After two years when it did not happen, once again we have a Canada Day Parade, albeit a bit shorter. As usual the parade was led by the Concert Band but there were only two other bands – the Legion Pipes and Drums and another Pipe Band bringing up the rear – sorry I could not identify it. I saw that all Councillors participated – they were right behind the Concert Band. In the middle there was a group of 6 cars which seemed strange until you read their notices – they were electric cars (3 are in the video below). My favourite participant was the Southern Ontario Twirling Association – see the video. There were the usual favourites but as well as fewer bands, there were fewer groups – such as dance groups and sports teams. See Resources below for videos of previous parades.
I did not walk over to Victoria Park for the speeches but no doubt they were about the same as previously. On Thursday evening, I did see that the number of vendors setting up for the Lions Market place was at least as many as usual.
Video of the Parade
Resources
- Canada Day Parade and Waterfront Festival 2019
- Canada Day Parade and Waterfront Festival 2018
- Canada Day – Parade, speeches, midway, beach, harbour 2017
- Canada Day 2016
- Canada Day 2015
- Index of Photos and Videos back to 2007
Print Article:
Yes, the parade was back as well as the rest of the Waterfront Festival. Including parking issues. For the most part people seemed to be able to find a spot. Some people came for the beach not knowing there was a festival happening. One family arrived on Friday, could not find parking, went home and came back on Saturday. For those with limited mobility it can be very difficult to park. I was asked about the parking meters by somebody who put in a coin and nothing happened. I could not help as I have never used the smart phone parking app. There will always be parking issues and a certain amount of confusion with large events. For the most part people seemed to be having a good time.
The other pipe band was Air Force City from Trenton wearing the Air Force tartan.
Is there going to be a posting about Mondays significant issue within the town? Unfortunately the only delegations are those in support of this important issue.
I plan to report on the meeting after it occurs. Meanwhile, I suggest an email to councillors would be as useful as a delegation. Get their email addresses here: https://cobourginternet.com/council
Good advice. I did.
What is the issue you’re talking about, refresh my memory please.
Councillor Beatty wants to allow the unhoused to camp anywhere without impediments. You can read the details at https://pub-cobourg.escribemeetings.com/FileStream.ashx?DocumentId=22239
Link doesn’t work – for me anyway….
The link didn’t work for me either, neither did the shortened one. If the idea is actually to let “unhoused” people pitch a tent anywhere, then Councillor Beatty should offer her yard.
Agreed about Councillor Beatty, Tucker!
Try this:
Thank you, I’ve read it all. I think the last part is the most appropriate, refurbish Brookside.
If the issue is finding a place for the unhoused, there is a perfectly good facility soon to be available at Golden Plough Lodge.
It’s up and running and in good shape.
No “refurbishing” required.
Available later this year.
Soon to be torn down by the county at considerable expense, apparently.
Owned by the province and they will not be offering it up.
Does anyone know the definition of “in unmaintained areas of Municipal Parks”? I did not see it defined. Would this by-law proposal open up any park in Cobourg for encampments, with unmaintained subject to the users interpretation.
Reading comments from the Fire and Police departments, in my opinion, Council once again have not thought this through and are rushing a temporary fix that will create more problems.
What temporary fix; the ability to let the homeless stay in place 48hrs before being booted off the land and being referred once again to the agencies that didn’t help them in the first place (that’s basically the recommendation). As opposed to being turfed out now in fifteen minutes by untrained and unsympathetic Bylaw Officers and their belongings put in the garbage!!
Misinformation doesn’t help Ben, they only dispose of it when it goes unclaimed they know where they can retrieve it. What’s you’re recommendation Ben the town foot the bill for a county and province responsibility?
“they only dispose of it when it goes unclaimed they know where they can retrieve it.” How do you know that for sure?
The answer to your second question is complicated because some people and some on Council, and it appears the majority on this Board, want Cobourg not to finance any help because they think that the County has jurisdiction. An easy copout for a Cobourg taxpayer and some Cllrs. However as a caring Society, although some on the Board do not show concern unless it is a bill they don’t want to pay, we must try to help out. The alternative is to do nothing and the result will more disastrous than the present, it is an expanding problem for many reasons.
The obvious answer is for the Town of Cobourg to open the Memorial Arena and with a few modifications to the Arena floor, for instance if the Rotary Club was to take their vendor partitions from the waterfront tents, reassemble them in the Arena – instant cubicles. The showers and canteen facilities are already in the building. This would accommodate almost all of the counted homeless. If they didn’t want to move then they are on their own.
Ah I can hear it now from all of the taxfighters and uncaring – “Who is going to pay?”
Well if Cobourg supplies the facilities – the mothballed Arena then it is up to the County through their homeless initiative to cover the cost of staffing. After all what have they done with the Federal Money they received for homelessness so far? How about taking it away from the high-priced consultants writing reports that will never be acted on and do something practical.
Also the Northumberland Housing Corporation probably has some funds to play with – have the Chair, Mr Brocanier, stand up and tell us why his Corporation will not help.
You asked, Concerned now what are your ideas!
