LAURIE WEIR
CHANTRY — Rideau Lakes council covered a wide range of items at its latest municipal services committee meeting on Aug. 11, from financing for a major community project to road work, trail access, and event updates. Here are the highlights.
Loan for Portland Hall and Library
Council has approved moving forward with a Royal Bank of Canada loan to finance the new Portland Hall and Library, following staff’s recommendation.
Acting treasurer Dave Schur outlined three options to convert the $2.08 million construction financing loan into a debenture. Staff recommended a five-year term with RBC, amortized over 20 years, citing flexibility, competitive rates, and affordability. The option carries a 4.18 per cent interest rate, with monthly payments of $12,803 and total interest over the amortization period estimated at $992,611.
The original financing plan called for a 30-year debenture through Infrastructure Ontario, but rates offered were higher than anticipated. The construction loan, approved in 2023 with a $3 million limit, has covered two draws to date; $1.6 million in December 2024 and $480,000 in July 2025.
Municipal properties update
Council received the latest facilities report for information. Demolition of the former Delta Maple Syrup Factory is underway, with hazardous waste disposed of at a licensed site in Moose Creek.
Sidewalk repairs have begun in Portland and Delta.
At Portland Hall, incorrect wall-mounted fixtures have been replaced at no cost to the township, addressing neighbour concerns.
North Crosby Hall now has fob door hardware installed, along with new parking lot catch basins and surface material.
In Newboro Harbour, a QR-based “HONK SCAN ME” payment system is being piloted, with results to be reviewed after the season. Dock repairs and signage updates are ongoing at both Newboro and Portland harbours.
Other work includes new municipal parking signage in Elgin, drainage and sidewalk improvements at DARS, painting and maintenance at seniors’ units, AC installation at Morton Hall, and preparations for upcoming community events.
Household hazardous waste days – first one Saturday in Delta
Two collection events remain this year: Saturday, Aug. 16 at the South Leeds County Patrol Garage and the Delta Fairgrounds, both from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 11 at the Spencerville Fairgrounds and North Grenville Patrol Garage, also 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Delta Fairgrounds location is new for 2025.
The 2026 township calendar will feature heritage and historically significant buildings, with photos selected from internal sources.
Roads progress update
Miller Paving will apply micro-surfacing on Big Rideau Lake Road in the coming weeks. Garrett Road reconstruction, the North Crosby Hall parking lot project, and paving of Sunset Drive are complete. Work continues on the new wheel crank system for the Scott Island Ferry, with installation expected this month.
Maintenance crews are patching paved roads, grading as needed, completing small ditching projects, and replacing culverts. Brushing with the wheeled excavator will begin once ditching is finished.
Cataraqui Trail access plan
Council will consider a plan to improve public access to the Cataraqui Trail in Chaffeys Lock. The staff recommendation of building a six-car gravel parking lot this year and adding a footpath in 2026 was supported.
The $20,000 project will be completed in-house by the township’s roads department, with permits from the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority and the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville already in place. The lot will be built on municipally owned parkland donated by a previous landowner, with a mulch-surfaced path to the trail due to nearby wetlands.
New committee name approved
The township’s GROW FOR IT! garden contest closed July 31 with 38 nominations. Nominees and beautification volunteers will be invited to a September picnic in Portland. The Aug. 16 seniors’ bus trip will visit Doors Open sites, following a sold-out Mary Poppins outing.
Staff confirmed a $26,000 Seniors Community Grant for bus trips, volunteer training and technology workshops. An application is being prepared for up to $60,000 from the Ontario Enhancing Access to Spaces for Everyone Grant to upgrade the Kin Park washroom for accessibility.
Council also endorsed renaming the Recreation and Volunteer Committee to the Parks and Recreation Committee, with a call for applications going out this week.
