Community Mid-term Report and Strategic Plan

COMMUNITY STRATEGIC MID-TERM PLAN REPORT 2015-2018

1

2

MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL One of the first major accomplishments of our new term of Council was to develop a Strategic Plan which represented our vision for the next four years and the actions by which we will measure our progress.

Today, I am pleased to present you with the Community Mid-Term Report which highlights accomplishments for the 2015 and 2016 period, the first two years of the Strategic Plan.

Council is proud of the achievements and the progress made and would like to acknowledge the great work of our staff, our municipal and local partners and our community groups, businesses and residents. We look forward to continuing our work together as we move closer to our collective vision to make East Gwillimbury an even better place to live, work and play.

There have been many exciting changes in East Gwillimbury Sincerely, throughout the past two years. I am sure you have noticed a change in the landscape with a number of developments currently underway.

We have begun to welcome new residents to our great Town and will continue to do so over the coming years. In addition, we embraced the re-opening of 2nd Concession and while there is still some work to be done, this is a leading edge project for our Town. I hope you take a drive along the road and enjoy the surrounding trails and greenspace.

Mayor Virginia Hackson Councillor James R. Young Councillor Tara Roy-DiClemente Councillor Marlene Johnston Councillor Joe Persechini

3

$16,851,220

222.5km

Development charges collected in 2015 and 2016.

Paved roads maintained by Town staff.

Over 200% Increase in fire prevention and education programs implemented.

4

EG BY THE NUMBERS

209 acres

2,414

445,719

Building permits issued in 2015 and 2016.

Website sessions in 2015 and 2016.

Parks to be implemented by 2018.

4km

500

13,170

Trails to be constructed in 2017.

Programs and camps offered in 2016.

Building inspections completed in 2015 and 2016.

5

STRATEGIC PILLARS

PILLAR ONE

Providing quality, affordable programs and services for a safe, accessible and livable community

PILLAR TWO

Building a complete community that provides healthy places to live, work, play and learn

PILLAR THREE A high performance municipal organization committed to service and excellence

6

PILLAR ONE PROVIDING QUALITY, AFFORDABLE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES FOR A SAFE, ACCESSIBLE AND LIVABLE COMMUNITY Continue to review and enhance services and programs with innovation and best practices to meet the needs of our growing community Invest in services to maintain and enhance community-wide safety Deliver leisure, sport, cultural and arts initiatives for all residents Leverage the spirit of volunteerism and community engagement Ensure communication of Town services and programs and encourage regular resident feedback

7

Strategic Pillar One

Accomplishments

8

Council approved the hiring of four full-time firefighters in addition to the paid-on-call (volunteer) firefighters, to support Council’s multi-year plan to enhance community safety.

In 2015, the Town opened two new fire stations.

Queensville Fire Station 2-8 was extensively updated and expanded to accommodate 24/7 full-time coverage and Mount Albert Fire Station 2-6 was completely re-built, with a number of enhancements, following an unfortunate fire at the station.

Emergency Services hired a Public Education Specialist and introduced a number of new and enhanced safety programs. The goal is to focus on public education to create a fire safe community.

The Town has implemented crossing guards at busy crossings near schools, to ensure safety for children travelling to and from school.

To increase winter safety for pedestrians and drivers, the Town has increased resources for snow clearing on all Town roads and piloted a new project to clear select walkways for pedestrians.

The Town’s Youth and Community Initiatives Fund raises money through the Mayor and Council Annual Golf Tournament to provide funding for individuals, elite athletes and community groups to participate in or organize community activities. Since 2015, the fund provided approximately $100,000 in funding to local youth, youth groups, community groups, organizations and schools.

The Town has focused on engaging local partners through a variety of sponsorships. In 2016, the Town expanded the Music at Civic Square concert series to include pop up concerts in Holland Landing and Mount Albert.

In partnership with the Sharon Temple, East Gwillimbury Public Library and Neighbourhood Network, the Town hosted the first ever Culture Days EG. The event celebrated local culture by sharing skills, lessons and histories of various groups in East Gwillimbury.

Strategic Pillar One

Accomplishments

The Town continues to develop new communication tools and methods to provide information to the public including a Newly Built Home Guide which answers questions that new residents may have when purchasing a home from a builder.

9

Artistic rendering (subject to change)

Health & Active Living Plaza

Artistic rendering (subject to change)

10

In 2016, the Town announced plans for a Health & Active Living Plaza proposed for Queensville. Staff will update the Health & Active Living Plan in 2017 which will outline the needs of the facility, which could include a pool, library, recreational facilities and community and health services all in one convenient and complimentary location.

Since 2015, the Town expanded programs for seniors, summer camps and launched program partnerships with local businesses. Leisure Services continues to look for resident feedback to incorporate new programs each season.

The library is the first library in Canada to offer STEAM Village (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) programs online for learners of any age to explore and problem solve.

Strategic Pillar One

Accomplishments

Over the last two years, the library expanded their community engagement and focused on creating partnerships for outreach.

New programs include a monthly food pantry, homebound delivery service, and pop ups at local businesses and events to help spread the word about what’s new at the library.

