Morgan Jones, Commissioner, Community Services addressed the Committee to introduce the item and staff members, David Plant, Operations Senior Manager, Parks, Horticulture, and Forestry, as well as Barry Budhu, Operations Senior Manager, Roads, Survey, and Utility who jointly delivered a presentation entitled, Operations Winter Maintenance Update. The presentation provided an overview of the 2020 Winter Pathway Pilot Project, pathway program recommendations for the 2021, 2022 season, proposed City operated skating surfaces and results from the 2021 Winter Maintenance Program.
The Committee heard from the following deputant in relation to this item:
Dennis Fortnum, addressed the Committee to express his support of public use and maintenance of Milne Pond and Toogood Pond for skating with appropriate risk signage. He also expressed concerns with clearing of walking areas on roads where there are no sidewalks, signage on roads to indicate shared use, and a reduction in the speed limit to 30 km/h.
There was discussion on the following in relation to the presentation:
- Concerns regarding maintenance of roads without sidewalks and pedestrian safety;
- Consideration to include granular pathways in the recommended maintenance program contained in the presentation;
- Consideration to treat all roads the same as primary roads for winter maintenance;
- Continued expansion of the current winter maintenance program for all pathways and the increased use of sand over salt;
- Consideration to treat pathways in the same manner as a sidewalk;
- The potential elimination of the local road category to provide for an increased level of service;
- Inquiry into the criteria used to determine pathway paving materials, i.e. limestone versus asphalt from a policy perspective;
- Concerns with liability and ownership with respect to maintenance of all pathways in the City;
- The size of the proposed new outdoor rinks in relation to other municipal rinks already built; and,
- The potential to provide additional outdoor rinks at Aaniin and Milliken Community Centers.
The Committee requested that staff review an increased level of service and its cost on all local roads in compensation of pedestrians walking on roads without sidewalks, a reduction in the speed limit on these roads and an update on the sidewalk completion project. There was also a request that staff prepare a memo that provides an outline of pathway maintenance similar to that of sidewalk maintenance and investigate an additional outdoor skating rink at Aaniin or Milliken Mills Community Centers.
Staff provided responses to the Committee's inquiries and will prepare additional information as requested for the May 26, 2021 Council Meeting.