Ed Bourdeau of The Ventin Group presents plans for renovations to the Alice Street Municipal Building, at the Brighton Community Centre, on May 15, 2017. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
Plans presented for Alice Street renovations
Brighton’s library could double in size if proposed renovations to the Alice Street municipal building go ahead as planned.
Ed Bordeau of The Ventin Group presented a draft design of the renovations Monday night and tells Quinte News, the library will be expanded into the former health unit space at town hall, gaining about 3,000 square feet and making it more accessible.
Meanwhile members of the library board applauded when they heard about the proposed construction timeline.
Councillor Brian Ostrander sits on the library board and says, while it’s up to the municipality to approve the plans, the group is pleased the plan is moving forward.
Early cost estimates price the project around $1 million, but the specific costs will become more clear as detailed designs are submitted.
The initial timeline would see designs finished by the end of May, tendering through the summer and construction running from September this year, to January 2018.
Work to begin soon on County Rd 30/Highway 401 interchange
Plans to redevelop the intersection of County Road 30 and Highway 401 in Brighton will begin within the next few weeks.
The intersection has become a trouble-spot for the town, with accidents and other traffic problems, due to the alignment of area roads and the exit ramps, along with a lack of traffic signals and speed enforcement.
Representatives from AECOM engineering and the Ministry of Transportation say temporary traffic signals at the south ramp will be installed by the end of June and then the full redevelopment plan will get underway.
By the end of this year, the existing farm access road will be realigned, utilities in the area will be relocated and the westbound off-ramp and culvert along the 401 will be rehabilitated.
In 2018/19, new permanent traffic signals will go in and work will be done to realign Telephone Road and fix-up the south exit ramp.
Lease agreement approved for new doctor
The lease agreement has been approved for a new doctor to set up shop in Brighton.
Council has approved the agreement with Dr. Svetlana Stryuts, effective May 1, 2017.
The agreement would run through March 31, 2021, with an option for two, five-year extensions.
Dr. Stryuts is leasing 1,080 square feet of space inside the Brighton and Quinte West Family Health Team office, at 170 Main Street, in Brighton.
Sweeping changes proposed for grant-in-aid requests
Brighton Council has seen some proposed sweeping changes to the town’s grant-in-aid request policy, after more than 1.7% of the 2017 tax levy was awarded to various organizations.
If the changes are approved, Council would only allow up to 1.5% of its tax levy to be awarded as grants and organizations must fit into the categories of arts, culture, environment, heritage, or recreation.
CAO Bill Watson says the proposed changes, if approved, should make things a little easier for councillors.
Requests would be looked over by a grant committee, which will be headed by the deputy mayor and include two councillors.
Council agreed to receive the report and will make more suggestions to staff before it’s finalized.
If approved, there are a number of conditions organizations would have to meet, which you can read below:
Requirements
– Must be a not-for-profit
– Must operate within municipal boundaries of Brighton
– Demonstrate sound financial responsibility
– Be able to demonstrate that they provide those services and programs in an effective, accessible, open, and inclusive manner
Who’s not allowed
– Organizations receiving support through another Municipal funding program for the same project;
– Individuals;
– For-profit businesses; • Organizations with political affiliations;
– Organizations serving as funding sources for others, e.g. Service Clubs;
– Faith organizations where services/activities include the promotion and/or required adherence to a faith;
– Fund-raising events: events where the sole purpose of the organization is to raise funds;
– School boards, primary and secondary schools, post-secondary institutions;
– Programs within legislated mandates of other government agencies;
– Provincial/national organizations unless a local chapter exists to service the residents of the Municipality of Brighton;
– Organizations receiving 80% or more of funding from senior levels of government;
– Organizations that conduct the majority of their activities outside of the Municipality of Brighton;
– Costs for wages or to supplement staffing costs.
