BY LAURIE WEIR

What’s in store in 2024 for the Town of Carleton Place? 

We touched base with Mayor Toby Randell, who said the town prides itself on providing citizens with terrific services and amenities while keeping the tax rate at or below the cost of living. 

“We are constantly looking at ways to improve our services and find ways to do so with as minimal an impact on our taxpayers as possible,” he told this publication on Jan. 8. 

“Our staff have done a remarkable job of this in the past and I can assure you that we on council and staff will continue to do so in 2024 and beyond.”

What are some of the highlights from 2023?

1. Grand reopening of Bridge Street

BACKGROUND: A new road surface, lighting, sidewalks, and trees were installed. Pedestrian crosswalks, accessibility improvements and corridor enhancements (bike racks, benches and planter boxes) also took shape. 

“The resulting celebration was a terrific milestone for our community,” Randell said. “Added to the reopening of our Main Street bridge at the end of 2022 and we have a revamped downtown core, that is not only beautiful, but also more inviting and accessible than its predecessor.”

2. Tourism

BACKGROUND: During its Strategic Planning session, Randell said council emphasized the want and need to invest in tourism, while giving back to the community through these same events.

“With an increase in funding and a renewed vigor coming out of the pandemic we had record numbers at all our events throughout the year,” he said, which included Roots and Revival, Summerfest, Canada Day, movie nights, Pumpkinfest, the Santa Claus parade and afterparty, and Festival of Small Halls (two events) were all grand successes,” he said. 

3. Parks

BACKGROUND: The town did a lot of work in its park systems in 2023. Below are some of the started and completed works last year, with some of the leg work undertaken ending with more refurbished parks in 2024. 

“Pay close attention to the multi-use pad in Carleton Junction and McLaren Diamond, both of which were collaborations between the municipality, private citizen groups and the business community,” Randell said. “These types of builds were bigger and better than if just done solely by the town and the sense of pride that comes from these collaborations can’t go unmentioned. I hope we do many more types of these partnerships in the future.”

• Train Station Park – multi-generational park including a new play structure.
• Ferrill Park – new play structure installed.
• Carambeck — new play structure installed. 
• Findlay Park – new play structure installed.
• Commons Park – new play structure RFP completed, and structure ordered for spring installation. 
• Hendry Farm Upgrade – new play structure RFP completed and structure ordered for spring installation
• Cardel Park and Water Tower Park (NuGlobe) – levelled and seeded – Cardel received finish grading and hydro seed. Cardel and NuGlobe design plans and public consultation in December. 
• Carleton Junction – multi-use sports pad and landscaping works and installation of shade structures. 
• McLaren Diamond – new infield installed. 

WHAT’S UP IN 2024? 

1. Parks and tennis courts

BACKGROUND: Extensive parks work being completed (as mentioned above) as well as revamped tennis courts at the arena will take place this year. 

The mayor said there is a study being completed on the usage and revitalization of their underused Centennial Park and beach. This is a great property with tons of potential, the mayor noted. 

2. Hospital Emergency Department opening and Health Hub

BACKGROUND:  Although not solely municipal items, the town has had a big hand in both of the following projects. 

“The opening of our new Emergency Department will be a huge deal in the late spring,” Randell said. “We cannot say enough about the hard work of the Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital and its foundation, who have spent years bringing us to this milestone.”

The construction of a new Health Hub will be taking place this year and will bring stability to our entire region’s health needs, the mayor noted. 

“There is no shortage of information on the need for family doctors in Carleton Place, Beckwith and the surrounding area and we believe this Hub will provide the insulating space that new doctors are looking for while the mere mention of its build has already attracted new family doctors to the town.”

Randell thanked the town’s doctors, developers, and municipal partners in Beckwith for collaborating to see this project through. 

“One I will be proud of being involved in for the rest of my days,” he said. 

3. Water Treatment and Wastewater Plant expansion

BACKGROUND: Randell said the continuation of the expansion of both our Water Treatment and Wastewater Plants will be moving forward. 

“These are massive undertakings that will set our community up for both current residents and future growth for the next 20 years.”