Owen Sound Board - River District Meeting Transcript — May 13, 2026

00:00:09 speaker_unknown: Good evening, everyone. I'd like to call the meeting to order.

00:00:13 SPEAKER_287: And firstly, we'll do the land acknowledgement.

00:00:16 SPEAKER_287: We acknowledge with respect the history, spirituality, and culture of the Anishinaabe people, who consist of the people of the three fires known as Ojibwe, Ottawa, Bodawadam.

00:00:29 SPEAKER_287: Boda wadama mi, pardon my pronunciation.

00:00:33 SPEAKER_287: Nations on whose traditional territories we gather and whose ancestors signed treaties with our ancestors, we recognize also the Métis and Inuit, whose ancestors shared this land and these waters.

00:00:46 SPEAKER_287: May we all, as treaty people, live with respect on this land, and live in peace and friendship with all its diverse peoples. Call for additional business. Anyone? Yes, Jennifer. What?

00:01:04 SPEAKER_287: I have some sort of reports from some of my businesses on my block that I'd like to share. Anyone else?

00:01:19 SPEAKER_287: I would just like to mention fraud under additional business, if we could, especially emails and the fact that I don't ask for. money from people in the, and maybe we should just clarify.

00:01:31 SPEAKER_287: There's a couple easy ways to to deal with that. Okay. Confirmation of minutes 5A.

00:01:39 SPEAKER_287: Minutes of the closed session of the River District.

00:01:43 SPEAKER_287: I need a motion to approve. Declarations of interest. Anyone? I knew that. See, we can buy. Thank you. Seeing none. Confirmation of minutes.

00:02:00 SPEAKER_287: Five A. Minutes of closed session of the River District Board of Meeting held March 11th.

00:02:07 SPEAKER_287: I need a motion to approve. Kathy. All in favor. Carried. Thank you.

00:02:13 SPEAKER_287: Minutes of the River District Board of Management meeting held. Yes.

00:02:25 SPEAKER_103: Thanks, Mr. Chair, and I just wondered this evening, as we're welcoming a new member, if if you wanted to. Okay, thank you.

00:02:34 SPEAKER_287: Again, a motion to for the March 11th meeting.

00:02:40 SPEAKER_287: Kathy, again, and all in favor. Thank you.

00:02:43 SPEAKER_287: All right, I would at this time like to acknowledge Megan Cooks and. if we would start at that end, we're just going to let everyone know who we are. If you would. Hi, I'm Olivia. Olivia Leggett. Nice to meet you.

00:03:09 SPEAKER_287: I'm Richard Thomas, former city councilor, and representing the public interest here. But we've met before.

00:03:18 SPEAKER_287: Dave Parsons, I'm the chair, and apparently I've been. on since two thousand and eleven. So there you go.

00:03:26 SPEAKER_287: Kathy Hannon and I have Grayber's business services down the end of Second Avenue, and I've been on since two fourteen. Hey, I'm Jen.

00:03:36 SPEAKER_287: We also know each other.

00:03:40 SPEAKER_287: I'm a massage therapist downtown.

00:03:45 SPEAKER_098: I'm Travis Dodd, and I'm the city councilor representative on on the committee.

00:03:50 SPEAKER_098: I'm Tim Dwyer, and I own Sunday's Ice Cream. Hi, Megan. I'm Pam Coulter.

00:03:57 SPEAKER_098: I'm the Director of Community Services with the city. Hi, Megan. I'm Vivica.

00:04:03 SPEAKER_098: I'm the River District Coordinator, and I see you all the time. Thank you all. Deputations in presence. Oh, did you? Yes.

00:04:12 SPEAKER_287: Would you like who you are and what you do for? whatever.

00:04:20 SPEAKER_287: Yes, thank you very much.

00:04:22 SPEAKER_287: Thank you all for selecting me.

00:04:24 SPEAKER_287: I'm I'm glad to be here.

00:04:26 SPEAKER_287: My name is Megan Cookson, as you know, and I own Boone Bakery. Wonderful.

00:04:34 SPEAKER_287: I'll be over to see you. Thanks. All right. Deputations and presentations.

00:04:42 SPEAKER_287: I don't believe there are any, and public. forum.

00:04:47 SPEAKER_287: Anyone speaking to us tonight? I'm James.

00:05:02 SPEAKER_289: I'm here in Owen Sound, and I had one question for the OSPD.

00:05:09 SPEAKER_289: I was just wondering if you guys were still using. undercover officers to patrol the streets, and if you are, good.

00:05:20 SPEAKER_289: And if not, why not? That's all. Thank you, James.

00:05:29 SPEAKER_289: I'm not sure who we should direct that to, other than you. Will detective.

00:05:43 SPEAKER_289: Sergeant Gurney will address that question for us. Okay.

00:06:13 SPEAKER_289: Thank you, Detective Josh Gurney of the U.S. L. Police Service.

00:06:17 SPEAKER_289: James, you asked a question regarding if we have plainclothes uniformed members patrolling. We do. We do, in fact. We have.

00:06:28 SPEAKER_291: So I'm in charge of the criminal investigative branch.

00:06:31 SPEAKER_291: So we have several plainclothes detectives and a drug enforcement unit.

00:06:37 SPEAKER_291: One of the only dedicated agencies around. with primary officers assigned to that, and then we have a bail compliance and apprehension team,

00:06:48 SPEAKER_291: and all of these members at times are in plain clothes monitoring our city.

00:06:57 SPEAKER_291: We just worked together to have a mini project out of our unit where we just arrested nine individuals for open drug use. downtown, and we continue to work towards a continuation of that.

00:07:19 SPEAKER_287: Anyways, while you're up, would you like to give us your report as well?

00:07:27 SPEAKER_287: Is anyone against that taking place? We should follow. Forget why I asked. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Thanks. Yeah, yeah.

00:07:40 SPEAKER_287: Anyone else like to speak? Is that who me? Oh. Okay.

00:07:50 SPEAKER_287: My name is Robert Tessar.

00:07:56 SPEAKER_287: I reside in Gray Highlands.

00:07:59 SPEAKER_287: Me and my wife just opened up a low-cost grocery store on the main strip here called Good Neighbor Retail.

