Editorial: City in need

EDITORIAL City in need of more rental housing

Terms like “desperate” have been used to describe the need for more rental housing of all kinds in Kawartha Lakes which currently has a minuscule 1.3 per cent vacancy rate, according to the last figures available from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The Fenelon Community Housing Initiative (FCHI), a local non-profit with a proven record of building multi-storey dwellings, would like to construct 90 new units of rental housing just off Juniper Street in Fenelon Falls, a little southeast of the falls themselves.

Sandra Barrett, the project chairperson, said the FCHI venture will be a mix of tenants with most of the apartments renting at market value, while the remainder will be available to those requiring geared-to-income housing or assistedliving accommodation.

“I have spoken to many businesses in town who report that their employees cannot find a place to live in Fenelon,” Barrett told the Advocate. “One business said they had an employee living in a tent hoping for a decent apartment to become available in the village.”

Councillor Doug Elmslie is fully supportive of the project and describes the supply of apartments in Fenelon Falls as “shockingly low.”

Many neighbours living close to the proposed site have expressed concerns about both how the land was sold to the FCHI by the city and what the project will look like. These individuals say they have felt ignored by various city officials who have either failed to respond to their concerns about the project or have indicated that they know little more than the citizens about the build.

This lack of communication between concerned citizens, the city and FCHI is unacceptable and was completely avoidable.

The Advocate believes much-needed new rental accommodation projects like the one in Fenelon Falls should be encouraged and welcomed right across our city. We support the FCHI project and hope to see more like it all over Kawartha Lakes.

LETTER SPOTLIGHT

Wild rice is not unsafe

I am writing in response to a call out by Larry Wood to people on the Save Pigeon Lake email list, asking for feedback on the “safety” of wild rice beds.

In all my canoeing and kayaking of the lakes, rivers and creeks in this region, I have never experienced any threat to my safety from the seeding or harvesting of manoomin (wild rice). The greatest threats have come from excessive speeding by Sea-Doos, speedboats and even pontoon boats in our lakes — and on our shores, the unsafe actions of a few ATV operators churning up lakes and even entering private property. This can create a huge noise disturbance as well, and continues throughout the summer.

There are now more than 9,000 signatures on the Declaration on Manoomin (gathered by Community Voices for Manoomin), indicating a great deal of support.

I believe that Save Pigeon Lake should proceed in mutual respect, truth and understanding and refrain from inflammatory statements like rice beds are an “accident waiting to happen.” I would ask members to respect the nation to nation process that is continuing between the First Nations and the federal government and in the meantime, begin to develop meaningful relationships with First Nations communities in this region. Brenda Wall, Bobcaygeon