Dear Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour,
An April full of happenings + lots of stuff in the wings for spring/summer:
1) Recent update on K&P Trail and TURTLE PROTECTION
2) What to do with the Phoebe? (Tues, Apr. 5)
3) Noise By-Law? (Wed, Apr.6 and Fri, Apr.8)
4) Spring Trail Clean-Up (Sat, Apr. 9)
5) Spring Wildlife Tour in Doug Fluhrer Park with Field Naturalists (Sun, Apr. 10)
6) FKIH Meeting with City planners re Secondary Plan
(Thurs, Apr. 14)
7) City’s Five year Transit Master Plan Public Meeting
(Thurs. Apr. 14)
8) Two family-friendly,city-wide public meetings re Official Plan (Sun, Apri 17, and Sun, Apr 24)
9) Doug Fluhrer Park Clean-up (Sat, Apr. 23)
10) Steve Manders and the history of the K&P (Wed, April 27)
1) Recent update on K&P Trail through Doug Fluhrer Park and TURTLE PROTECTION
Neal Unsworth from the City’s Parks Department reports that the city is in the detailed design phase for the K&P Trail project and that lots has been accomplished so far. They have consulted directly with the Ministry of Natural Resources who regulate issues affecting natural habitat/biology, turtles, etc. They have also hired a biologist from MMM consultants who is leading those conversations, and with the MNR, is guiding them on the best approach to the development of the path in the Doug Fluhrer Park section including habitat, separation, basking, timing of construction etc.
The City will be consulting and getting a permit through the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority who regulates issues regarding flood plain management ) filling, digging etc.
The path is 3 meters wide in most off-street sections of the project but, in the area by the rock walls south of the Woolen Mill, they think they can drop the width to 2.5 meters and still be able to achieve the multiuse and accessibility requirements. A 1.5m pathway isn’t included in the approved plan as it wouldn’t be able to hit those requirements for a recreational pathway.
In addition, they are planning an informal courtesy meeting with neighbours that have expressed interest in the pathway design for this section – most probably sometime in May. Stay tuned.
2) What to do with the Phoebe?
As you may know the Phoebe is a wooden pleasure craft, driven by steam, and with elegant brass fittings, that was built in the Inner Harbour a hundred years ago. A dedicated group of volunteers has worked hard over the past several years to bring it back to its former glory and create a housing for it so that it could be displayed at the Pump House Museum. Now the city wants to expand the Pump House Museum and is having difficulty finding a place for the Phoebe. A museum in Ohio has volunteered to take it “on loan” for ten years. Most probably that would mean it would not return to Kingston. At the Arts, Recreation and Community Policies Committee meeting, Thurs. March 24, 2016, the committee voted to keep the Phoebe in Kingston. We are not sure that all of council will agree when the vote comes to council on April 5, 2016 at 7 pm in Council Chambers at City Hall, 217 Ontario Street. If you would like to learn more about the Phoebe, visit http://steamlaunch.wordpress.
3) Open House: Proposed changes to Noise Bylaw:
Wed. April 6, Memorial Hall, City Hall, 4-7 pm; Deadline for comments Friday, April 8.
Submit comments to Greg McLean, Policy and Program Coordinator – gmclean@cityofkingston.ca
https://www.cityofkingston.ca/
Our concern is with ambient noise along the shoreline.
Here is the proposal promoted by Phillip Brown to resolve issues of some of the ambient noise:
Whereas the Environment, Infrastructure and Transportation Policies Committee has received a delegation that spoke to the matter of noise pollution, particularly as it results from “routine mechanical noise” of buildings, such as that of HVAC systems, exhaust fans, chimneys, pumps or other utility facilities both inside and outside of buildings,
Therefore Be It Resolved That Council direct staff to investigate the best practices in Ontario for controlling, regulating, or otherwise legislating maximum (and therefore acceptable) levels of building ambient noise, (noting how standards may vary according to the community) and with specific regard for the different areas within Kingston that may require different standards, such as rural, residential, downtown business/industrial, and recreational lands/parklands/waterfront shorelines or walkways; and
That staff report back to the first meeting of Environment, Infrastructure and Transportation Policies Committee three months after Council approves this recommendation with a report of what the best practices are in other Ontario municipalities, and recommend a course of action for Kingston.
4) Spring Trail Cleanup!
Saturday, April 9, 2016, 9 am til noon
Once again Kendra Noble and friends have graciously taken this on. Thanks so very much.
We are always looking for as much help as possible, even if you can only spare a few minutes to cheer people on. Meet at the parking space on the east side of Rideau St. just north of River St. to clean up the old K&P Trail leading up to the entrance to Belle Park. As usual wonderful goodies will be provided for hungry hoards.
5) Spring Wildlife Tour with the Kingston Field Naturalists and WellingtonX
Sunday, April 10, 9 am – 10:30 am, Douglas R. Fluhrer Park
Join Lesley Rudy and Gaye Beckwith of the Kingston Field Naturalists for a unique (and free!) tour of the Inner Harbour that will excite you about the wildlife and natural heritage of the area.
See spring migrating waterfowl and talk about (and maybe see?) other wildlife in the area.
Bring the whole family!
WellingtonX members will also be on hand to talk about what they are currently working on.
6) Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour is hosting an informal meeting with Paige Agnew and Greg Newman from the City’s Planning Department to answer questions about the upcoming Secondary Plan for the Inner Harbour and Old Industrial Areas.