00:08:05 SPEAKER_287: Strip here called Good Neighbor Resale, and yeah, we're just interested to to see everybody, meet everybody, and hear a little bit about what's going to be happening in the downtown area throughout the summer months.

00:08:16 SPEAKER_287: So thank you very much. Welcome. I said welcome. Thank you. Anyone else? No, we're good. Okay.

00:08:29 SPEAKER_287: Correspondents received for which direction required? Do you have anything? No. hearing none.

00:08:36 SPEAKER_287: We're up to 9A reports from our police services. If you would, sir. All right, I'm back.

00:08:47 SPEAKER_291: So I'm reporting on March and April, primarily the foot patrol hours that are spent downtown.

00:08:54 SPEAKER_291: For March, our officers spent 141 hours foot, and in April, 112 hours.

00:09:05 SPEAKER_291: Just some other fun facts, because there's some concerns.

00:09:09 SPEAKER_291: Criminal charges laid in March alone, just between criminal code and control drug and substance.

00:09:19 SPEAKER_291: Our officers laid 153 charges.

00:09:23 SPEAKER_291: That does not include like highway traffic act, liquor license, trespass to property. That's straight criminal charges.

00:09:29 SPEAKER_291: And in April we laid. one hundred and forty-five criminal code and drug-related charges.

00:09:36 SPEAKER_291: So our members are very active and kept busy day to day with numerous calls for service.

00:09:46 SPEAKER_287: Do we have any questions for Detective Sergeant Gurney? Anyone? No. Okay. Thank you.

00:09:59 SPEAKER_287: Motion to receive for information purposes.

00:10:07 SPEAKER_287: Kathy, and all in favor? Keep up, William. Thank you.

00:10:18 SPEAKER_287: Nine B report CS twenty six zero three seven from the River District Coordinator, Vivica.

00:10:27 SPEAKER_287: Thank you, and for you, Mr. Chair.

00:10:29 SPEAKER_287: Thank you, and through you, Mr. Chair.

00:10:30 SPEAKER_293: The purpose of this report is to request that the River District Board of Management appoint a new board representative to the Events and Activations Team to fill the current vacancy and ensure that the team

00:10:38 SPEAKER_293: can continue its work as intended under the approved Terms of Reference.

00:10:42 SPEAKER_293: On January 14, 2026, the River District Board of Management approved the creation of a one-year Events and Activations Team.

00:10:48 SPEAKER_293: This team was allocated $10,000 from the board reserve funds to be used in the creation and execution of new events and activations.

00:10:55 SPEAKER_293: The team is composed. of five members, two of whom are board members, and three of whom are members of the public.

00:11:02 SPEAKER_293: On January 14th, members Leggett and Robinson were appointed to the team.

00:11:06 SPEAKER_293: Since that time, member Robinson has had to step back from participation of that team, and the team has a vacancy for which a river district board member is needed.

00:11:15 SPEAKER_293: I'll now pass this to you, on to you, Mr. Chair, for to run the nomination procedure.

00:11:23 SPEAKER_293: Thank you, and Stacy. would you care to carry through the chair?

00:11:30 SPEAKER_028: As per the nomination procedure, not procedure, nominations for the events and activations team may be made by any member, including nominations of oneself.

00:11:38 SPEAKER_028: A seconder is not required for the nomination to stand.

00:11:41 SPEAKER_028: If we receive more than one nomination, then a vote will be held for each nominee.

00:11:45 SPEAKER_028: Each member will get one vote.

00:11:46 SPEAKER_028: You will be responsible for keeping track of your own vote to ensure that you do not vote more than once.

00:11:51 SPEAKER_028: And then the member with the highest number of votes is declared. member elect.

00:11:56 SPEAKER_028: And if there is a tie in the number of votes for vacancy, I'll place the names of the tied nominees into an envelope, and one name will be drawn by the chair.

00:12:03 SPEAKER_028: And the nominee whose name is drawn is declared member elect.

00:12:06 SPEAKER_028: Where no member accepts a nomination, I will place the names of all eligible members into an envelope, and the chair will draw a name.

00:12:11 SPEAKER_028: The member whose name is drawn is declared member elect.

00:12:14 SPEAKER_028: So, with your permission, I'll now run the nomination procedure.

00:12:17 SPEAKER_028: So there is one vacancy for the events and activations team, and I will open the floor for nominations.

00:12:22 SPEAKER_028: Does anyone wish to make a nomination? Councillor Dodd. Thank you, Chair.

00:12:30 SPEAKER_028: Through you to the clerk. I nominate Tim.

00:12:40 SPEAKER_028: Member Dwyer, do you accept that nomination? I do.

00:12:45 SPEAKER_028: Are there any further nominations for the events and activations team? Going second time. Any further nominations? Okay. Oh yeah.

00:12:57 SPEAKER_028: So, seeing none, I will declare nominations closed.

00:12:59 SPEAKER_028: And member Dwyer is acclaimed to the events and activations team.

00:13:03 SPEAKER_028: So now we require someone to move the following recommendation: that in consideration of staff report CS twenty six thirty seven respecting the one year events and activations team board member vacancy,

00:13:13 SPEAKER_028: the River District Board of Management appoints member Dwyer to the events and activations team.

00:13:21 SPEAKER_287: Richard Thomas and all in favor, carried. Thank you.

00:13:29 SPEAKER_287: All right, 9C report, CR twenty six zero four seven, from the deputy clerk, amendment to the River District Constitution and River District Board of Management election. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

00:13:46 SPEAKER_028: The purpose of this report is to. seek the board's approval for a series of amendments to the River District Constitution and direction to forward the amended Constitution to City Council for final approval.

00:13:56 SPEAKER_028: The proposed changes are largely administrative and operational in nature, with the goal of improving clarity, strengthening election administration, and ensuring the Constitution reflects current board practices and governance needs.

00:14:06 SPEAKER_028: The amendments are based on feedback received following the 2022 board election and a comprehensive administrative review of the Constitution.

00:14:13 SPEAKER_028: Due to the number of changes, staff are recommending that the Constitution. be repealed and replaced to improve clarity and simplify formatting and numbering for directors and the public.

00:14:22 SPEAKER_028: Several definitions have been added or updated to improve clarity, including defining business within the River District, clarifying the rules of the election manager and assistant election officers,

00:14:32 SPEAKER_028: and updating qualification language to reflect employees of businesses operating within the River District.

