Councillor Fould's Newsletter May 28 09 Final

Current River Ward – Newsletter

Andr ew F ou lds, Counci ll or Cu r r ent River War d Spring 2009

Current River Ward – Budget Hilights • • • • • • • • • •

Boulevard Lake Stabilization Project Trowbridge Falls Pedestrian Bridge Rehabilitation Centennial Park Muskeg Express Upgrade Boulevard Lake Dredging Fencing at Centennial Park Trowbridge Falls Campground Re-development Washroom at Waddington Park Boulevard Lake Water Quality Study North End Recreational District Upgrades Major Road Construction including Leslie Ave and Cowan Street as well as many other smaller re surfacings

Ward Meeting #5 – Fall 2008 Current River Recreation Centre In the three years since the municipal election in 2006, jobs and the economy have been the number one issue for citizens. In response, I hosted a Ward Meeting with Mr. Royden Potvin, President Thunder Bay Ventures. He outlined the role of Thunder Bay Ventures, the services to business it provides in the community, as well as the history and its accomplishments of the organization. He also provided participants with a pamphlet called “Local Solutions for Local Economies.” The other topics discussed at the meeting were roads, policing, potholes, pools, recycling, economic development, Superior C.V.I., Waterfront Development, vandalism, graffiti, and recreation trails.

Serving you……. We are now approaching the third year of this mandate and I am continuing to work hard at City Hall on your behalf. I appreciate all the phone calls and emails keeping me apprised of the issues in the ward and the city. We have seen many improvements to our area: more pathways, road construction, more improvements to parks and playfields, more trees, and more recycling containers in our parks to highlight a few. Further, I have joined the Earthwise Committee because of my belief in an economically and environmentally sustainable future. To achieve this we must work proactively to protect our valuable resources for future generations. I have also joined the Strategic Fire Master Planning Committee. This committee will be working to improve our fire services to all of our citizens.

Hydro One Legacy Pro ject In the year 2000 Thunder Bay was the Forest Capi ta l of Canada. Through the leadersh ip of the Forest Capi ta l of Canada Assoc iat ion , many exc i t ing pro jects were bui l t through partnersh ips with the City of Thunder Bay, the Governments of Ontar io and Canada, loca l bus inesses as wel l as other bus inesses . Hydro One bel ieves that the memory of al l the accompl ishments in 2000 should not be forgotten. In Centennia l Park you wi l l soon see the Hydro One Legacy Pro ject – a new lookout and walk ing paths . From th is lookout there wi l l be beaut i fu l v istas of Boulevard, of Lake Super ior and of wonderfu l green space.

Gr eenin g the Fl ee t

Graffiti In the summer of 2008 our city saw a significant increase in the number of incidents of vandalism and graffiti. As a result, I brought forward a resolution to Council - which it endorsed asking administration to develop a comprehensive and proactive approach to dealing with the issue. Whether or not the graffiti might be ‘artful’ in nature or deface property with symbols of hate and violence, it is unasked for, unwanted and costly to deal with. I believe strongly we must act progressively to deal with this issue.

Pr oper ty Standar ds B y-Law Upda te

Last year, I reported to you that I had brought forward a resolution to Council asking administration to look at strengthening the Property Standards by-law. Because of the resulting strengthened Property Standards by-law and the hard work by the city’s enforcement staff, there have been approximately 150 more property standards cases in the last year. We are working hard towards making this community more Clean, Green, Beautiful and a place we can

Last year, I asked Council to consider investigating the use of alternative fuels in transit buses, specifically the use of hydrogen as a fuel. This fuel will be used by a fleet of buses that will transport athletes at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler. Hydrogen is also being integrated in transit fleets in Europe. Our fleet of 49 buses is responsible for nearly 50 % of the greenhouse gases emitted by our municipal fleet. As a result of the work of the Earthwise Committee and the Council’s Strategic Plan, the Green Fleet Implementation Plan will over the next 8 years save $765,820; reduce greenhouse gas emission by 9,774 tonnes or the equivalent of taking 254 mid size gas powered cars off the road for 8 years. We will achieve this through several initiatives such as biofuels used in combustion engines, procurement of fleet assets, operator education and training, new and emerging technologies (hydrogen and hybrid technologies)and Fleet efficiencies.

Greening Thunder Bay One Tree at a Time Nearly 100 community volunteers planted red pine and white spruce trees on May 24. This year another 650 trees were planted in the Black Bay Bridge area. This brings the total trees planted to 1800 trees in three years. The added bonus of this year’s tree planting was it was combined with the annual Arbor Day Celebrations. There was music, planting demonstrations, educational displays and a ‘guess the value’ of some local trees with gift certificate prizes. Thank you to all the volunteers who came out and planted trees. Also, thank you to Trees Thunder Bay, ZWAT, Hill’s Greenhouse, Forest Capital of Canada, the City of Thunder Bay, Lansdale Greenhouses, Delight, Thunder Bay Field Naturalists and the Earthwise Committee.

Washroom at Waddington Park

Floor Plan of New Washroom

ANDREW FOUL DS , Email: [email protected]

Finally, after 15 years of asking, a washroom at Waddington Park will be built. Thanks to many people, especially the Current River Recreation Association, who worked very hard to make this a realty. The new facility will be environmentally friendly, with solar technology and natural lighting. The architectural finishes and colour schemes will complement the other structures in the park. This facility will be centrally located too so that all athletes, parents and spectators can access it.

Counci ll or C ur r ent R iv er War d phone: 766-9914