Newsletter Andrew Foulds, Councillor Current River Ward Spring, 2008
Current River Ward – Budget Hilights Serving you…….
• New fencing at Centennial Park Over the last six months a lot has been accomplished at City Hall. • Boulevard Lake clean up (dredging) • Trowbridge Falls re-development for We continue to invest over 10 million dollars a year into our larger vehicles roads; we are putting $ 250 000 into trails and trail development; we are enhancing recycling opportunities at • Trowbridge Falls/Centennial Park – recreational facilities, and finally, we are encouraging Park/Forest management plan economic development through the Economic Development • Electrical upgrade at Boulevard lake Commission.
• Current River playfield diamonds Æ I appreciate your input and feedback both by phone and by infield work and backstop upgrades email. Please continue to do this • Tennis court repairs at the North End It continues to be a real pleasure to serve the residents of Community Centre Current River Ward at City Hall. • Current River trail connecting the existing trail from dam towards the mouth of the Current River • Community Services Recycling Expansion Waterfront Development: Construction This Year • Prince Arthur’s Landing experience display in Ward Meeting #4 – March 5th, the CN Station 2008, North End Recreation Centre • Skateboard/BMX Plaza (complete Fall 2008) • New larger and accessible festival stage (complete June 2008) Over 35 people attended the March 5 Ward • New playground equipment (start Fall 2008) meeting. • Sheet Wall and Lakefill to add space to the park (start Fall 2008) The first half of the meeting was devoted • Retrofit of existing Marina (start Fall 2008) solely to a waterfront development • Children’s Boating Area (start Fall 2008) presentation and questions and answers. The second half of the meeting dealt with city and ward issues including the following: economic development, splash pads, swimming pools, roads, recycling, alternative energy use, geese at Boulevard, trails and the 2008 Budget. Property Standards Strengthened Second Annual Community Tree “Our New ByLaws are as Strong as the Planting – Boulevard Lake Municipal Act will Allow” This year over 50 people planted 650 trees to bring our two-year total to 1150 trees Thunder Bay City Council approved a resolution that will planted in the Boulevard Lake area. Thanks strengthen and improve the city=s Property Standards and Yard to Trees Thunder Bay, Hillcrest High Maintanance bylaws. School, the Zero Waste Action Team, Hill The resolution resulted from a report requested by Current River Greenhouses, The City of Thunder Bay and Councillor Andrew Foulds. He had asked administration to look the Forest Capital of Canada, the event was at how the property standards and yard maintenance bylaws could another huge success. It was really be strengthened within the context of recent changes to the encouraging to see people young and old B as Municipal Act, to deal with derelict buildings and unkempt properties. well as whole families B making a difference in our Urban Parks. Thanks to all who Our new bylaws are as strong as the Municipal Act will allow. participated. This City Council has identified in its strategic plan that making this city more Clean, Green, Beautiful and Proud is a priority and these changes to our bylaws will help us achieve this.
The exterior of vacated buildings must be appropriately
maintained. Graffiti must be removed and boarded-up buildings must minimize the detraction from the value of other properties in the vicinity. This means paint or a preservative must be applied to plywood covered windows.
The storage of material can only occur at the side and rear of the property. Only 25 % of the total property area can be used for storage. Construction Underway At Strathcona In commenting on this initiative, an editorial in the The addition of this new irrigation system B which Chronicle-Journal ( "Looking good, feeling better," April 25) has already started B will help improve both the said, "Councillor Andrew Foulds wants to clean up the city fairways and the whole golf course. and City Hall has responded with a detailed new bylaw that gives hope for a nicer community. . . . Alarmed by . . . many derelict buildings and unkempt properties, Foulds asked city council this week . . . to strengthen the city's property standards and yard maintenance rules. They agreed. . . Foulds has done the city a service here and the city has responded."
Alternative Fuels – Our Economic and Environmental Future!
With the price of gas possibly hitting $1.50 this summer the city must start looking at economic and environmental alternatives. City Council has passed a resolution put forward by Current River Councillor Andrew Foulds to investigate the integration of Hydrogen Fuel transit buses into the City of Thunder Bay=s transit fleet. One of our top priorities should be reducing our city=s greenhouse gas output. BC transit will be piloting a hydrogen fueled bus in 2008 and purchasing 19 others in preparation for the 2010 Olympics. Hydrogen powered buses are being integrated into transit fleets around the world. Thunder Bay Transit has already shown leadership by having its entire fleet accessible to all. There is no reason why we shouldn=t continue this leadership and take the next step to try to reduce our public transit emission imprint to zero. Currently our diesel buses put out 95 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents yearly. Hydrogen fueled buses would reduce this to nothing.
