CARLETON PLACE — Carleton Place councillors are moving ahead on a series of practical fixes and policy updates, from tightening parking rules on a narrow residential street to completing emergency pool repairs and rethinking how seniors’ programs are delivered.
Parking restrictions proposed for Emily Street
Carleton Place staff are recommending restricting parking to one side of Emily Street.
At the April 21 committee of the whole meeting, Director of Public Works Guy Bourgon outlined a proposal to prohibit parking along the south side of Emily Street, from Victoria Street to about 50 metres west of Frank Street. The change responds to complaints about vehicles parking on both sides of the narrow roadway, which measures between seven and 7.5 metres wide.
Bourgon said the issue has only emerged within the past year, but has already created access problems for larger vehicles, including waste collection trucks and emergency services.
“Parking on the north side beside the sidewalk will still remain as a viable alternative for all the people that want to park on the road,” he said.
The arrangement is expected to allow safer entry and exit for pedestrians, including children and seniors, according to the staff report. Both bylaw and emergency services have reviewed the plan and support the restriction.
Coun. Dena Comley and Mayor Toby Randell called for an education period of one to two weeks to ensure residents are aware of the change.
“I’d just hate to see residents getting tickets for parking in front of their house,” said Comley.
The cost of new no parking signage will be covered within the Public Works operating budget, with installation carried out by staff. Council is expected to formalize the change with a bylaw at a future meeting.
Emergency repairs completed at municipal pool
Carleton Place council also received an update on emergency repairs at the town’s main pool following the discovery of cracks in a key component late last year.
In a report presented at the April 21 meeting, Project and Property Manager Ross Rankin said staff were alerted on Dec. 12, 2025, when air temperatures in the pool area dropped below target levels.
“After we did some investigation we found out that the heat exchanger had a few cracks in it, and we had to replace it,” Rankin said, noting that carbon monoxide monitors were installed as a precaution.
Two repair options were considered: replacing the full furnace system or replacing only the heat exchanger.
“It was determined, because we’re hopefully planning on doing something in the future, that it made sense financially to replace just the heat exchanger, and they’re under warranty for 10 years,” Rankin said.
TL Mechanical was awarded the contract at $21,900 plus HST, rather than $29,900 for a full furnace replacement.
The pool was closed for three days from Feb. 25 to 27. Work was completed on schedule and the facility reopened Feb. 28.
Rankin said the failed unit had exceeded expectations, lasting nearly 30 years despite a typical lifespan of 15 to 20 years.
Updated naming policy heads to council for approval
Committee also approved an updated commemorative naming policy, marking the first revision since it was introduced in 2014.
Recreation and Culture Manager Joanne Henderson said, “We’ve updated the policy to reflect the current committee structures as well as simplified the language within the policy.”
The policy provides a framework for naming parks, facilities and municipal assets, and outlines criteria to evaluate proposed names. It also maintains a structured approval process intended to ensure transparency and accountability.
There are no financial implications. Council is expected to formally adopt the revised policy at an upcoming meeting.
Station Active Living
Council is also supporting a survey aimed at reshaping programming at the Station Active Living Centre as demand continues to grow.
Henderson said the town recently met with Carebridge, which runs programs at the centre three days a week, while the Civitan Club offers activities on Fridays.
Carebridge is proposing a shift from the current membership model to a fee per class system. Free drop-in activities such as coffee, crafts and knitting would remain, while fees would apply to fitness and other structured classes.
The current model requires a nominal annual membership fee, which helps offset the town’s $7,500 annual payment to Carebridge, along with operating and maintenance costs. Henderson said the structure limits program growth and does not align with provincial Seniors Active Living Centre funding requirements.
“The purpose of the survey is to find out what seniors want, whether current offerings are adequate, and what they would be willing to pay,” she said.
The survey will be distributed by email, in paper form at the Active Living Centre, online and through CP Scoop, with results expected before summer.
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