00:14:38 SPEAKER_028: The board's current practice regarding land acknowledgments has been formally incorporated into the Constitution. For the 2026 elect.

00:14:44 SPEAKER_028: For the 2026 election, the deputy clerk will serve as election manager.

00:14:48 SPEAKER_028: However, because the municipal election occurs at the same time, staff are recommending the creation of an election reserve fund through future annual budget contributions of $1,500 per year.

00:14:58 SPEAKER_028: Over a four-year cycle, this would establish a $6,000 reserve to support retaining an independent election manager in future election years.

00:15:05 SPEAKER_028: This approach supports stronger election administration and reduces operational pressure on city staff.

00:15:10 SPEAKER_028: A key focus of the amendments is improving the election process.

00:15:14 SPEAKER_028: The proposed nomination period would move earlier, opening the last Friday in August and closing on the last Friday in September, with an extended nomination deadline of the first Friday in October if needed.

00:15:24 SPEAKER_028: These changes provide additional time to prepare and distribute voter information materials before voting day, being the second Monday in November.

00:15:32 SPEAKER_028: Board executive officer terms, so chair, vice chair, and treasurer, would change from four-year terms to two-year terms with eligibility for re-election.

00:15:40 SPEAKER_028: This creates more opportunities for board. directors to serve in leadership roles during a board term.

00:15:45 SPEAKER_028: Updates are proposed to clarify staff roles within the constitution.

00:15:49 SPEAKER_028: The deputy clerk and the administrator role would be formally responsible for board agendas and minutes, while the river district coordinator would maintain all other board records.

00:15:57 SPEAKER_028: The amendments also formally recognize the river district coordinator position as a permanent, full-time board role operating under the board-approved job description.

00:16:05 SPEAKER_028: There are no immediate financial implications associated with approving the amendments themselves.

00:16:09 SPEAKER_028: If an election is required. in 2026, costs will be funded through reserves, and existing city staff will be used where possible.

00:16:16 SPEAKER_028: The 2026 election will be held on November 9th.

00:16:19 SPEAKER_028: Further information will be provided to the board at its meeting on July 8th, and a dedicated election webpage, email address, and phone line will also be established.

00:16:27 SPEAKER_028: Overall, these amendments are intended to clarify the constitution, improve election administration, and support effective governance for the River District Board moving forward.

00:16:35 SPEAKER_028: And with that, Chair Parsons, I'd be happy to take any questions. Thanks, Stacy. Any questions, comments?

00:16:44 SPEAKER_028: We need a motion to approve. Yes.

00:16:47 SPEAKER_028: So through you, chair, would be the motion that appears on the screen.

00:16:51 SPEAKER_028: If the board is in agreement, I'd be happy to. move the recommendation as printed. All in favor? Anyone against? Carried. Thanks, Stacy.

00:17:19 SPEAKER_287: Nine D verbal report from member legate, events and evacuation team. Comments? Thank you, Chair.

00:17:28 SPEAKER_294: Currently, we are we are working on a range of activities. so events and activation activities that will take place in the River District over the next year.

00:17:41 SPEAKER_294: At the moment, we have one confirmed event that will operate throughout the summer.

00:17:46 SPEAKER_294: We have one confirmed activation activity that will operate throughout the summer and into the fall months.

00:17:52 SPEAKER_294: And we are continuing to work on an additional event that will take place through the summer as well.

00:17:59 SPEAKER_294: After that, we are going to focus on the shoulder season. into the fall, where we have fewer River District events taking place.

00:18:11 SPEAKER_294: So we are going to put some energy into bringing a little bit more life into the River District in between summer and winter, when we have lots of activities happening in the River District.

00:18:20 SPEAKER_294: And we we have some ideas on the table for the fall.

00:18:27 SPEAKER_294: We took a pause this past week while.

00:18:33 SPEAKER_294: Last week, while we were waiting to elect our new board member, and as we move into the following week,

00:18:37 SPEAKER_294: we will revisit some of those ideas and update Member Dwyer on some of the things that we've been planning.

00:18:47 SPEAKER_294: And hopefully, we will we'll be back with a few more fun activities that we'll be sharing once we've got some things confirmed. Thanks, Olivia. Any questions? for Olivia?

00:19:02 SPEAKER_287: No. Could we have a motion to receive for information purposes? Tim. All in favor? Carried. Thank you.

00:19:16 SPEAKER_287: Verbal report from the River District Coordinator concerning the Toronto Car Club show. Thank you.

00:19:26 SPEAKER_293: Through you, Mr. Chair, I'd like to provide a brief verbal report for information. purposes regarding the upcoming Toronto Triumph Club Spring Fling event, taking place in the River District on the weekend of June sixth.

00:19:37 SPEAKER_293: The Toronto Triumph Club hosts this event annually, with the location changing from community to community each year. and Owen Sound was selected as the host destination for two thousand and twenty-six.

00:19:48 SPEAKER_293: Throughout the weekend, participants will be staying in local hotels, visiting local attractions, dining in restaurants, and exploring the community.

00:19:55 SPEAKER_293: While most of the weekend's activities are club-focused, the Are club focused.

00:19:58 SPEAKER_293: The public-facing component will be a car show taking place on Second Avenue East between Eighth and Ninth Street on Saturday, June sixth.

00:20:05 SPEAKER_293: To accommodate the event safely, a temporary street closure has been processed, beginning at approximately one p.m.

00:20:13 SPEAKER_293: The event is expected to conclude at approximately four thirty p.m. with the street reopening shortly afterward.

00:20:19 SPEAKER_293: Over the years, there have been a growing number of requests for more events.

00:20:23 SPEAKER_293: This allows an event to take place in the River District with no financial obligation. to the River District Board of Management.

00:20:29 SPEAKER_293: It also provides an opportunity to continue positioning the River District as a welcoming and supportive destination for visiting event groups and tourism-focused organizations. Thank you. Thanks, Vivica.

00:20:43 SPEAKER_293: Do we have a motion to refer for information? Question first, Jennifer. Oh, ask a question. Oh, yes, certainly can.

00:20:52 SPEAKER_293: Do you have a sense of how many participants there might be? coming from the club?

00:20:59 SPEAKER_293: They say they usually have about fifty cars, and there's often two people per car. Any other questions concerning? Thank you.

