Strategic Decision of Council - October 15, 2024

Council Meeting Date: October 15, 2024

Strategic Decisions from Council

Bissell Park Multi-Use Pad
Council endorsed Option 2: New outdoor refrigerated multi-use surface with mechanical and storage buildings. Option 2 comes in at an estimated total construction and design cost of $4,000,000.  Moving forward with this option will be contingent on a successful grant application to the Community Sport and Recreation Infrastructure Fund, and staff engagement with potential community partners, service groups, and potential donors to gather commitments toward funding the budget gap between available funding and the current project deficit should the project application be successful.

Option 2 includes Option 1 (removing the existing structure and installing a new concrete multi-use surface with dashboards, basketball nets, and the option for other recreational activities during warm months. This option also includes site accessibility improvements (ramps and walkways), a refrigerated multi-use surface, a mechanical building to house refrigeration equipment and controls, and a storage building for ice resurfacing equipment. The proposed surface could be converted to other recreational uses in warmer months.

The Bissell Park Multi-Use Pad is a highly utilized recreation facility and a valuable municipal asset at the end of its service life.  In 2016-2018 The Township of Centre Wellington received funds from Jack R. MacDonald Foundation to be used for the long-term positive impact in the former Village of Elora. Through a grant program, established by Council, the Elora Rockers and Elora Lions Club applied to replace the Bissell Park Multiuse pad. It was scored high in priority by the Township's Community Services Advisory Committee and was awarded $350,000 of this funding toward the project by Council. The application included the pad, boards and a skating loop, with the intention for the Township to install a refrigeration system in the future. Investing in the improvements and refrigeration of the Bissell Park Multi-use pad has been in the Township’s Capital Forecast since 2017.

In 2023, at the request of the Elora Rockers and Lions Club, the project was transferred to Township staff to manage and deliver the project.  In June of 2024, ATA Architects were hired for consulting services to assess options and prepare technical studies for the Bissell Park Multi-Use Pad. Township staff, the Consultants and the Working Group have worked to consider the multi-purpose pad structural, design options, equipment, and operational requirements.

To review the options, cost estimates and the full report to Council, click here

Termite Management Subsidy Program
Staff have drafted a subsidy program based on council direction using the previously endorsed program upset limit stipulated in report COR2023-91 of $1.39 million dollars, which is to facilitate program spending over a 5-year term. The program subsidy amount has been predicated on the number of properties identified in the 2020/2021 survey data completed for the Township, and further expanded to account for the passage of time and the potential of termite migration, while appreciating that the identified blue zone properties were already identified as a buffer zone, to allow for maximum program flexibility. 

Key program design elements include:

• Subsidy eligibility dating back to July 1, 2024.
• All properties in the identified red and blue zones, in addition to properties within the Township boundary with verified active termite activity being eligible for subsidy.
• Subsidy eligible for initial installation of the Sentricon product by a preferred contractor under agreement with the Township
• Subsidy of 85% of the initial treatment installation costs to a maximum of $2,500 for treatment exterior to the home.
• Additional subsidy of $28 available upon request to offset cost of a burn permit to address permittable contaminated materials
• Anticipated program duration of 5 years with the opportunity to either extend or reduce at Council's discretion.

Click here to review the full Report to Council

Centre Wellington Recommended Settlement Area Boundary Expansions
The current policy framework that sets out where and how to grow within the Greater Golden Horseshoe is set out within the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2020, otherwise known as A Place to Grow, or simply “the Growth Plan”

The Growth Plan requires that population and employment forecasts contained in Schedule 3 to the Growth Plan be used for planning and managing growth to a horizon year of 2051. The Schedule 3 population and employment forecasts allocate growth to upper tier municipalities such as the County of Wellington, who are then responsible for allocating growth. The allocation of growth occurs through a process known as the Municipal Comprehensive Review, or MCR.  As an upper tier municipality, the County of Wellington is responsible for the completion of the MCR.

