More Public Input on Budget

Council held a special meeting on Monday, 23 January, to accept public input on the budget. As well as receiving the report about the online survey per my previous report, there was a presentation by Johnny Percolides wanting a second dog park (at Donegan Park) and presentations from Community groups requesting a grant. The total requested is $87K but unlike previous years, no target total has been announced. Last year’s total was $30K but some previous years were $50K. No decisions were made at Monday’s meeting but there were 14 presentations plus 4 others who did not make a presentation. I sorted the applications based on whether they were new for 2023 and whether they made a presentation. For those with a presentation document (e.g. powerpoint), click the organization name to download it from the Town’s web site. Note that some presentations were verbal only or their presentation is not available online.

Requests for an “in kind” grant were usually for a waiver of Victoria Hall rental fees – an exception being the Lawn Bowling club who want parking passes as provided in previous years.

Organization 2023 Request 2022 Request 2022 Approved
Repeat Applications – with presentations
Cobourg and District Historical Society * $2,520 $2,327.94 $1,800
Cobourg Ecology Garden $1,800 $2,299 $2,000
Cobourg Lawn Bowling Club * $6,720 $5,500 $5,500
Cobourg Museum Foundation * $5,000 $8,000 $4,500
La Jeunesse Choirs * $2,500 $2,000 $1,000
Les Amis * $2,000 $3,000 $1,000
Northumberland Oral Health Coalition $400 $500 $250
Northumberland Orchestra & Choir Society $5,000 $5,000 $1,000
Victoria Hall Volunteers * $5,432 $5,000 $4,788
Victorian Operetta Society * $4,000 $8,000 $1,000
Repeat Applications – with NO presentation
Cobourg Highland Games Society $16,675 $13,100 $806
Horizons of Friendship $1,950 $1,000  
Song – Sounds of the Next Generation * $3,200 $2,500  
New Applications – with Presentations
Canadian Abilities Foundation $3,000    
Cobourg Toastmasters * $3,796.80    
Ontario Community Emergency Assistance Program $3,500    
St. Peters Church $15,000    
New Applications – with NO Presentation
Saint Vincent De Paul $5,000    
Total $87,493.80    

* In Kind

Community Grants are scheduled to be decided February 7 or 9 then finally approved 27 February with approval of the full budget.

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Kathleen
1 year ago

My takeaway from reading this …
“The total requested is $87K but unlike previous years, no target total has been announced.”

Why? That’s my question. What was the reason that parameters weren’t set beforehand?

Last edited 1 year ago by Kathleen
Kathleen
Reply to  Kathleen
1 year ago

Wow, this went South….Dog Parks? This is all you people took away from JD’s informative blog? We’re all doomed.

Cobourg taxpayer
1 year ago

Regarding a second dog park, is the one existing now so busy a second one is needed? And where in Donegan Park is Johnny Percolides proposing the second dog park be located? I’d feel a lot better about agreeing with a second dog park if I didn’t see so many off leash dogs on many public spaces such as Lucas Point, Donegan Park, the east and west beach and Northumberland Forest. There are dog poop bags everywhere too even hanging in trees. Until dog owners can follow existing rules I don’t agree with spending tax money on a second dog park.

Eastender
Reply to  Cobourg taxpayer
1 year ago

Interesting to note that I see By-Law Enforcement giving tickets out to overnight street parkers near Donegan Park, and to illegal parkers on Lakeshore, but I have never ever seen any enforcement of off leash dogs
in Donegan. (Maybe the dogs are allowed to run freely there).
i agree about the bags everywhere. Disgusting.

Sandpiper
Reply to  Eastender
1 year ago

I would like to see some By Law Officers handing out Tickets for Double parking and Blocking Traffic on King st at all times of the day , How about Division st and in front of a lot of Car dealerships every where . There are too many close calls by the Mall especially , where traffic is heavy & fast .
I am sure Planning & By Law Dept.s would have taken Vehicle delivery trucks in to consideration when site plans where approved or Business zonings granted the same as they do for fast food drive through Q lines ..

Lois
Reply to  Cobourg taxpayer
1 year ago

Dogs off leash is getting to be a big problem in cobourg. People don’t seem to like to use the dog parks for various reasons.

Rob
Reply to  Lois
1 year ago

Good point Lois – I wonder if this is why the idea of a second off leash park in Cobourg might have some merit?

johnny percolides
Reply to  Rob
1 year ago

If you would like to support this idea of an off leash dog park area in the east end please let the Town know. Many residents have already sent them positive emails. Feel free to contact me if you would like more information.

Tucker
Reply to  Lois
1 year ago

We have had dogs for over 40 years and have never taken any of them to a dog park. Take your pet around the block, get exercise for yourself, instead of standing around watching your dog. How many of your animals get sick after being at a dog park, bringing home unknown infections that now you have to pay a vet to cure.

Rob
Reply to  Tucker
1 year ago

Happy to hear – I suspect some dog owners look for something different than your experience, including dog socialization, free play/off leash running around, seeing other dog owner friends who also are looking for the same experience, etc… perhaps some owners participate in very vigorous physical activity that doesn’t include walking the dog. I’m not yukking your yum but not everyone is the same…

johnny percolides
Reply to  Tucker
1 year ago

With all due respect we also smoked in elevators 40 years ago. Life has changed dramatically.

Paul Foy
Reply to  johnny percolides
1 year ago

Dog owners should have to buy annual licenses for their dogs. Why should non dog owners have to cover these expenses. Even $25 a year would offset these costs and if you can afford a dog you can afford that.