00:21:12 SPEAKER_287: And motion to receive for information.

00:21:16 SPEAKER_287: Jennifer, is all in favor? Thank you.

00:21:22 SPEAKER_287: Nine a verbal report. from our board treasurer, Kathy. Everyone, okay.

00:21:31 SPEAKER_287: So bank counts altogether are one hundred and seventy-two thousand two hundred four.

00:21:36 SPEAKER_295: There has been again a couple of more gift certificates, old gift certificates, come through the account, which we were going to close, but that might not be a good thing to do.

00:21:47 SPEAKER_295: So we haven't done it, and interest. earned in the last two months is around eight hundred and just over eight hundred dollars in interest.

00:21:58 SPEAKER_295: I I'd like to make a motion to receive my report, please. All in favor. Sorry, I. Let's go.

00:22:33 SPEAKER_287: We'll go back to matters postponed. There are none.

00:22:37 SPEAKER_287: Motions for which notice was previously given. There are no motions. Correspondence provided for information.

00:22:44 SPEAKER_287: Number twelve, twelve A. Final approvals. If you would.

00:22:49 SPEAKER_028: Through the chair, business licenses have been issued to Gray Bruce Art Therapy and Associates at nine twenty-five Second Avenue East, Rowan's Roost at seven ninety-one First Avenue East,

00:22:59 SPEAKER_028: Good Neighbor Resale at nine fifty-six Second Avenue East.

00:23:02 SPEAKER_028: Haley Thompson is the new owner of Riverside Yarns at nine twenty-eight Second Avenue East.

00:23:07 SPEAKER_028: Soundside Skin and Wellness Studio has relocated to three forty-five Eighth Street East, Suite two oh six.

00:23:13 SPEAKER_028: Mind Revitalized has relocated to nine forty-five Third Avenue East, Unit. 18B.

00:23:19 SPEAKER_028: Laura Sutherland RMT has relocated to 1051 Second Avenue East, Unit 214, and an annual hawker and peddler license was issued to the River District for city-owned sound and River District special events in 2026.

00:23:33 SPEAKER_028: Block captains, please be sure to introduce yourself to the new businesses in your block, and we will need a motion to receive Item 12A for information purposes. Thank you.

00:23:44 SPEAKER_287: You don't need a motion for this, do you, or do you? Okay.

00:23:48 SPEAKER_287: Motion to receive Jennifer again. All in favor? Carried. Thank you. Discussion of additional business. Jennifer, you're up. Hi.

00:24:02 SPEAKER_287: I had a chance to go around to the businesses on my block last week, and I suppose I can start with some of the good news.

00:24:12 SPEAKER_288: The folks from Good Neighbor Resale. got to introduce myself to them and take a look at the store and tell them a little bit about this meeting and what was happening.

00:24:20 SPEAKER_288: So I'm glad to see them here today.

00:24:22 SPEAKER_288: Thanks so much for coming.

00:24:23 SPEAKER_288: Also wanted to put a shout out to the Tom Upcycled Art Initiative.

00:24:31 SPEAKER_288: Had some positive feedback on that being displayed in some of the storefronts downtown, and I'm not sure if if maybe this could be directed towards the activation.

00:24:40 SPEAKER_288: Towards the activations committee, more more of that, please, is what we're looking for.

00:24:48 SPEAKER_288: Some some things to sharpen up some of the the storefronts for sure.

00:24:53 SPEAKER_288: Okay, now to some of the other issues, I suppose.

00:25:00 SPEAKER_288: I am pretty sure every single business that I talked to mentioned the garbage situation downtown.

00:25:11 SPEAKER_288: I completely appreciate, and we had a lengthy discussion with each about how there's this kind of drop-off between the recycling and cardboard pickup,

00:25:23 SPEAKER_288: and so there seems to be some maybe confusion about what's going on because there's just there was cardboard and garbage kind of everywhere.

00:25:33 SPEAKER_288: I'm not entirely sure how anyone's differentiating between what's coming from the resident residential spots and what's coming from businesses, but people still seem to be putting stuff out,

00:25:43 SPEAKER_288: and there's there's just a lot of garbage.

00:25:47 SPEAKER_288: In addition to a few very very specific complaints about some of the garbage cans downtown overflowing, often you know there's household garbage piled inside,

00:26:05 SPEAKER_288: and then there's you know like a whole perimeter of garbage. laying around it because you can't fit anything more in the can.

00:26:12 SPEAKER_288: You know, I appreciate that some of that is is on the residences, and I have had a chance to speak to Vivica about you know enforcement of of those things and what that looks like.

00:26:26 SPEAKER_288: But the downtown businesses that I spoke to are feeling this real sense of resignation about you know nothing. being sort of done on the on the like to eye, to have no one looking.

00:26:42 SPEAKER_288: In addition to some of the businesses struggling with like biohazards in in their garbage and having to either direct staff on how to clean it up or you know who to call that sort of thing,

00:27:00 SPEAKER_288: and another. specific instance, and I'm not again, I'm not entirely sure where this lies.

00:27:11 SPEAKER_288: But speaking to the folks at Rexall, and I want to be very clear, she was not addressing anyone who makes use of the OSHaRE service. Totally fine.

00:27:23 SPEAKER_288: A lot of people come and use the seats that are provided in Carney's Lane, also as as they should be. They're used.

00:27:29 SPEAKER_288: The the question was, what happens when everybody leaves their garbage from lunch? Who's responsible for that?

00:27:36 SPEAKER_288: She often has to direct her staff to clean that up because it directly reflects her business.

00:27:41 SPEAKER_288: But that is not—I don't believe that's in her mandate.

00:27:45 SPEAKER_288: So I'm not entirely sure who we who we direct that stuff to.

00:27:49 SPEAKER_288: I mean, and then I suppose then there's kind of the how to put it delicately, like the human element, and perhaps Josh, we can have a a chat about that.

00:28:00 SPEAKER_288: A number of businesses. are are struggling with very open drug use in front of their buildings, behind their buildings.

00:28:08 SPEAKER_288: A specific business told me that somebody during business hours, midday, came and urinated directly in front of their business.

00:28:21 SPEAKER_288: Again, people having to clean up human waste quite often, and I can attest to that.

00:28:28 SPEAKER_288: I work out of that alley, artist's alley.

