Rideau Lakes councillors tackled a wide range of municipal business this week, including the ongoing compliance process at Lower Beverley Lake Park, road construction and roadside brush, a lower speed limit on Blacksmith Road and another look at the township’s clear garbage bag requirement.
The discussions took place during a regular Rideau Lakes Committee of the Whole meeting Monday, Sept. 14.
Lower Beverley Lake Park compliance plan moves ahead
Rideau Lakes councillors have accepted a work plan aimed at bringing Lower Beverley Lake Park into planning and regulatory compliance, although several questioned why the process has taken so long.
The park must provide a professionally prepared site plan and a detailed inventory of trailers, buildings and structures before staff can determine what zoning relief, planning approvals or additional studies will be required. Those documents are expected in December.
Coun. Paula Banks questioned why issues known as far back as 2024 are now stretching into 2027.
“It just still really bothers me that our staff did not do their due diligence when we were doing the tourist campground bylaw for the previous council, and we had to find out in 2026 that we were incapable of passing this,” Banks said, also questioning whether a privately owned campground would have been given the same latitude.
Manager of Development Services Tom Fehr said staff are satisfied with the current timeline.
“As long as the individuals are working with us toward compliance, that’s what we’re looking for,” he said, adding that Development Services applies enforcement consistently.
The park’s work plan calls for planning applications to be prepared early in 2027, with corrective and compliance work potentially beginning later that year.
Committee unanimously supported continuing the compliance process, with staff to report back once the site plan and inventory have been reviewed.
Road work advances as brush keeps growing
Road crews are making steady progress on this year’s construction program, but keeping roadside brush under control continues to be a challenge, according to Dan Chant, manager of roads and drainage.
Road base reconstruction has been completed on Lake Street, Crosby, Townline and Smith Road, with work on Mahon Road beginning this week. Tackaberry Construction has also completed tight blading on Poonamalie Road, with microsurfacing by Miller Paving expected this month.
Committee members, however, zeroed in on overgrown roadsides.
Coun. Linda Carr raised concerns about brush crowding roads including Clear Lake, Davis and Smith roads, saying motorists can find themselves brushing branches when meeting oncoming traffic.
Chant said the township’s second brush cutter has arrived, although staff have had some issues getting it to run properly with the new excavator.
“Hopefully this fall, we get both brushers running together,” Chant said, noting wet weather has fuelled heavy growth. “The brush is just overgrowing everywhere.”
The township has completed its second round of roadside mowing, while brushing continues as staff time permits.
Coun. Sue Dunfield also flagged an untidy stretch along Colborne Street entering Portland. Chant said staff would take a look.
Committee unanimously received the Roads Progress Update report as information.
Blacksmith Road speed limit dropping to 30 km/h
Councillors have backed a 30 km/h speed limit for Blacksmith Road, siding with residents who petitioned the township for the reduction.
Staff had recommended setting the limit at 40 km/h, consistent with other villages in the township. Blacksmith Road currently has no bylaw-established speed limit, although advisory signs recommending 30 km/h have been installed. Residents told the township the signs had not noticeably slowed traffic.
Traffic counters placed on the road from July 31 to Aug. 4 recorded median speeds of about 30 km/h on the south side and 31 km/h on the north side, with maximum speeds just over 50 km/h.
Dunfield pushed for the lower limit.
“The people on Blacksmith Road have asked for 30 kilometres an hour,” she said. “I think we should really recognize their request.”
Chant cautioned that lowering the limit below the township’s usual 40 km/h village standard could prompt similar requests elsewhere.
Dunfield’s amendment to reduce the proposed limit from 40 to 30 km/h passed without opposition.
The next step is for council to pass a bylaw so the OPP can enforce the new speed limit.
Recycling complaints down as hazardous waste day approaches
The township’s September environmental services update brought some good news on recycling complaints, along with upcoming opportunities for residents to clear out unwanted and hazardous materials.
Works and Facilities Coordinator Ben Rothwell reported that the township’s curbside recycling system under Circular Materials Ontario is working well, with staff now receiving far fewer complaints. However, there are currently no plans to expand collection to public spaces after that requirement was removed from Ontario’s Blue Box Regulation.
Dunfield asked whether recycling collection could eventually be extended to non-profit organizations and businesses.
“I haven’t heard anything as far as changes to the regulation that would include non-for-profits and businesses,” Rothwell said. He agreed to investigate whether that could change in the future.
