Kevin Ashe, Mayor of the City of Pickering, held a ‘Town Hall’ at the OPEN STUDIO ART CAFÉ in Pickering’s nautical village, an outstanding meeting if such a phrase can be applied to these kinds of events.
Mayor Ashe opened the meeting by greeting Helen Spring with “Happy 92nd Birthday” and presenting her with a birthday certificate from his office.
Then, the mayor dove into the good news, which he proudly touted: Pickering’s recognition as the third most liveable City in the province and the 26th best in Canada—high marks that the mayor feels he and his Council can surpass. We’re all for it, Mr. Mayor. You’ve got our support.
Pickering Pride
Next, the mayor pulled his usual patter of Pickering Proud corporations and all the job creations that go with them: FGF Brand foods, Porsche Head Office and Track Facility, the Jerry Coughlan Health and Wellness Centre, the refurbishing of the OPG nuclear plant, the all-seasons promotion of the Nautical Village and Pickering waterfront, the Pickering Casino and the Pickering Heritage Centre. Quite a list of endeavours for a city of just 100,000 people but more importantly, these entities will create over 20,000 jobs over the next decade. The mayor summed up his Pickering Proud list by ballyhooing that he has attended more than 40 ‘Grand Openings’ over the last year.
Pickering Town Centre no more
Ashe then announced that the Pickering Town Centre would officially be renamed the ‘The Shops at Pickering City Centre’, giving the mall a name that is a bit more elegant and sophisticated than the old moniker.
The Jerry Coughlan Health and Wellness Centre
Deservedly promoted for its leading-edge technology, ageing care centre, and partnership with paramedic services, the Jerry Coughlan Health and Wellness Centre is as close as the city can get to a needed hospital at this time.
Nautical Village
Mayor Ashe voiced his disappointment with the rejection of Pickering’s two bids for the waterfront lands. The second bid jumped from $30 million to $50 million but sits there as the property owners ponder the possible profits. The Nautical Village and its surrounding area will be promoted as an area for all seasons use for activities and events. Ashe reminded the approximately 50 people in attendance about the benefits of free parking in the area for registered Pickering residents. [He corrected himself about the ‘free’ parking restating that is tax payers supported parking.]
City Budget
The city receives nearly $4 million from the Pickering Casino, the sum of which is divided evenly with the Region.
Ashe further explained that the City’s $18 million budget is stretched in many ways, including financial assistance to sports groups, athletic structures, ratepayer groups, regional hospitals, the foodbank, and DARS, the details of which few people know.
DARS
The Dedicated Advocacy Resource Support agency’s head, Margaret Eskin, spoke about its role in working with a small group of homeless persons who live in a City rent subsidized residence in Pickering North. The DARS group attends and speaks at many town halls but needs to publish a detailed chronicle of what it is and what it does. It provides the homeless with lunches and dinners on designated nights. They staff the warming centre at the Peace Lutheran Church, where they also offer halal dinners.
Refurbishment of OPG’s nuclear facility
Retired OPG executive Don Terry reported how the facility’s 8 reactors would be incorporated into phases of shutdown and refurbishing over the next 8 years, resulting in the creation of more than 11,000 jobs over that period. Furthermore, the plant and its refurbishment will benefit the province by generating more than $19 billion in provincial GDP.
The Pickering Heritage Centre
The Pickering Heritage Centre, with its $65 million dollars price tag, will be a state-of-the-art archive for the City’s official records and historical artifacts. Ashe proudly proclaimed it to be a zero-carbon design that fits the city’s goal of becoming one of the most sustainable cities in Canada.
The Seaton Recreation Centre
The Seaton Recreation Centre is now in the planning stages, and at an estimated $240 million price tag, it seems like a daunting bill for the City to manage.
The Q&A session
The questions from the floor were varied and wide-ranging, and Ashe handled each with tact and attention to detail even though he was nearing his closing time.
Seniors and the young
Were Seniors’ and young people’s issues being incorporated into developers’ building plans?
