downtown revitalization Archives

Outdoor professional theatre: Fenelon ampitheatre aims to be big tourism draw

Published on September 18, 2020 in The Arts by Lindsay Advocate

The Grove Theatre — a new outdoor amphitheatre in Fenelon Falls – will be home to an all-new summer festival of live performances.

Created under the auspices of the Kawartha Works Community Co-operative (KWCC), with construction funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and additional support from members of the local community, The Grove Theatre has been conceived to engage and inspire both visitors and local residents, according to a press release.

“The annual festival will bring new vitality not only to Fenelon Falls itself but to the whole region of Kawartha Lakes,” the release states.

Keep Reading

What’s up downtown? Time to show our retailers how much we support them

Published on February 11, 2020 in Business/Community by Melissa McFarland

This is the time of year that seems like winter will never end. Since the rush of the holiday shoppers ended in January, and with various types of winter weather being heaped on us over and over again, it’s difficult for most to be motivated to spend much of their time outside.

Keep Reading

BIA concedes challenging years ahead but lots to celebrate, too

Published on January 29, 2020 in Community/Municipal by Denis Grignon

Kawartha Lakes CAO supports many ideas in new Green Party municipal plan

Absent at a recent BIA meeting were the angry rants and finger-wagging at business leaders and city officials that one might have expected, given the looming major downtown reconstruction. Instead, the tone and atmosphere was mostly buoyant.

Keep Reading

Big year for construction, including Lindsay’s downtown, new Logie Park

Published on January 17, 2020 in Municipal by Lindsay Advocate

MP Schmale says low taxes, private-sector jobs the answer, not basic income

This year is going to be another big year for construction and infrastructure repair for Lindsay. Below is a snapshot from the City of Kawartha Lakes of what to expect in the coming months:

Enbridge Gas Pipeline Replacement
In order to upgrade aging infrastructure located in downtown Lindsay, Enbridge will replace the natural gas pipelines on Kent Street West starting in late January 2020.

The project scope involves replacing approximately 1.1 kilometres of natural gas main infrastructure on both sides of Kent Street, beginning at Lindsay Street South and ending at Victoria Avenue. The project is expected to last approximately eight weeks.

Keep Reading

Mayor talks ‘top 10 ways’ City is moving forward

Published on May 28, 2019 in Municipal by Roderick Benns

At the recent mayoral luncheon in front of the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce, City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor Andy Letham laid out what he believes are the top 10 ways the City is moving forward to the assembled business leaders.

1 – Roads

“Roads are our number one issue and challenge,” says the mayor.

“We now spend $50 million a year on our 5,400 lane kilometres of road network. We spend 90 per cent more on roads than we did 10 years ago and 50 per cent more on winter control.”

Letham says 35 cents of every tax dollar brought in goes toward roads. The City of Toronto only allocates five cents of every tax dollar to roads, showing the challenge of maintaining this many roads in a single tier municipality with a small tax base.

“Roads are a challenge with the changing climate and we need to change the way we do business. Over the next few years, it will improve.”

Keep Reading

Fenelon Falls’ downtown undergoing major facelift

Published on May 26, 2019 in Around Town/Business/Community/Municipal by Geoff Coleman

The Fenelon Falls main streetscape will get a facelift when recommendations from the 2016 Fenelon Falls Corridor Study of Lindsay Street and Colborne Streets (CKL 121) are implemented. And while the restructuring is intended to contribute to “traffic calming,” it may result in the opposite reaction from drivers looking for a spot to park.

Benches, waste receptacles, and tree plantings will freshen up the sidewalks, but the most noticeable change for residents and visitors will be a loss of seven parking spots on Colborne Street (the main thoroughfare) between Water Street and Bond Street.

Keep Reading

Kawartha Lakes budget holds tax increase to 2.85 per cent

Published on February 21, 2019 in Community/Local News by Jamie Morris

The 4.5 per cent tax levy increase forecast in the City’s Long Range Financial Plan for 2019 was whittled down to 2.85 per cent, largely the result of decisions not to fund purchase of an aerial ladder fire truck and to reduce contribution to the capital reserve.

A budget process that began last September with the presentation of a draft to the previous council wound up yesterday being approved unanimously.

As Jennifer Stover, director of corporate services, pointed out with some satisfaction, the overall reduction in tax levy was accomplished without any reduction in service levels and while supporting the City’s largest capital program to date.

Keep Reading

Kawartha Lakes nets just under $100,000 in downtown revitalization money

Published on January 25, 2018 in Business/Community/Local News by Roderick Benns

Kawartha Lakes is getting more than $92,000 to enhance their downtown cores with landscaping, signage and lights, crosswalks for pedestrian safety, and even for local businesses to spruce up storefronts.

Keep Reading