Thursday, April 14, 7 -8 pm, Common Room, Frontenac Village condo.
Interested in attending? Please contact Mary Farrar 613-544-1246 for directions.
Details of city staff’s recommendation to Council re consultant for the project:
https://www.cityofkingston.ca/
For further information on the consultant being recommended:
http://www.dialogdesign.ca/
7) Initial Meeting re Kingston Transit Five Year Plan
Thurs, Apr 14, KFPL, Isabel Turner Branch,
5:00 – 7:00 pm
8) Two family- friendly, city-wide public meetings re Official Plan update:
Sunday, April 17, 1:30 -3:00pm, Artillery Park, and
Sunday, April 24, 11:30am – 3pm, Invista Centre
The open houses are intended to provide the public with an opportunity to review and ask questions about the current proposed plan (i.e., the 2nd draft of the Official Plan). But they are also intended to raise awareness about planning in the City and to engage families and youth in the planning discussion. The Sunday open houses will accordingly involve both an informal opportunity to engage with City staff and an opportunity to participate in activities including free public swimming and skating, City-building with Lego, a visioning wall (i.e., draw your future City), and an Official Plan Passport(i.e., visit OP information booths, get your passport stamped at each booth, and collect all stamps for your chance to win a one year City of Kingston Recreation Centres Family Wellness Membership).
Following the open houses, staff and their consultant will be reviewing the information received during each open house, the feedback received during the February 23, 2016 Special Meeting of Council, and the correspondence received throughout the past year, to prepare a 3rd draft of the Official Plan. This draft will be made available to the public by April 29, 2016 so that the revisions can be considered in advance of a statutory public meeting scheduled for May 19, 2016.
The City Official Plan Update website has been updated with an overview of project timelines:
https://www.cityofkingston.ca/
9) Douglas R. Fluhrer Park Clean-up. Sat. April 23, morning.
Kendra Noble and friends are organizing this as well. Again, thanks SO much. See you there.
And as always, goodies provided.
10) Steve Manders and the Kingston and Pembroke (K&P) Railway
We are hoping to organize this wonderful presentation for April 27. Details TBA in webpage calendar.
The story of the Kingston and Pembroke Railway began here in 1872. It became a vital transportation link to the hinterland drawing out timber and minerals. This presentation is about the people, and economics along the K&P with many photos of it, past and present. Lots of really interesting details about the Doug Fluhrer Park section as well as further north.
A FEW OVERDUE THANKS TO:
a) JANET BURGESS FOR VOLUNTEERING TO HELP UPDATE THE WEBPAGE! GREAT WORK! Do check it out – esp for new info on Bailey Broom and Trail stuff.
www.friendsofinnerharbour.com
b) LESLEY RUDY FOR LIAISING WITH THE CITY AND ONTARIO NATURE AS PART OF OUR TOONIES FOR TURTLES INITIATIVE AND TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP. MORE ANON…
3) AUDREY HELMSTAEDT FOR HER GREAT WORK ON THE CALENDAR – KEEPING US ALL UP TO DATE AND OFFERING A GREAT PLACE TO CHECK JUST IN CASE WE HAVE FORGOTTEN SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
4) BEN KELLY FOR UPLOADING THE MONTHLY NEWS UPDATES TO THE WEBPAGE.
5) KENDRA NOBLE FOR HER TIRELESS WORK ORGANIZING THE PARK AND TRAIL CLEAN-UPS EACH YEAR.
SO VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
| Lots of great stuff in the works for late April, May, June and July including: – public Vision for Kingston events looking at affordable housing and development in the downtown (most probably May 5 and 11), – that talk by Steve Manders who has done amazing research on the history of the K&P, – Swamp Ward and Inner Harbour History project events (see below), – the Commuter Challenge (date TBA), – an FKIH and Peace Quest partnership inviting Four Directions for a Blanket Exercise in the park (July 7), -an Indigenous Turtle Awareness day (date TBA), – our Toonies for Turtles initiative in process, and – the new Woolen Mill Experience (see below) Do check the calendar on our webpage – www.friendsofinnerharbour.com for up-to-date details! THIS – JUST IN FROM THE SWAMP WARD AND INNER HARBOUR HISTORY PROJECT: SAVE THE DATE! |
THIS – JUST IN FROM THE WOOLEN MILL:
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
Woolen Mill Experience! Mark your calendars. A few businesses in the Woolen Mill are creating the WME (Woolen Mill Experience) to draw the public to this area of Kingston and to meet and greet other businesses within the building. Sunday, May 15 from 11:30 to 3:30 pm, the public will be coming in to enjoy various activities such as music and face painting, and there will be tours of the historic site and business that wish to be open will allow the public to see what the business is all about. Wine tasting and a BBQ and homemade soup etc will be part of this new fun Inner Harbour event. The Kiwanis Club will be volunteering and any monies raised will go to: The Music Festival, RKY Camp for children and Kingston Interval House.
More info? Jill McCubbin-Clare – http://www.jillmccubbinclare.
THIS – JUST IN FROM THE McBURNEY PARK NEIGHBOURHOOD ASSOCIATION:
Save a Family from Syria is collecting new and gently used clothing for families new to Kingston from Syria. Adult and children’s spring and summer c
Finally, here is an interesting link: http://www.pps.org/blog/you-
Happy spring time,
Mary Farrar, President,
Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour