 0 Votes | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 8:52:46 AM
( 53 Views)
Fairvern Seeks Towns Support For Redevelopment
Len Fabiano, a consultant for Fairvern Nursing Home spoke at council yesterday advising the town on plans to redevelop the facility. Fabiano who once owned a healthcare company said that the 68yr old facility exceeds expectations for care and organizational efficiency. The 76 bed facility consistently runs on budget and has a waiting list of 66 currently.
Fabiano advised council that the facility is in the planning stages to redevelop the facility with partners including MAHC, LHIN, the District and was asking for support from the town. The hope is that a new Fairvern will be a reality by 2018.
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| 0 Votes | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 8:48:29 AM
( 57 Views)
Habitat To Build Two Homes In Huntsville
Ellen Frood, Executive Director of Habitat For Humanity advised council that the organization would be building 2 homes in the Huntsville area this year. She was before council to ask for forgiveness of building and other fees charged by the town.
Frood told council that participants in the program must help build their own homes and be in a position to repay the mortgage on the property to qualify. Frood told council that besides being a builder, Habitat is also a banker, giving 0% mortgages to homeowners. They also work as social organization helping people rise above poverty.
Habitat for Humanity will be opening a Re-store in Huntsville in May, making them one of the biggest retail chains in Canada with 73 stores who’s profit is used to fund more home builds.
Frood said that every new home built by Habitat adds to the tax base for the town – it’s the gift that keeps giving, she said.
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| 0 Votes | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 7:56:30 AM
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Town Gets Out of Parking Business
The town will be getting out of the parking business. At yesterday’s council meeting, councillors voted unanimously to offer the responsibility of taking over policing of parking to the BIA. The BIA would be responsible to collect and keep income from the meters as well as ticket offenders downtown.
The town would if the BIA refuses to take on the responsibility, remove meters from the downtown core and institute a 2 hour parking limit. The move will cost the town $33,000 in revenue.
Mayor Claude Doughty said the town will take the lead on the problem of staff parking in the downtown core by asking staffers to park one block farther off of High St allowing more parking spaces for shoppers. Council hopes that the BIA will address their own staff parking problems and open up more parking to people visiting the area.
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| 0 Votes | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 7:51:54 AM
( 50 Views)
Council Passes 3.81% Budget Increase
Council passed a 3.81% budget increase at yesterday’s council meeting after many amendments were made to the document from the last Corporate Services Committee Meeting. Changes to the budget were being made right up to the last minute.
The town struggled to find ways to cut expenses including reducing staff STEP increases in 2012 and moving them to January of 2013.
The town’s total budget for 2012 is $10,347,306 which accounts for a 1.96% increase on town portion of your tax bill.
Councillors Davis, Terziano, and Thompson voted against the budget.
The Town of Bracebridge finalized their budget yesterday with an increase of 2.92%. It has to go to council for final approval.
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| 1 Votes | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 7:45:37 AM
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OFSAA Nordic Ski Championships Hit Downtown Huntsville
Just days before the Ontario Parasport Winter Games begin; hundreds of students will descend on Huntsville today for the OFSAA Nordic Ski Championships. The events will run at Arrowhead Provincial Park and will finish off with a relay race run through a manmade snow covered course on Main St in the downtown core on Friday.
Officials are expecting an influx of visitors for the event.
The Parasport games will take over the downtown course on Friday afternoon and then the cross country course will be open to the public for use until midnight.
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| 0 Votes | Tuesday, February 21, 2012 7:24:24 AM
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Town Leverage Thomson Legacy
The Town will be ramping up its connection with Tom Thomson today with the unveiling of a new logo that will help celebrate the life and death of the great painter.
Thomson came to the Huntsville area in 1912 and stayed here until he died 1917. During that time, he made significant contributions to art in Canada.
The logo will be reveiled at 1pm at Town Hall.
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| 0 Votes | Tuesday, February 21, 2012 7:19:29 AM
( 54 Views)
Final Budget Number To Be Revealed At Council
Town Council will be meeting today at 2pm and hopes to pass a final budget for 2012. The budget process has been somewhat arduous with the status quo budget promising a 6% increase. Town councillors have struggled to find savings and had hoped to use paid parking downtown as a money maker.
With the opposition of the merchants quite vocal, councillors passed on implementing paid parking and went looking for savings elsewhere.
Charging insurance companies for fire calls is one area that the town will be able to increase revenues. Another motion to be presented today will include a reduction of $30,000 from the cost of living kitty for council and non union staff members.
All in all, the increase has been promised to come in at less than 5% by the mayor, although he hoped additional savings could be found.
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| 0 Votes | Friday, February 17, 2012 1:15:21 PM
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ParaSport Games Start in 6 Days!
Only 6 days to go to the opening ceremonies of the Ontario Parasport Winter Games being held here in Huntsville next weekend. The event will bring hundreds of athletes to town, along with coaches, family and friends.
HBR’s James Carroll & Grant Nickalls will kick off festivities at the Opening Ceremonies at Deerhurst on Friday. Then it’s a full weekend of competitions in venues throughout Huntsville, culminating in a race through a snowcovered Main St in Downtown Huntsville.
For more information click on the links on our website.
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| 0 Votes | Friday, February 17, 2012 7:41:21 AM
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Dorset Snowball on This Weekend
If you’re looking to get out and enjoy the weather this Family Day weekend, head out to Dorset for their annual Dorset Snowball!
Snowball is a community event that started out as a fund raiser, but has grown and is attended by people from all over the province. The weekend hosts a bevy of winter activities such as a pancake breakfast, skating, games for the kids, chainsaw carving demo, minnow races, horse-drawn wagon rides, Mini Snowmobile rides and more.
For more information visit www.dorsetsnowball.com
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| 0 Votes | Friday, February 17, 2012 7:38:27 AM
( 77 Views)
Free Fishing Weekend
Ontario residents can fish licence free during the Family Fishing Event which takes place this weekend. The program is a province-wide opportunity for Canadian residents to fish Ontario waters without the otherwise mandatory fishing version outdoors card. The Ontario Government designates two periods throughout the year as license-free, February 18-20, and July 7-15.
Anglers should put safety first before venturing on to the ice to fish this weekend. Mild weather may have changed ice conditions.
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