Council duo propose recreation study group gŏđŏ editionap.ca
committee for council, featuring them- selves as possible council representatives along with the finance and recreation direc- tors, three residents to represent the gen- eral public, and a qualified project manager experienced in recreation facility design. “The target of this committee,”said Cullen, “will be to provide recreational activities for all ages year-round so the entire residential population benefits.” As part of its mandate, the committee would help council develop and set prior- ities and goals for recreation services, and create a development plan for new and existing facilities in consultation with user groups and the general public. Cullen noted that a new recreation plan for the township does not mean an expensive building pro- gram to replace existing arenas and other structures. “We don’t want to close those facilities,” he said. “We think there’s another use for them.” The Powerpoint presentation featured slides of arena combination setups in other municipalities which provide year-round recreation programs, including hockey, indoor soccer, and other activities. Some facilities are designed to offer quality res- taurant or sports-bar setups to increase patronage opportunities and generate revenue. “Moving forward, there are many options,” said Leroux, “but to have a facility or facilities you have to begin somewhere. Tonight we want Russell Township to begin the planning of these opportunities and look forward to working hard for the future of recreation in Russell Township.” Mayor Jean-Paul St-Pierre noted that last year the council held a strategic planning session that identified recreation needs as part of future infrastructure development for the community. “This (recreation plan- ning committee) is the next step,” he said.
GREGGCHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
EMBRUN | Russell Township’s arenas and other recreation facilities are getting old. A proposal from two township councillors could breathe new life into them. Councillors Craig Cullen and Pierre Leroux made a power-point presentation during the Oct. 7 committee of the whole council session on their personal review and study of the municipality’s present recreation fa- cilities. Their conclusion is the community needs to look at a facelift for its arenas and other setups if it wants to remain an attract- ive area for families and residents of all ages to live in. “With the population increase over the past 15 years, recreational activities for all ages has fallen behind in several categor- ies,” Coun. Leroux said. “With aging infra- structure that does not meet the current demand, and with the forecasted growth of 3000 homes inside the urban boundaries over the next 20 years, the township needs to begin today with a plan for recreational activities for all age categories.” Both councillors argued that upgrading existing recreation facilities is necessary for Russell Township to compete with other neighbouring communities for people wanting to relocate either out of the city or closer to their jobs in the Ottawa area. “We have toured Ontario looking at sev- eral facilities of different sizes and uses on our own time and at our own expense,” Ler- oux said, noting the last in-depth recreation study for the township was in 2006.“We feel there is a substantial need to renew discus- sions on recreation.” The two propose a new recreation study
Photo Gregg Chamberlain
Coun. Pierre Leroux (left) and Coun. Craig Cullen want to revive a recreation planning project for Russell Township.
Council will review and discuss Cullen’s and Leroux’s proposal further during its
Oct. 21 session.
Budget crunching begins for Russell Township
placing more of its aging infrastructure but he also expressed optimism about the mu- nicipality’s overall financial and structural health compared to other communities its size. “We’re actually in pretty good shape,” he said. “But we are moving forward.” The preliminary budget report projects operation expenses of about $20.4 million for current and suggested township servi- ces and programs. The capital works por- tion of the 2014 budget is pegged at about $1.8 million right now. Landry noted that the preliminary report indicates a 3.48 per cent tax rate increase needed to meet both operations and capital expenses. The report also projects a combined 4.82 per cent in- crease in water and sewer user fees for the municipality. Council members have the rest of the month to review the report’s contents be- fore the two-day public line-by-line sum- mary review with department heads of the budget on Oct. 29 and 30.
EMBRUN | The first draft of next year’s budget is on the table for Russell Town- ship council members to review. Now the real work of crunching numbers begins to meet present and future community needs. Finance Director Claudette Landry pre- sented council with the first preliminary draft report on the 2014 budget during the Oct. 7 committee of the whole session. Its primary focus is based on reports from other department heads. “It’s quite evident to me, from discussions with residents, that it’s infrastructure, infrastructure,”saidMayor Jean-Paul St. Pierre. The mayor referred to last month’s initial public forum on the 2014 budget process during which council heard presentations from individuals and groups on priorities for the township for next year. He noted that the township needs to look at re- GREGG CHAMBERLAIN GREGG.CHAMBERLAIN@EAP.ON.CA
scène policière
Conduite avec facultés affaiblies Le 6 octobre, la Police provinciale de l’Ontario (PPO), détachement de Russell, a répondu à un incident de conduite dangereuse sur le chemin Russell Nord, à Russell. À cet endroit, un automobiliste a dénoncé le chauffeur d’un véhicule circulant d’un côté et de l’autre de la route. La vitesse du véhicule n’était pas constante et le véhicule a également circulé sur le gazon d’une résidence. Le véhicule a été intercepté et des accusations ont été déposées à l’endroit du conducteur. Mark Irven, âgé de 45 ans, de Nepean, a été accusé de conduite dangereuse, conduite avec facultés affaiblies, taux d’alcoolémie supérieur à 80 milligrammes. Possession de drogue Un homme de Hammond a été accusé de possession de drogue. Le 5 octobre, des agents de la PPO effectuaient un contrôle routier à l’intersection des rues Joanisse et Du Golf à Hammond. Une camionnette a été interceptée par les agents qui ont détecté l’odeur d’une drogue illicite. Samuel Marleau, âgé de 24 ans, de Hammond, devra répondre à une accusation de possession de marijuana en deçà de 30 grammes. Infractions au Code de la route Une collision est survenue entre deux véhicules le 30 septembre, sur la rue Principale, à Limoges. Un des véhicules impliqué dans l’accident a quitté les lieux. Joseph Villeneuve, âgé de 56 ans, de Limoges, a reçu un constat d’infraction pour omission de demeurer sur les lieux d’un accident. À Casselman, un véhicule a été intercepté le 3 octobre par l’agent Sébastien Lamarche. Après vérification, il a été déterminé que le conducteur ne possédait pas de permis de conduire. D’autres infractions ont également été commises. Rolland Matamba-Mubenga, âgé de 25 ans, a reçu des constats d’infractions pour: conduite d’un véhicule sans permis, excès de vitesse (49 km au-dessus de la limite), omission de fournir un permis et omission de fournir des preuves d’assurance.
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