11

PILLAR TWO BUILDING A COMPLETE COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDES HEALTHY PLACES TO LIVE, WORK, PLAY AND LEARN Manage growth to ensure the balanced development of a variety of housing and employment options for residents in every stage of life Maintain and build on the Town’s investment in infrastructure including roads, sidewalks, trail systems, facilities, parks, water and sewer systems Explore innovation and partnerships for community building initiatives including environmentally friendly practices Attract businesses and human service providers to create jobs and affordable services for our residents Protect, preserve and respect the Town’s cultural and natural heritage features 12

2

Operations Centre

The Town updated the Subdivision Agreement to streamline the development process and ensure the needs of residents are safeguarded as development occurs.

The Town implemented development phasing plans that will reduce the length of time existing residents are impacted by construction activities.

The Town purchased a site on Woodbine Avenue, for a new Operations Centre. The site will move the works yard and salt dome out of the residential community in Sharon to a more appropriate location.

2nd Concession between Green Lane and Mount Albert Road re-opened in fall 2016. To limit future disruptions, this project was designed to encompass three projects in one: road realignment, installation of water/sewer infrastructure and pumping stations as part of the York-Durham Sewage System project.

Murrell Boulevard is a new north-south connecting link between Mount Albert Road and Green Lane. This roadway will be the main collector road for the new Sharon developments and will eventually extend to Doane Road.

Strategic Pillar Two

TWO

Artistic rendering (subject to change)

Accomplishments

2nd Concession

13

The Town conducted extensive community engagement to assist with the redevelopment and design of several parks throughout the community including Mount Albert Community Centre Park, a skateboard and scooter zone at the Holland Landing Community Centre, and a BMX park feature in Sharon.

Staff are working to develop the trail network throughout the Town. This work includes upgrades to many existing trails and significant work with the development community on the design of future trail connections.

The Town developed new Sustainable Development Incentive Program implementation guidelines which will ensure homes in new developments exceed the minimum energy standards by 20% and reduce water usage by 10%.

Sanitary servicing is now in place for the southern Holland Landing employment lands. The lands are expected to have full water and wastewater servicing within two to three years.   14

Strategic Pillar Two

Accomplishments

The Economic Development branch continues to update the Advantage EG website. The site provides visibility for business opportunities of new investors, as well as information to support retention and expansion of existing businesses.

The Town developed a Cleantech Investment Strategy to attract business investment opportunities. The strategy aligns with the Town’s Thinking Green Strategy and leverages significant future infrastructure investments being made in the Town.

The Town’s Heritage Advisory Committee was reinstated in 2015. The Committee has made recommendations on several heritage requests and is exploring ways to further preserve the heritage of our community.

New streetscape design guidelines have been put in place for the communities of Mount Albert, Holland Landing, Sharon and Queensville. To strengthen the individual identity of each community, separate standards based on the history of the area will be used.

The Town partnered with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and York Region to redevelop the south entrance of the Civic Centre to create a Green Courtyard and Accessibility Entrance. The project will improve accessibility to the facility and will showcase industry leading environmental technology.

Strategic Pillar Two

Accomplishments

15

PILLAR THREE A HIGH PERFORMANCE MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO SERVICE AND EXCELLENCE Deliver a fiscally responsible organization in a high growth community Focus on excellent customer service practices to meet the needs of our residents today and tomorrow Continue to enhance a transparent and accountable municipal government Brand Town services and the community to attract investment Continue to develop a strong staff team where employees are valued and provided opportunities to grow

16

The 2015 and 2016 budget processes were exercises in financial planning that set the stage for the next decade of growth. The Town is using inventive cost-restraint measures to keep costs down while preparing for growth and maintaining the services that make East Gwillimbury a great place to live, work, play and learn.

The Town continues to be a debt-free municipality and residents benefit from the lowest property taxes in York Region. The Town’s reserve fund is currently standing at $16 million.

Strategic Pillar Three

Accomplishments

In 2016, the Town updated its development charges background study and by-law to ensure that growth pays for growth. Since the passing of the by-law, the Town has received approximately $16 million in growth related funding and is projected to receive more than $350 million over the next 15 years.  

17

Customer Service is now a one-stop shop where residents can access a number of services including: paying a tax bill, purchasing or exchanging EG recycling containers or applying for a burn permit.

Strategic Pillar Three

Accomplishments

Customer Service implemented an online form to report a problem, submit a query, comment or request for service. The form is available at www.eastgwillimbury.ca/customerservice.

In a 2015 staff survey, 80% of Town employees indicated they were satisfied with their jobs and that they would recommend East Gwillimbury as an employer of choice to friends and family.

Staff are now providing Customer Service via the Town’s social media channels. This allows the Town to quickly respond and interact with residents in a new and engaging way.

The Town is conducting public consultation as part of the Electoral Review to determine the most appropriate governance model as the Town continues to grow.

18

CONNECT WITH US! 905-478-4282 customerservice@eastgwillimbury.ca www.eastgwillimbury.ca/commreport @TownofEG

Sign up for our weekly eNewsletter at www.eastgwillimbury.ca/eNews

Town of East Gwillimbury

If you require this document in an alternate format, please contact us at 905-478-4282.

19

20