Land Needs Assessment: In January of 2023, Council authorized staff to retain Watson to consider three additional density and intensification scenarios for Centre Wellington, with the goal of mitigating the amount of land required for the Settlement Area Boundary Expansions (SABE). The entirety of Township land surrounding the Fergus and Elora Urban Centres are considered a Prime Agricultural Area and it is not possible to expand either Urban Centre without utilizing land in a Prime Agricultural Area. Council’s objective of reducing the consumption of prime agricultural land is stated in its Strategic Plan. Including the base scenario, the four scenarios reviewed included the following:

Scenario 1: County of Wellington Municipal Comprehensive Review (MCR) – Base: 20% intensification rate and 47 people and jobs/ha in Designated Greenfield Area (DGA) Community Area.

Scenario 2: 25% intensification rate and 50 people and jobs/ha in the DGA Community Area.

Scenario 3: 20% intensification rate and 53 people and jobs/ha in the DGA Community Area.

Scenario 4: 30% intensification rate and 55 people and jobs/ha in the DGA Community Area.

Watson recommended that Council adopt Scenario 3 as the Preferred Scenario and Township Staff Report PLN2024-35 included a staff recommendation to endorse Scenario 3. In summary, Scenario 3 results in an alternate land need of 326 hectares, including 132 hectares for Community Land Need and 194 hectares for employment land. For the Community Land Need, 43 hectares are required for the Elora-Salem Urban Centre, and 89 hectares for the Fergus Urban Centre.

Settlement Area Boundary Expansion Review Framework: The County of Wellington launched Phase 3 of its MCR, the Urban Boundary Expansion Review, in February of 2024.  The County criteria are intended to ensure that urban boundary expansion proceeds in accordance with the Growth Plan, which collectively addresses:

• capacity in existing or planned infrastructure and public service facilities;
• the financial viability of infrastructure and public service facilities needed
• water, wastewater and stormwater master plans
• avoid, minimize or mitigate any potential negative impacts on watershed conditions and the water resource system, including the quality and quantity of water
• avoid key hydrologic areas of the Natural Heritage System for the Growth Plan
• avoid prime agricultural areas where possible.
• avoiding, minimize or mitigate the impact on the Agricultural System
• avoid, minimize or mitigate any adverse impacts on the agri-food network

Recommended Settlement Area Boundary Expansions: The Recommended SABE are mapped in the report.  SABE is proposed in 5 key areas in Fergus, and 2 key areas in Elora-Salem.  Key points about the areas chosen in the proposed SABE are:

• All of the areas proposed for SABE are contiguous with the existing urban centre boundaries – the land need could be met without incorporating land that wasn’t adjacent to the existing urban centre boundaries
• In most cases, there are existing municipal sewer and/or water services available in the road allowances adjacent to the proposed expansion areas or would be available when other land that is already in the urban boundary are developed (i.e South Fergus)
• In most cases, the proposed expansion areas are surrounded by existing development that is within the urban boundary
• Several areas are adjacent to the Elora-Cataract Trailway or the Trestle Bridge Trail, to enhance opportunities for active transportation
• The location of suitable future employment areas and opportunities for nonresidential development affected the areas chosen for SABE. Employment area growth was directed to south Elora and south Fergus, with access to Wellington Road 7 and Highway 6.
• To meet the Land Needs Assessment requirements, in some cases a full parcel of land could not be incorporated into the SABE

Next Steps: 

If the Recommended Settlement Area Boundary Expansions are endorsed by Council on Monday, October 28^th, 2024, they will be submitted to the County of Wellington and an amendment to the County of Wellington Official Plan will be prepared to go through the process of public and agency consultation. This includes providing a copy of the proposed Official Plan Amendment to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Opportunities for public input will be provided through this process. The policy framework will need to address the phasing of development. It is the Township’s intention that lands that are already in the urban centre boundaries should be prioritized over new greenfield land added through the SABE process. 

Report to Council

Housing-Enabling Core Servicing and Water Systems Fund Grant Programs
Council directed staff to apply for the Housing-Enabling Core Servicing grant program for the reconstruction of Colborne Street from Beatty Line to 120 metres west of the Storybrook subdivision westerly limit excluding the portion of Colborne Street internal to Storybrook Phase 3.  They also directed staff to apply for the second intake for the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund for the design and construction of external works required to service the South Fergus Secondary Plan Area. 

For more information on the grant and the full report to Council, click here.