00:28:31 SPEAKER_288: Artist Alley, and a number of businesses having restraining orders against specific problem individuals, returning to their business.

00:28:43 SPEAKER_288: And I mean, I suppose everybody's again has this sense of just apathy about it.

00:28:49 SPEAKER_288: Very few people are almost willing to tell me because it's sort of a tired story.

00:28:54 SPEAKER_288: But all of these things are directly impacting everybody's business. and they are concerned, of course, as they should be.

00:29:04 SPEAKER_288: I'm not sure if there was anything else.

00:29:09 SPEAKER_288: I mean, again, there's sort of just interesting, random cases.

00:29:16 SPEAKER_288: You know, beautiful flowers being planted in the tulips, and then somebody in crisis going and ripping them all out at rent.

00:29:24 SPEAKER_288: I mean, I'm not sure how we deal with these things on a very, very individual. basis, but as a whole, this is sort of what people are are witnessing.

00:29:34 SPEAKER_288: And then, yeah, again, the garbage.

00:29:40 SPEAKER_288: Another specific mention was a restaurant not being able to put a patio out last year because the garages were overflowing and it created flies around the area,

00:29:50 SPEAKER_288: and they didn't want that for their for their shop.

00:29:53 SPEAKER_288: And it continues to be a problem, even though they didn't. put a patio out, because whenever they open the door to their business, flies are coming in.

00:30:01 SPEAKER_288: So certainly wanted to mention all of those things, and yeah, on behalf of my businesses, thank you. Any comments, questions? Yes. Great, thank you, Chair.

00:30:17 SPEAKER_098: Just the downtown garbage situation, I will say, is something that we just spoke with on council. and that is going to be a discussion that happens at operations committee again coming up next week.

00:30:31 SPEAKER_098: As you know, the province has taken over recycling for certain entities, residential, where the new schedule for residents has been, you know, traditionally over years was you put it to the curb, it magically goes away.

00:30:50 SPEAKER_098: Doesn't matter what day of the week it was, it just disappeared, and now. there is a difference between what is actually being picked up,

00:30:57 SPEAKER_098: and there is a regular scheduled day for recycling for those downtown businesses, or sorry, downtown residents.

00:31:05 SPEAKER_098: And I know that's going to be something that gets brought back up on operations.

00:31:08 SPEAKER_098: But what are the next steps to ensure that there is compliance with that, so that way someone isn't just putting the recycling, no different than we would, at the end of our driveway.

00:31:18 SPEAKER_098: We wouldn't just put our garbage or recycling out there on a Wednesday when we know the next.

00:31:22 SPEAKER_098: Wednesday was pickup, we would have to have some control over that.

00:31:28 SPEAKER_098: So I know that that will be a discussion at operations next week about what staff had for suggestions on how to not only provide further information to downtown residents about what the days are and

00:31:43 SPEAKER_098: the rules are for their garbage and waste.

00:31:48 SPEAKER_098: Obviously, we do know that bag tag usage is still not being done, and I think that's obviously a compliance rule, and that would be something that needs to probably be enforceable by bylaw, because again,

00:31:58 SPEAKER_098: as we're seeing, I drive to my office and I see what the downtown looks like on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

00:32:04 SPEAKER_098: It's those you can't break those patterns from people.

00:32:07 SPEAKER_098: I don't think you can break that in six weeks.

00:32:12 SPEAKER_098: I think it is still a fluid situation, but we do need to get that under control because there is an added cost to it. because Miller isn't picking it up.

00:32:21 SPEAKER_098: We're sending city staff down there and picking that garbage up, and we're paying an elevated rate to pick up the same bag of garbage rather than someone following the rules.

00:32:30 SPEAKER_098: So there will be some things that that council will discuss, or the committee of operations will discuss next week, and we brought brought back to council.

00:32:38 SPEAKER_098: As we all know, businesses would have to have their recycling set up separately because now there is no funding.

00:32:45 SPEAKER_098: The city doesn't look after garbage anymore. that's done by the province, or sorry, the recycling component of it.

00:32:51 SPEAKER_098: Littering, I would just highlight when people litter, that is still a bylaw enforcement.

00:33:00 SPEAKER_098: We need to have some sort of self involvement in that.

00:33:06 SPEAKER_098: No matter who we are, we need to have.

00:33:10 SPEAKER_098: No one should be littering.

00:33:12 SPEAKER_098: No one should be leaving their garbage.

00:33:14 SPEAKER_098: And again, I would say that's a bylaw, something that.

00:33:16 SPEAKER_098: And I would say that's a bylaw.

00:33:18 SPEAKER_098: Something that bylaw should be taking a look at.

00:33:19 SPEAKER_098: Of saying, if that is something that is happening, and we do know that the litter or garbage is coming from a certain source,

00:33:25 SPEAKER_098: then there needs to be a discussion about what is the solution to that.

00:33:30 SPEAKER_098: It's not fair for private businesses to be taking that on.

00:33:35 SPEAKER_098: I also don't believe it's fair to send city staff there every day at 12:30.

00:33:40 SPEAKER_098: I don't think that's a good usage of of financials from the city as well. so maybe that's a takeaway that we could have to provide that back to bylaw regarding littering in in in certain areas within the downtown.

00:33:56 SPEAKER_098: Because I think that is a big component.

00:33:59 SPEAKER_098: I've heard that complaint from many people about the waste from certain areas.

00:34:05 SPEAKER_098: So I think that is something that we could probably take to bylaw and have a discussion with what is a solution to that as well. We. have a hired.

00:34:13 SPEAKER_098: Our bylaw has changed in this recent year.

00:34:17 SPEAKER_098: We are now more of a sort of not reactionary like we used to be. We're more proactive.

00:34:23 SPEAKER_098: We do have more staffing, so maybe there's a discussion,

00:34:28 SPEAKER_098: and I'd look to the clerk at some point to potentially talk to our our main clerk about how they would organize bylaw to ensure there's a little bit more enforcement on some of those things.

00:34:39 SPEAKER_098: But I just want to provide a little bit of context from. from the city's perspective. Yes, Jennifer.

00:34:47 SPEAKER_288: I suppose my concern is, I mean, whether it's an unwillingness to abide by those rules, or perhaps a capacity issue.

