ORVs and backyard chickens in Lindsay? No thanks, says reader

The recent Kawartha Lakes City Council approval for the operation of recreational off-road vehicles (ORVs) on Lindsay’s paved streets and trails has exposed a serious flaw in the administration of this municipality.

The City of Kawartha Lakes was cobbled together by the provincial government in 2001 without the initiative or support of most of the population.

A referendum held on the amalgamation in 2003 showed that the citizens of Lindsay remained in opposition.  Since municipalities exist under the authority of the province, the referendum results were simply ignored.

In approving ORV use in Lindsay, seven councillors voted to allow, while only one councillor and the mayor voted against.  Six councillors, an overwhelming majority voting, do not represent the residents of Lindsay who will be the ones impacted by the ORV allowance.

The one councillor who voted against the motion reportedly stated he had concluded that the vast majority of the citizens of Lindsay he represents were strongly opposed.  Nevertheless those councillors representing citizens living outside of Lindsay who will not be negatively impacted by the allowance easily carried the day.

Forcing both rural and urban people to share in the decisions of a united municipality must inevitably lead to inequitable decisions as demonstrated by this matter. Under the current municipal construct the residents of Lindsay will continue to be governed by people who demonstrate little interest in the town’s welfare.  Now along with poultry in our yards we will have ORVs on our streets.

–B.Morris, Kawartha Lakes