Scouts, Leaders and Community members join local representatives in
the dedication ceremony held on January 23 in Pickering Village. The
Totem Pole was designed and carved by the 1st Pickering Scouts and was
installed at the trail head of the Duffins Trail in the Village.
photos: Richard Cooke
Proposed Lakeside Community
Facility
Colleen Jordan with Councillor Dies and Mayor Parish attended the rally
of Lakeside residents, on Sunday, February 24th to hear the concerns
expressed by localresidents about the community facility planned for
Lakeside Park.
This property had been planned to accomodate a 50,000 square foot
public school; however, when the school board did not exercise its
option for a school, the town purchased the site for $2.4 million to
ensure the area remained in public ownership for the enjoyment of Ajax
residents. Otherwise Runnymede would have had the right to build housing
on this site.
Through the Waterfront planning process, in 2005, a
community facility was envisioned for this eastern anchor of the
waterfront trail. The town is currently in the process of planning a
modest facility with washrooms, concession, storage facilities and
meeting place to run summer programming etc.
A meeting was held on Feb. 20th to gather resident's input and concerns
regarding the facility. The staff presentation made at this meeting can
be found on the town's website www.townofajax.com. A petition citing
local resident's concerns was received by General Government Committee
of Council on Feb. 21, 2008.
A meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 27th, at 7:00 p.m. at the
Town Hall to present concept designs to the community and gather further
comment on the plans.
 Many
Ajax residents enjoyed a day in Greenwood Park celebrating winter at the
annual Winterfest. Ice sculptures, sleigh rides, dog sleds, hikes with
the Trails Committee members, hot chocolate were all featured. Lots of
fun for the whole family.
Pictured here are Colleen's grandchildren at the play park on
February 10th.
Council
Highlights - Feb. 25th
Budget
Council
approved the Town of Ajax 2008 budget of a 3.25% tax rate increase
which amounts to a $34.09 increase on an average assessment of
$277,300.00. This is one of the lowest tax rate increases of any
municipality across the GTA. The town’s prudent financial strategy
which uses Veridian and OLG slot revenues to reduce debt charges
while planning for future financial stability by building healthy
reserves also allows for a minimal tax increase to Ajax residents
with no reduction in services.
Included
in the budget are investments in;
safety
initiatives,
youth
and senior programming,
initiation
of public art reserve
expansions
to the Rotary Park parking lot
construction
of new trails
development
of Sundial Central Park in Ajax’s downtown
completion
of Commercial Avenue to further assist in the redevolopment of the
downtown core
Refurbishments
to the former St. Francis de Sales Church (landmark in Pickering
Village - now in public ownership and planned as a future venue for
town and community programming)
development
of an urban forest strategy
construction
of a new LEED certified Operations and Environmental Services Centre
continued
participation in studies to identify contributors to poor water
quality on Lake Ontario waterfront
GTA
Healthcare Alliance
A
presentation by Tariq Asmi, Executive Director GTA/905 Healthcare
Alliance resulted in a motion approved by Council requesting that the
Provincial Government act on its $100 million hospital growth funding
election commitment and fully implement the Health Based Allocation
Model to allocate new funding to LHINS so that new health care
resources are distributed across Ontario on an equitable basis that
reflects patient needs. In addition; the provincial government has
been asked to provide growth funding to high growth communities for
community based health care services and provincially funded social
services and that a population needs based funding formula also be
developed to allocate new provincial social services funding.
This
request is to address the increasing funding gap whereby residents in
growth areas of the 905 are receiving significantly less funding for
health and social services. As of 2007/08 residents in the 905 were
receiving $221 less for hospital services than the average Ontarian
or a $945 million annual operating funding gap for local hospital
services. For social services it amounts to $218 less which equates
to a $708 million operating funding gap for local provincially funded
social services. Medical Officers of Health in the 905 have also been
raising alarms as to the increasing difficulty in meeting public
health standards when population growth is not factored into public
health funding envelopes.
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