00:34:59 SPEAKER_288: The reality is, there's garbage, and I'm not entirely sure.

00:35:03 SPEAKER_288: You know, in the process of of trying to get by.

00:35:10 SPEAKER_288: To get bylaw, like it's the downtown still looks trashy. So I, I like.

00:35:15 SPEAKER_288: How do we, as a as a river district board, you know, work with that in the interim?

00:35:23 SPEAKER_288: Is do we like find someone who's capable of going and and sort of walking through and and picking stuff up on a daily basis,

00:35:32 SPEAKER_288: so that we don't have to incur the higher cost of a city person, because it's clearly on the minds of every. business,

00:35:39 SPEAKER_288: so we should probably be paying attention and actually acting on that sooner rather than later.

00:35:51 SPEAKER_288: Did you want to respond? Sure.

00:35:56 SPEAKER_288: I only have five meetings left on council, so I can say pretty much anything I want at this point.

00:36:00 SPEAKER_098: So I would say everything has a cost to it.

00:36:05 SPEAKER_098: So whatever you choose to do, the board. the River District board hasn't approved budget that doesn't have that line item.

00:36:11 SPEAKER_098: So if you are adding that position in, be prepared that the board will have to run a deficit, and it'll be using reserves to fill that position.

00:36:18 SPEAKER_098: The other option that we saw a couple months ago was that the board could have funded a downtown recycling pickup,

00:36:27 SPEAKER_098: and that was a an option that was provided by staff that we could have paid to do by having a contract with Miller, which I think when we looked at those. numbers,

00:36:36 SPEAKER_098: we felt that that wasn't an appropriate thing to do within our budget.

00:36:40 SPEAKER_098: I don't disagree with anybody in those comments, and I'm just saying that the probably the the ideal solution is compliance.

00:36:48 SPEAKER_098: And if we need to do more on highlighting why we need to be compliant, because no matter other ways we look, there is a financial component to it.

00:36:57 SPEAKER_098: Whether it's going to be applied to the river district or it's going to be applied to the city levy, that ultimately will still affect the river district.

00:37:05 SPEAKER_098: There's only so many options, so I do think we it's it's definitely we need to find a solution.

00:37:11 SPEAKER_098: Back in the day, Dave will remember when I was in university before I became a city councilor and had gray hair.

00:37:19 SPEAKER_098: I used to be up at six o'clock in the morning working for the River District, sweeping the streets, and that is something that we used to do as a River District board.

00:37:28 SPEAKER_098: You hired two summer students in the summer.

00:37:30 SPEAKER_098: You'd be collecting and and and and organizing. what people would see before they came to their storefront at eight thirty—that's something that hasn't happened for a number of years.

00:37:40 SPEAKER_098: But that might be something.

00:37:41 SPEAKER_098: Unfortunately, I will not be a part of your next budget discussion.

00:37:44 SPEAKER_098: But that might be something that the board may want to look into in the future again.

00:37:49 SPEAKER_098: I know we have city staff that do a portion of that, but maybe that's something that you would do look at hiring a summer student for the those periods of time to highlight that. But.

00:38:01 SPEAKER_098: Kim, I'll just throw something out as a just a very top-level thought starter that is not fleshed out,

00:38:08 SPEAKER_296: and I guess I'll present it to Vivica to see if she has any ability to brainstorm on it.

00:38:12 SPEAKER_296: But I'm wondering if there's a way to instead of looking at how do we punish non-compliance, is there something within our wheelhouse that can reward compliance?

00:38:22 SPEAKER_296: And I don't know exactly what that looks like.

00:38:24 SPEAKER_296: We'd have to think it out.

00:38:25 SPEAKER_296: But is there some way that we can reward people for proper behavior as opposed to trying to find the Trying to find them in order to punish them for non-compliance—a novel idea—but I suggest that

00:38:38 SPEAKER_287: many of the problems that exist right now,

00:38:41 SPEAKER_287: there's a total disregard and respect for property.

00:38:44 SPEAKER_287: Period, and it becomes very difficult.

00:38:48 SPEAKER_287: A few of us, as Pam would know, I was on last Thursday.

00:38:55 SPEAKER_287: I went and I saw 14 little pockets or big. pockets of garbage, and I took pictures of every one of them.

00:39:02 SPEAKER_287: And thanks, Pam, for receiving them.

00:39:05 SPEAKER_287: On by Friday morning, all of them were gone.

00:39:08 SPEAKER_287: By Friday afternoon at four o'clock, there were six pockets of garbage again.

00:39:14 SPEAKER_287: And I could name specific buildings, but I won't.

00:39:17 SPEAKER_287: And again, it's a total disregard for our downtown by certain individuals.

00:39:25 SPEAKER_287: And some of them are. apartment buildings, where in fact they just take their stuff out whenever they want.

00:39:32 SPEAKER_287: It has nothing to do with pick up on Wednesday or whatever.

00:39:35 SPEAKER_287: They just put it out when it starts to stink in their apartment or wherever, and they just do it.

00:39:41 SPEAKER_287: So I think that bylaw needs to be somewhat involved here at some point.

00:39:48 SPEAKER_287: And you're quite right about as the DIA in the past used to perform.

00:39:57 SPEAKER_287: We had someone every day doing garbage every day.

00:40:01 SPEAKER_287: And Pam, you you could recognize that.

00:40:03 SPEAKER_287: Perhaps you would like to comment. Thank you.

00:40:08 SPEAKER_287: And through you, Mr. Chair.

00:40:11 SPEAKER_103: As I sat here and I thought, you know, I responded last year probably to very similar comments, and I really appreciate the discussion and dialogue around the table.

00:40:21 SPEAKER_103: And I think the frustration. we feel it, and I know the people that have businesses in the river district who live in the river district. I understand it. It is incredibly frustrating.

00:40:37 SPEAKER_103: We have staff this year.

00:40:39 SPEAKER_103: Public Works is responsible for the downtown maintenance, who are cleaning up that space.

00:40:45 SPEAKER_103: They can go through, you know, in one hour, and come back in one hour later, and things. have gone awry.

00:40:53 SPEAKER_103: So, starting in June, there will be daily garbage pickup at the cans.

00:41:02 SPEAKER_103: It doesn't get at the issues of the maintenance around cans, but in the river district service level, that is, is addressed.