According to Ashe, every developer is encouraged to find cost-saving possibilities for their projects, and each is encouraged to consider incorporating affordable housing into their work. Ashe added that young people are always being considered when the City develops its programs and activities for the new year. Each year, a very comprehensive brochure is made available at libraries so the public can learn about the various programs and activities offered in the upcoming year.
Transit
Questions and criticisms of Durham Rapid Transit seem to crop up in every town hall. Ashe stick-handled the related questions well, emphasizing that the need of ever-increasing passenger numbers should be offset by the increase in home building in the city. The DRT is a money-losing venture, no matter how much people are encouraged to use it. Ashe points out that improving its service as vehicular traffic increases with population growth may become the resolution. As DRT improves its service and traffic congestion increases, more people will likely abandon their cars in favour of public transit. He underlined how he hoped the DRT would abandon its current use of its yellow school bus system so students would choose the DRT system. This rider shift change would benefit the DRT, making it more economically viable.
Ashe further touted that the new ‘ONE FARE’ system initiated in conjunction with the Province and the City of Toronto can only benefit the DRT as it is an income saver for people who use multiple transit systems in going to work.
Province rewards Pickering for home building efficiency
Ashe was proud that the Province recognized Pickering for surpassing its home-building goals by granting the City a reward bonus exceeding $3 million.
When asked about widening sidewalks and building them in needed areas of the City, Ashe adroitly deflected to the Region, which is responsible for many of these pedestrian walkways. No one picked up that if Pickering were to remind the Region of its sharing of Casino revenues, perhaps the Region might respond more positively to some of the City’s needs: sidewalk building and highway and roadway widening in the City’s north.
When asked to specifically describe how the City was addressing the problems of the homeless and the ever-increasing use of the Food Bank, Ashe deferred to an executive from the Committee of Safety and Wellbeing, Craig Bamford, who explained the Food Bank supplies barely dent the problem. As fast as donations replenish the food bank reserves, they are depleted within a day or so on the days when the facility is distributing. Ashe responded to the question of the city’s response to the homeless by deflecting to Eskin of DARS and emphasizing that developers are constantly encouraged to add more affordable housing to their endeavours. However, as Ashe underlined, today’s “affordable housing” is less so for many young people, no matter how developers work to keep home sales ‘affordable.’
Questionable unity and focus of City Council
One question about a very sensitive area relating to the work of the City Council dealt with the divisive split in the council where one councillor has been the focus of divergent opinions and conflicting views, and the situation detracts from the Council’s concentration of municipal affairs. Ashe was asked if he saw a positive and near future resolution to this Council divergence. Ashe responded diplomatically and with sensitivity, saying that there were no ill feelings between councillors but that the council depended on the democratic process. A 5-1 vote settles matters, and the Council refocuses itself on the agenda of municipal management.
Questions seemed to revolve around food anxiety, housing inadequacies, and the employability of those in need of jobs. Again, Ashe admitted that immigration and the constant influx of new residents caused by increased immigration were problems the Council was well aware of. One of its constructive responses was creating a team led by Elaine Knox specifically dedicated to the problems associated with immigration.
Some “takeaways” from this Town Hall
Again, this Town Hall was excellent and deserves accolades for its openness and comprehensive responses to the posed questions. Mayor Ashe is justifiably proud of tooting the City’s horn about the many constructive and exciting endeavours it has undertaken. Pickering is a better place to live and a place attractive to young people looking for careers because of those undertakings. The Mayor never dodged describing the problems facing the City or explaining policies and strategies the City is adopting to deal with them. However, when the Mayor was in search of a response, he would promise to “get back to the questioner.” We wait to see the outcome of that promise.
Otherwise, Mayor Ashe is right on in viewing Pickering as being like a two-sided coin: one side has problems that come with dynamic growth and ever-increasing population; the other side is the energy that comes from working with a strong and dynamic Council that is passionate about making the City of Pickering a great place to live.