My ideas take this issue to the county and province and have them deal with it finally. Where was this push from previous councils, why is Councillor Beatty bringing this up three months before an election. Could someone be putting their hat in the ring for mayor or deputy mayor? Don’t kid yourself the timing of this reeks of politics. I’m not saying don’t help I’m saying don’t let them camp out in parks and don’t put the funding of this on Cobourg taxpayers. You know as well as anyone else that if this is approved the number of 78 is going to swell with people coming in from outside of Cobourg.
“My ideas take this issue to the county and province and have them deal with it finally. “
Are you ready for another couple of years wait?
Ben:
Some good practical ideas here.
I like that you involve the County in this, rather than Cobourg going it alone. Afterall, it is the County’s responsibility.
Good suggestion to call out the County’s Housing Corporation chair; Gil Brocanier. Hold those responsible to account.
A glib suggestion would be to setup homeless shelter facilities in Clr Beatty’s backyard and on the lawns surrounding the County’s offices
A great suggestion, Bryan!
The trailer park is another good place for a homeless encampment. Unlike Brookside the trailer park belongs to Cobourg. It is already an eyesore, includes accessible toilet and shower facilities, is close to the beach and has electricity plus free WiFi. Perhaps most importantly it has paved surfaces for fire and EMS vehicles to treat drug overdoses.
Ill list a few….no washroom facilities..no smoke alarms…no carbon monoxide detectors..ie for fossil fuel appliances suchs as propane bbqs and heaters…noisy generators( eventually) fights…overdoses… loud music…campfires eventually allowed under the pretext of warth as it gets colder ,with no consideration to distances from tents or means of extinguishment. I can go on……Im sure Councillor Beaty will address all of these as im sure she has a well thought out plan?
Ben, you are dreaming that encampments will be limited to only 48 hours!
The proposed resolution says “…AND FURTHER THAT an encampment site is only to be cleared once
everyone has been offered safe and appropriate indoor
accommodation.” If the resolution is approved an encampment can only be cleared after a new and greatly enlarged Transition House is ready.
Perhaps a dozen charities, committees and other groups receiving taxpayer funding are mentioned in the staff analysis of the problem. None have accomplished anything to solve Cobourg’s homeless problem. Why?
Homelessness is a county responsibility and our Mayor is our representative at the county level. Sadly, Mr. Henderson has done nothing to solve our homeless problem. Why?
All good points Ken unfortunately council will only hear one side of the discussion and no one who is not in favour giving the counter argument will be making a delegation, I’m sure Councillor Beatty ensured they were out in full force. She has good intentions but definitely isn’t thinking about the impact on the town or the financial liability
Concerned, an encampment established now will almost certainly still be around for the municipal election on October 24.
I doubt that politicians who authorized druggies, safe injection site, tents, loud music, BBQs and Porta Potties in Victoria Park will be favoured by the electorate.
Definitely not! Once winter comes then what? This has been an issue for decades but all of the sudden they expect to have a solution and funding in 6 months I doubt it. The UN report is great for the federal provincial government and Tier 1 municipalities but a small community like Cobourg can’t fund or staff something of this magnitude. Tier one municipalities have not for profits and large community organizations who help with these issues. If the County states they don’t have the funding then the mayor as the leader at the county in this matter must push the county province and federal government for more funding.
I don’t understand why the UN is even being mentioned. As the staff report clearly explains it is completely irrelevant:
I mentioned as Councillor Beatty uses this document as the basis for her argument.
Ken I am addressing the Staff recommendation – option 1. Read it and see if you disagree with my synopsis. Option 1 recommends the Status Quo and a 48hr limit on staying after a warning. Option 2 is what you are cherrypicking to justify no help.
For some reason the link Ken provided did not work for me. I shortened it to:
https://pub-cobourg.escribemeetings.com
This provided a calendar with links to meetings.
Curious. I’m glad that you found an alternate way to get the agenda and apologies for the problem.
Will there be free transportation from Durham and Peterborough as well? Get ready Cobourg
Don’t forget the GTA they will come from there as well so 78 will swell to a couple hundred
Starting cost on top of current town budget an additional 240k with no funding source currently identified. If you think unsheltered from Durham region and the GTA won’t be brought to Cobourg you aren’t living in reality.
I was told drop offs began when the police station opened up the warming shelter a few years ago. Intentions were good then but not well thought out. This would be a disaster.
Link doesn’t work Ken?
Ken, I don’t know why the link fails (it works here) but I made another post with a step-by-step that appears to work for everyone.
There is now an article on homelessness and the special Council meeting. Future comments on this homelessness on this article will be considered off-topic and deleted.
A tip of the hat to John Draper for his reporting, the parade organizers, volunteers, bands, and the other parade participants. The Old Sailor and the Old Doll watched the entire event standing beside the Dairy Dream. Lots of Cobourgers and children out to take it all in. Lots of smiling faces.
Nice to see Councilors keeping step behind the fully dressed Cobourg Marching Band. I didn’t see any water pistols aimed at Councilors. So a tip of the hat to Council as well for the role they played in our long weekend celebrations.