00:41:09 SPEAKER_103: I'm you know as much as I sometimes cringe when I get those pictures.

00:41:14 SPEAKER_103: We appreciate it because then we can action those things.

00:41:18 SPEAKER_103: To Tim's idea around. how do we get people kind of working with us?

00:41:24 SPEAKER_103: Last year we had a broom giveaway to sort of have fun with the notion of be part of the the solution,

00:41:31 SPEAKER_103: and you know whether it's through the the annual chamber awards or thinking about a golden broom award.

00:41:39 SPEAKER_103: I you know just from where I sit in the morning, often before stores will open, there's a few businesses, just the ones that I can see.

00:41:47 SPEAKER_103: I'm sure there's many more where the Sure, there's many more where those storekeepers are out and they're cleaning things up in the morning.

00:41:54 SPEAKER_103: And if each person did their part, you know, it wouldn't fix it all, but it would certainly be a big help. So, I appreciate.

00:42:04 SPEAKER_103: I know that there is going to be a discussion at operations committee, and I know there's other things that you know we're working with from a bylaw perspective. So. Yes. go ahead, Megan.

00:42:21 SPEAKER_297: Just a small question related to garbage cans because I this is my first meeting, obviously, so I don't know if it's been discussed before, if it's already on the table or in the works.

00:42:29 SPEAKER_297: But has there been any talk about replacing the existing garbage cans with newer, updated cans that can't just be opened willy-nilly, like cans that once you put the garbage in,

00:42:40 SPEAKER_297: you can't get the garbage back out, or put like a giant household bag in it to fill Hold bag in it to fill it all up.

00:42:50 SPEAKER_287: I'm pretty sure that's in reference to we have a a number of individuals who come over to the cans, and haul stuff out looking for whatever they are looking for,

00:42:59 SPEAKER_287: and they just literally throw it, and they go through it, and then they don't bother picking up what they've thrown on the ground.

00:43:08 SPEAKER_287: If they don't find anything of interest, they just keep going to the next garbage can.

00:43:12 SPEAKER_287: So, I'm not sure what, yeah. Sure. What? Yes. Yeah. Olivia. Thank you.

00:43:23 SPEAKER_294: This might be something that the vicar or Pam could answer.

00:43:28 SPEAKER_294: In terms of household waste being brought into the river district and left outside next to cans or filling up the entire garbage can that's left out for the public, is it?

00:43:43 SPEAKER_294: is it something that we we could maybe discuss with the landlords of the the residential units in the River District,

00:43:53 SPEAKER_294: just sort of outlining ways that they can provide a location for the residents to be putting their their household garbage until garbage day pickup,

00:44:10 SPEAKER_294: so they aren't inclined to bring the garbage downtown. and and and leave things on the streets, and even if we're if we are talking about involving bylaw,

00:44:20 SPEAKER_294: having them connect with any of the building owners that are maybe able to then pass that information on to their their residential tenants and just remind them that the the street garbage bins are meant

00:44:40 SPEAKER_294: to be used. by public and people who are coming by.

00:44:45 SPEAKER_293: Vivica, thank you for that.

00:44:49 SPEAKER_293: Through you, Mr. Chair, there there's so many things happening right now.

00:44:55 SPEAKER_293: In respect to specifically communicating with the landowners and the tenants, prior to any of these changes, there were communications mailed out to the landowners. We've.

00:45:09 SPEAKER_293: Donors, we've recently sent out cards to through a Canada Post mailing to every resident individually to ensure that they have all of the proper information.

00:45:20 SPEAKER_293: It is weekly garbage pickup in the River District for residential.

00:45:24 SPEAKER_293: Everywhere else, it's it's biweekly.

00:45:27 SPEAKER_293: So we do continue, and we plan to continue the communication and trying to make sure that everybody is well informed about the the rules, regulations, and. how best to support. Oh goodness, everything.

00:45:41 SPEAKER_293: Flipping back to Megan talking about the garbage cans.

00:45:47 SPEAKER_293: So we have recently been awarded a the City of Buenos recently been awarded a grant.

00:45:56 SPEAKER_293: Thank you, which is being used to create kind of a revitalization plan.

00:46:02 SPEAKER_293: And this isn't underground infrastructure or anything like that.

00:46:05 SPEAKER_293: This is. looking at the River District as it looks now, trying to maintain you know the same kind of aesthetic and things. But what comes next?

00:46:15 SPEAKER_293: What is it going to look like in 20 years?

00:46:18 SPEAKER_293: And really giving us that path forward.

00:46:21 SPEAKER_293: So that person, that RFP is scheduled to close soon.

00:46:26 SPEAKER_293: At that point, it'll be awarded, and we'll start moving forward on that.

00:46:30 SPEAKER_293: And in that, things like what our next possible garbage cans could look like, and how much those things cost, will all be wrapped into those plans,

00:46:41 SPEAKER_293: so we can make really educated moves on what's coming next, and what's needed, and what we can afford.

00:46:47 SPEAKER_293: And just trying to create that really smart, data-driven decision-making model for the revitalization of the space, given that all of the infrastructure is twenty-five years old, and it's. held up very well,

00:47:05 SPEAKER_293: so just to mention that.

00:47:07 SPEAKER_293: And we also, every year, public works spends some time bringing back cans and refurbishing them and things like that.

00:47:14 SPEAKER_293: So they are actively not necessarily being replaced with new, but are being refurbished and kind of yes.

00:47:24 SPEAKER_293: So in addition to that, there's so many things.

00:47:27 SPEAKER_293: The city, Von Sound, myself, we've all kind of worked together. pooling in the efforts,

00:47:33 SPEAKER_293: to try to best utilize everyone at this really important time of year to get everything up and running as smoothly as possible.

00:47:42 SPEAKER_293: And so we've undergone this work surge kind of format, and it has already begun.

00:47:48 SPEAKER_293: The next three weeks to the beginning of June, it really ramps up, basically all ending with the install of all of the flowers and things like that. as those come off the truck,

00:48:01 SPEAKER_293: that kind of marks the end of it.

00:48:03 SPEAKER_293: This includes street sweeping, sidewalk flushing, cleaning under all the garbage cans, which will be part of the flushing, planting, getting planters back into working order, looking at the garbage cans,

00:48:17 SPEAKER_293: all of the bike racks have been straightened, you know, holes being filled, tree grates being assessed, removing and adding signage. as required, and so all of that is underway and it's progressing nicely. Yeah, Megan.

