this Thursday March 13 which will include ~upposedly this matter. II II will be unable to attend this meeting due to recent surgery but I will see about $omeone sitting in on my behalf. :I ¡i ~s you know we own Lot 1, Concession 1, Oro-Medonte Township, made upof ¡, ~pproximately 7 Y:z acres adjacent to 1700 feet of railroad. !! Ii II 'r{Ve have been given to understand that you the Council are interested in the ratepayers ~iew with regards to the usage of this railroad line so that is the purpose of this letter. II ¡please be advised that both myself and my limited company Sunlight Recreation Ltd. foUld be against the Township acquiring this property and then especially turning it into ¡{3 form of nature trail and possibly a snowmobile trail as well. lþrom our property through to the city of Barrie, as you know, is an extremely well built IPP area producing considerable taxes to the Township and I can assure you that they ~Iong with myself would be death against the roaring of snowmobiles going through all ¡pours of the night at the very edge of our property. I Iin our case, there is a possibility we might go residential, in which case, it would be Ii II II Ii :1 II Ii !, :r II 'I II II I 16 ~xtremely detrimental to have members of the public being able to traverse straight ~hrough our property. II I ,~.I is one thing to have a rail line with a train proceeding rapidly through property but it is another thing to have members of the public of all calibers, including drinkers, etc., ~eing able to dawdle through there all hours of the night and see everything that ~veryone has and possibly develop an incentive for break-ins, etc. I' Ii ~nquestionably my recommendation is for the Township to leave the land alone ~ecause no Township has any spare money to waste on the acquisition of pleasure ~rails in my opinion as things are too economically tight. ;¡ Ii Ii There are many other alternatives for the public to get from Barrie to Orillia and as far I, ås snowmobiles are concerned they can use the lake during a large part of the winter muite safely and also we also have a sanctioned snowmobile trail already groomed and ~sed between Barrie and Orillia at the present time and there are other lesser trails that ~re being used as well. Ii II ~ trust you will not allow yourselves to be influenced by these rails to trails advocates as ¡In my opinion the private property owners should have a major say that own abutting 'and on each side of this abandoned railway. ,I II .1 ~ just wanted to drop this note at this time and give you our opinion on the usage of the [ailroad line and trust that you will take my recommendations into consideration. Ii rYours sincerely, rv.E. Mallory II þorrespondence was also received, and read, from John A. Simpson of Severn Bridge, r::1 On Abandoned Railway 'I !I ~ wish to speak in favour of public ownership of the right-of-way. Ii II II ~ailways were developed for the purpose of moving people and goods. They were ~here for the collective good of everyone. In effect, the were, and are, a public tesource. , I II rtfou have a wonderful opportunity to hold onto that public resource for the continued 'I ~enefit of the public. iÌ ~ use the Uhthoff and connecting Lightfoot Trail on a constant basis. This trail in Orillia ~nd Severn Township provides a great place, away from cars and trucks, for people of ~II ages to walk, jog, bike, ski and to ride horses. Such public places are few and far ~etween. ~ost of the time when I use this trail, I am on my horse. What I see is people .horoughly enjoying themselves. One advantage of riding a horse is that people will ~top to pet the horse and have a chat. Frequently the topic gets around to how lucky tfve all are to have such a wonderful trail. II trom everything I have heard and seen, this use of the Uhthoff Trail has cause few, if ~ny, problems for neighbouring property owners. I rarely see signs of garbage along ~he trail. The Orillia Naturalist Club organizes clean-ups along the trail each year and in ~any places there is nothing to clean up. II My great-great grandparents settled in this township in 1831 and were among the very ~arliest of settlers here. My great grandfather was born here in 1832 and my ~randfather in 1867. Ii II ;¡ ,¡ ;1 .i II rI II II II II . 11 II '! II II I II 17 N1Y ancestors walked the Indian Trail, through the bush carrying all their belongs, from ~odges Landing to their allotment at East Oro, one hundred and sixty-six years ago. I ~~nnot duplicated that, but I would certainly use and support the establishment of a 9~blic travel route, free of cars and trucks, through part of Oro Township. II I ¡¡urge you to take this opportunity to acquire this right-of-way not only for the present g~neration, but perhaps even more importantly, for the generations to follow. II iI F11lease do the right thing! Ii II ~igned, John Simpson. II I! t (#orrespondence was also received from John and Shirley Newman, but was not read ioto the minutes. " (i '! ihere being no further questions or comments, when being called for the third time, the f'#1ayor in closing the meeting thanked those in attendance for their participation and ~vised that Council would consider all matters before reaching a decision. 'I ~otion #2 ¡I ~oved by Bell and seconded by Dickie. II ~e it resolved that a By-law to Confirm the Proceeding of Council be introduced and ~èad a first and second time and numbered By-law No. 97-25. 'I C . d I arne . $e it resolved that By-law No. 97-25 be read a third time and finally passed, be 1ngrOSSed by the Clerk, signed and sealed by the Mayor. II II ~otion #3 'I I, II 1W10ved by Craig, seconded by Halfacre. Ii Ii ~e is resolved that we do now adjourn at 11 :43 a.m. II II I II Ii II Ii Ii Ii II II ,I II Ii ',I I Ii LAY~N :E~ II I I, 'I ! I 'I 'I :i II '! II ,I " ,I II II II 'i Ii 'I 'I II II !I 'I I Ii :¡ :1 I' ,I II -" ,I AIL','? "'",7 I'. " ^~¡~"#I~:ri¿;~ Jí:~,:.~-- CLERK, LYNDA AIKEN Carried. Carried.