Municipal

Councillor Pat Dunn, chair of the ORV task force, used the Sept. 21 council meeting to remind the mayor and other councillors about procedural hurdles that are still in place regarding the city’s final decision to route ORV traffic around the city rather than through it.

The Kawartha Lakes council chamber took on a decidedly somber tone as councillors, the mayor, CAO and clerk all wore orange shirts to recognize the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation that occurs Sept. 30.

After much passionate debate and suggestions of secret deals made between councillors, Kawartha Lakes council will be recommending that ORVs not be allowed to pass through Lindsay.

In a tie vote among councillors at the committee of the whole meeting, Mayor Andy Letham cast the deciding vote to halt the proposed route through Lindsay and instead look at another option.

A clear majority of Lindsay residents have said “no” to an ATV route running through the town, according to a city poll.

New homes, a park, a large grocery store, a good commercial plaza, and maybe even a recreation centre – all of this and more is being considered on Lindsay’s east side by Flato Developments.

Shakir Rehmatullah, president of Flato Developments, held a community open house at The Pie Eyed Monk in Lindsay recently — a chance for residents to get a sneak peak of the draft plans.

Flato Developments was given a rough ride by Cameron residents at a public information session today whose residents were worried about plans for a big new residential and commercial development.

But founder and president of the building company, Shakir Rehmatullah, said he was glad they did the event and said he would have asked “the same things” if he were in Cameron residents’ shoes.

A grassroots group that doesn’t want to see ORVs (also called ATVs) allowed on Lindsay streets is still gathering signatures until at least Aug. 25. The group, led by residents Darryl and Robyn James, is waiting to see if the committee of the whole will accept the petition.