00:48:39 SPEAKER_297: So, if I understand you correctly, it is an idea that's being seriously considered and looked at in terms of replacing the existing garbage cans.

00:48:53 SPEAKER_293: Absolutely, it's just making sure that when we make those moves. it's not just a reactionary—you know—where we're going to spend a lot of money on replacing something that's going to last a year,

00:49:03 SPEAKER_293: but what's going to last us the next twenty years, and how do we pay for it?

00:49:08 SPEAKER_296: Tim, if if I understand that one of the concerns here is that people are opening the lid and rifling through the garbage, is it not possible to, in the interim,

00:49:18 SPEAKER_296: take the existing cans and just retrofit a padlock on it?

00:49:22 SPEAKER_296: Is that something we could look at?

00:49:27 SPEAKER_103: Pam, through the chair, we did look at locking the cans, but then emptying them is a major challenge.

00:49:39 SPEAKER_103: Then, if you're trying to unlock a padlock five mornings a week, for I'm not sure how many cans downtown, 66 or so.

00:49:48 SPEAKER_287: Well, removing the cans, no. One of the things I've seen though is in terms of Though, as in terms of of some of the cans we have, they're metal and they may be heavy,

00:50:01 SPEAKER_287: but the garbage is accumulating below and around them, and around and that's not being dealt with in a proper fashion.

00:50:10 SPEAKER_287: So, when we do have some training going on, it might be an idea to be able to to point that out to whoever's about to do the cleaning. Yes? Did you? Yeah, Jennifer.

00:50:20 SPEAKER_288: I was just going to say, I think the current design of the cans. doesn't even need to have the whole thing open.

00:50:25 SPEAKER_288: I think you can just reach right into it.

00:50:28 SPEAKER_288: It's not—that's not the issue at all. Locking is an issue.

00:50:33 SPEAKER_287: Some of the cans do have a piece on top so that it's harder to get into, but it's not very hard to actually take that lid and turf it while you dig through whatever.

00:50:42 SPEAKER_287: So that I think is part of the problem, and it's not going to go away.

00:50:48 SPEAKER_287: But I do think that whatever takes place has to. happen daily, and that becomes a cost.

00:50:56 SPEAKER_287: There's no question that if Miller doesn't deal with it, then the city does, or we as business owners and property owners do the cleanup.

00:51:10 SPEAKER_287: And certainly, I know that several of us, on a daily basis, end up doing that.

00:51:15 SPEAKER_287: So, anyone care to make any other comments about it? if not, fraud.

00:51:22 SPEAKER_287: I received an email just recently about the possibility that I was asking for money from one of our members here, and I can say that two things of that.

00:51:31 SPEAKER_287: One is that if you look at the email and see where it's actually its origin, you'll likely find that it's my name associated with a an email that is certainly not mine,

00:51:46 SPEAKER_287: and if each. of us do that, that's where to start.

00:51:50 SPEAKER_287: But the other thing is, if any one of us receive from any other of us, we should be contacting that person so that they could investigate.

00:51:59 SPEAKER_287: But for instance, if you received an email from me that you thought was from me, and it didn't say D. Parsons seven seven four six at gmail or Parsons photo at rogers dot com, it's not me.

00:52:12 SPEAKER_287: And so, I probably received personally.

00:52:16 SPEAKER_287: Receive personally four or five every week, asking for or telling me that I can get ten thousand dollars or one hundred thousand dollars or whatever.

00:52:25 SPEAKER_287: Please click here to get your funds, or send me funds.

00:52:30 SPEAKER_287: And sometimes I'm a pervert, and I better be responding to them right away, because otherwise they're going to tell somebody.

00:52:37 SPEAKER_287: Now I don't know who they're going to tell, but it doesn't matter because that trash usually gets forwarded to a special number saying, "Check this out." Anyway, any other comments? Yes, Olivia.

00:52:52 SPEAKER_294: Hi, I received the email.

00:52:54 SPEAKER_294: There was no question about whether or not you were asking me for money.

00:52:58 SPEAKER_294: I knew it was a fraudulent email.

00:53:00 SPEAKER_294: What I did want to communicate to you was that your email had been hacked because I received it from your email.

00:53:07 SPEAKER_294: Just asking me to forward you money because Kathy could not access the account. to make an e-transfer.

00:53:15 SPEAKER_294: So, what I did want you to realize is that your email has been hacked, and your security updates were required so that people weren't getting money from you.

00:53:23 SPEAKER_294: I, of course, knew that it wasn't you,

00:53:26 SPEAKER_294: but somebody who is a little less informed or a little less tech-savvy may have been fooled and would have then sent the security information and potentially sent some money away.

00:53:37 SPEAKER_294: So, I just wanted you to know that somebody is using your email. to receive money from other locations.

00:53:45 SPEAKER_287: Question becomes: Did it say D. Parsons seven seven four six at Gmail? It did. Yeah.

00:53:55 SPEAKER_294: Just just so you know, I think because they had information on the River District and on Kathy realizing that she was our our secretary of finance, they knew the correct people. to mention,

00:54:11 SPEAKER_294: so that it would become a little bit more realistic looking.

00:54:16 SPEAKER_294: So they've emailed me a few times.

00:54:18 SPEAKER_294: Just wanted to pass along the information that somebody's using your email to receive illegal money. Yeah.

00:54:58 SPEAKER_287: But it's worth following up.

00:55:00 SPEAKER_287: If in fact you could send that to me, then I will do that.

00:55:04 SPEAKER_287: I haven't seen that though.

00:55:05 SPEAKER_287: I don't think I can screenshot it to you.

00:55:08 SPEAKER_287: I think it would go, or I mean, email it to you.

00:55:10 SPEAKER_287: It would go to you.

00:55:11 SPEAKER_287: Just have to change your email password. That's all.

00:55:13 SPEAKER_287: I will do that, but that's not enough.

00:55:16 SPEAKER_287: If in fact they've got, yeah, yes. Any other comments, Tim? All right. Notices motion. Anyone?

00:55:37 SPEAKER_287: Seeing none, the meeting is adjourned. Thank you all.