Rob
Reply to  Paul Foy
1 year ago

Dogs are licensed…

johnny percolides
Reply to  Paul Foy
1 year ago

Absolutely, they do have to buy dog licenses. https://www.cobourg.ca/en/town-hall/Dog-Licence.aspx

( What fees are you talking about for non dog owners?) Parks are public spaces that are already maintained by the town for the public.

Beachwalker
Reply to  Paul Foy
1 year ago

My dog is licensed

Tucker
Reply to  johnny percolides
1 year ago

What’s that got to do with dog parks.

johnny percolides
Reply to  Tucker
1 year ago

40 years ago most dog owners did not pick up after their dogs, today we have bylaws and they are told to do it. Things change was the point. You might have never taken your dog to the dog park but today many people all over the country do it 2 times a day usually. Things have changed. That’s all

Lois
Reply to  johnny percolides
1 year ago

What tucker said is true. People do not take their dogs to the dog park because they pick up infections from other dogs. Kennel cough? I’ve been told. Also some dogs at the dog park are aggressive.

johnny percolides
Reply to  Lois
1 year ago

It is an issue, many residents have adopted dogs the last 2-3 years to help cope with the stress of what was happening. So today there’s a need to deal with that increase in the dog population. A second dog park in the east end would eliminate the need for so many to drive to the north west end everyday to go to the dog park there. Many are just using Victoria park and the beach now as off leash areas everyday.

Beachwalker
Reply to  Lois
1 year ago

Why are they are problem?

Informed
Reply to  Cobourg taxpayer
1 year ago

Create an online booking system for the dog park so it’s not overly crowded. Have a limit on the number of people at any given time and limit the stay to Half an hour. At least try something different before taxpayers are asked to spend more money on a second dog park

Eastender
Reply to  Informed
1 year ago

An on-line booking system like on-demand transit😜

Informed
Reply to  Eastender
1 year ago

Good one

johnny percolides
Reply to  Cobourg taxpayer
1 year ago

One of the reasons a second dog park area was proposed in the east end was to reduce the car traffic. Many people every day from the east end ( which is where the town is growing ) are getting into their cars to drive to the north/west end of town to use that dog park. The town recently passed a bylaw restricting car idling, this would assist with more than just car idling but also reduce car emissions in Cobourg. Many municipalities have been doing this for years now, smaller neighborhood dog parks are everywhere in many municipalities already. It will help with reducing the need to have all those dogs running free all over the beach area and Victoria park which is happening right now everyday. Donegan park is hardly used by anyone for 7-8 months of the year, I know because I’m there almost everyday 2-3 times. The south west corner of the park, removed from all the other activities that might happen for 2-3 months of the year is a great spot to use ( at the corner of D’arcy and Lakeshore ). Donegan park has 4 baseball diamond fields, unfortunately we do not have close to the demand for even 2-3 baseball fields to be used regularly in one park. Sharing the space with all the various residents needs would be a much better use of the space. There’s also an amazing building in that park that is abandoned and locked up. The residents can’t even use the washrooms. How lovely it would be to have that building open in the summer selling drinks, ice cream and providing part time summer jobs to the students. Not spending any extra tax payers money, the public park is maintained by the staff already. They do a decent job of cutting the grass and removing the garbage already.

Lemon Cake
Reply to  johnny percolides
1 year ago

As a baseball mom I’ll chime in: Donegan Park is a great place to play ball! And in season it gets used quite a lot. So if a dog park is added, it would need to be placed properly and well fenced to protect the players from dogs and the dogs/owners from the balls.

Rob
Reply to  Lemon Cake
1 year ago

I agree – I don’t think Donegan is the answer but I think the suggestion was enough to get the conversation going. Its a good idea.

johnny percolides
Reply to  Lemon Cake
1 year ago

Absolutely agree with you and right now in season (summer) it’s a free for all with dogs. They would be contained in one spot away from the baseball players if there was a dog space. That park has 4 baseball diamonds currently and even in the season we do not have enough leagues to play in all of them.

Dog Owner
Reply to  johnny percolides
1 year ago

I live near to Donegan park and I can tell you that in the summer there are various leagues that use all of the diamonds. In fact, many nights a week every one of the small diamonds are full with little league games.

To be honest, THIS is the idea that seems like a luxury to me…are we honestly complaining about Cobourg’s traffic?? Driving what would amount to 5 minutes to get the dog park is too much for you??

Something like this just isn’t even remotely priority in my mind right now… Let’s think about the enormous tax increase coming our way with this unbelievable storm water fee. I honestly don’t know how many of us are going to get past that…

Oh, and btw, I am a dog owner.

Beachwalker
Reply to  Lemon Cake
1 year ago

Dog parks are fenced. No issue with dogs stealing the balls.

Lois
Reply to  johnny percolides
1 year ago

Ok. The people with dogs running off leash obviously don’t want to use the dog park we already have. I don’t think another dog park is going to help that issue.

marya
Reply to  Lois
1 year ago

Then there is a dog park in the south lot of the King George Inn (behind the abandoned trailer and utility truck) which is private property. Dog owners dispose of the litter in the Inn’s privately owned garbage dumpster.

Curious
Reply to  Cobourg taxpayer
1 year ago

The people who leave dog bags lying around are probably the same ones who litter & leave cigarette butts everywhere. They will never change. The majority of dog owners I know are responsible & often pick-up the litter lying around the parks!