Meanwhile, the township’s second Trash 2 Treasure Day is set for Oct. 17, encouraging residents to place gently used items at the roadside marked “FREE.”
The final household hazardous waste day of the year will be held Oct. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at locations in Spencerville and North Grenville.
Elgin Municipal Complex floor remains under watch
Staff continue to monitor a settled concrete floor at the Elgin Municipal Complex but say there is currently little cause for concern.
The community hall slab has settled, with staff suspecting inadequate granular compaction beneath the floor during construction. The floor contains an in-floor heating system.
Manager of Facilities and Parks Steve Holmes told committee the slab has not moved further and the heating system continues to function normally.
“The slab appears to have settled, it hasn’t settled anymore since we’ve been monitoring it,” Holmes said, adding there is no indication of fluid loss from the heating pipes.
Staff had considered lifting the slab using injected material but decided against it because drilling could damage buried piping.
Holmes said staff are also looking at a 2027 capital project to improve grading and drainage around the building.
Other recent work includes roof repairs, added insulation, replacement of rotting structural columns and a $61,050 unplanned cistern repair.
New playground coming to Ronald E. Holman Complex
A new woodland-themed playground is moving ahead at the Ronald E. Holman Complex, with staff awarding the $40,000 project to Park N Play.
Council approved $20,000 for the playground in the 2026 budget, while the South Elmsley Community Enhancement Committee is contributing another $20,000. Four companies submitted proposals, with Park N Play receiving the highest evaluation score. The total cost, including the township’s portion of HST, is $40,704.
According to Holmes, the contractor will handle site preparation, drainage, granular, curbs and playground installation.
“They’ll do it, and we won’t have to do any work. I think that’s the best way to do it, because if we were to do the drainage and anything happened, they can point the finger back at us and say that we didn’t do it right. This way, it’s all on them,” Holmes said, adding that township roads staff are already heavily committed.
Hutchings questioned the procurement process for the project.
Fournier said staff followed the township’s purchasing bylaw, which allows staff to award budgeted purchases under $50,000 without separate council approval.
Committee rejects $50,000 cap on municipal matching funds
Rideau Lakes’ Community Enhancement Committees will not face a proposed $50,000 cap on municipal matching contributions after committee defeated the staff recommendation.
Staff were instructed by council to bring forward a cap limiting the township’s matching contribution for projects approved through the annual budget process. CECs are required to raise money through community and other local fundraising initiatives to trigger municipal matching funds. Grants are not included in the matching contribution.
Dunfield argued the proposed ceiling was too restrictive.
“If it’s that important to the residents, why wouldn’t it be that important to Council?” she said, adding that $50,000 “doesn’t buy enough” for major recreation projects.
Banks agreed the proposed cap was too low. An amendment establishing a $100,000 ceiling, with exceptions for major capital projects, was briefly considered before being withdrawn.
Banks ultimately joined Dunfield in questioning whether any cap was necessary, and the recommendation was rejected.
Delta dock proposal shelved over safety concerns
The township won’t be installing a public floating dock at Russell Park in Delta, near the Delta Dam on Upper Beverley Lake.
Committee backed staff’s recommendation to drop the site after the Ministry of Natural Resources raised safety concerns about placing a dock near the dam and its safety boom. The ministry warned that currents, changing water levels, ice, debris and dock movement could create hazards in the dam’s exclusion area.
Council still supports improving public access to the lake, but any future dock would need to be farther upstream and outside the dam’s influence, subject to regulatory approvals.
Banks asked whether the township owns other suitable waterfront property nearby.
Fournier said staff can investigate publicly owned land or consider another location suggested by the Delta and Area Community Enhancement Committee.
Holmes confirmed the township owns the UV-5 boat launch property and rebuilt that dock last year, although it is farther from the centre of the village.
The Delta Country Market site was also considered, but it is privately owned and would require the property owner’s involvement.
Clear garbage bag requirement under review
Staff will take another look at whether residents still need to use clear garbage bags, along with the cost of providing one free garbage tag per household each week.
Banks brought forward the motion after hearing from residents who questioned whether clear bags remain necessary now that residential recycling is handled separately by Circular Materials and collected by Emterra.
“The clear garbage bags are quite a bit more expensive,” Banks said, adding residents have also asked about using recycling bins instead of bags.
The staff report will examine the feasibility and contractual and operational implications of allowing opaque garbage bags for curbside collection and at the Portland Transfer Station. It will also calculate the annual cost of providing one free garbage tag per week to every eligible residential property.
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