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4 - Orono Weekly Times 1937 - 2012 · Celebrating 75 Years Wednesday, October 31, 2012 Garden of contention The Municipality decided not to terminate the lease agreement they have with the Zuly's of Bond Head on the unopened road allowance behind their house. Before councillors voted on the lease agreement at Monday's Committee meeting, Councillor Mary Novak rose to say she disagreed wholeheartedly with the decision which she said was precedent setting. According to Novak, this is the first time Clarington councillors have chosen to support the rights of one resident over another. "I believe we have taken our power as council and chosen one taxpayer over another," Novak stated. Public property is now up for grabs in Clarington according to Novak and whoever fights the most gets the best deal. Last spring Council granted the Zuly's their request allowing them to grow a vegetable garden on the unopened road allowance behind their house. This summer council received a letter from Catherine Love, who owns the building lot on the south side of the unopened road allowance. Love appeared before Council in September asking that the Zuly lease not be renewed as her family felt the garden robs them of their privacy. The family's plan to build a home on the lot is dependent on whether or not the Zuly's are allowed to grow vegetables on the unopened road allowance. Love was informed that the municipality was maintaining ownership of the unopened road allowance for a potential future parking lot for the waterfront parkette, At the October 15th committee meeting Councillor Joe Neal suggested the municipality offer the Zuly's the west portion of the road allowance and the Love's the eastern portion. This compromise motion was tabled for two weeks allowing councillors the opportunity to visit the property in question. This week councillors voted to go ahead with the compromise motion with the proviso that if the Loves do not want to lease the eastern half of the unopened road allowance, the original five year nominal lease with the Zuly's for the entire road allowance would continue. All landowners with property abutting the unopened road allowance will be notified of the agreement. When the vote was taken only Councillor Novak voted against the motion, but before she voted she felt compelled to share her feeling with fellow councillors. Her comments led Councillors Ron Hooper and Wendy Partner to express that they took exception to her comments. "I am insulted by my colleague's comments," Partner stated. "None of us is taking one taxpayer over another," she said. Hooper said the compromise was fair and rather than pitting one taxpayer over another, council was moving forward in fairness. Councillors asked staff for a report on parking in the area utilizing available roadside parking on George Manners Drive and the unopened road allowances. Are you in an abusive relationship? Call Bethesda House 905-623-6050 or 1-800-338-3397 (For women with or without children.) Tom Telford smithing at the annual Pumpkin Bee held at the Clarke Branch of the Clarington Museum on Saturday. Region presents boundary option Seven of Durham Region's eight mayors have agreed on a preferred realignment of federal electoral boundaries. The Commission looking at the realignment of federal electoral districts believes that the realignment reflects shifts and growth in population. Recommendations in the proposal made by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario would see Clarington divided into three Federal Ridings. Currently Clarington, Scugog and Uxbridge make up Durham Riding, with Clarington having the majority of the population in the riding. The recommendations have south Bowmanville and Courtice join with south Oshawa to form a riding. North Bowmanville, north Courtice and north Oshawa would form another riding. Clarington's Ward 4 would be combined with Port Hope, Cobourg and Kawartha Lakes to form the third riding. In this scenario Clarington would have a minority share in each of the three ridings. One of the Commission's aims, according to their mandate is to honour existing municipal boundaries whenever possible. They will be creating 15 new ridings in Ontario for a total of 121 ridings. The Commission must make every effort to ensure that each electoral district in the province remains within 25 percent (plus or minus) of an average population of 106,000. On Monday Clarington's Committee of Council endorsed a realignment scenario arrived at by a Regional task force comprised of all eight Regional Mayors and Regional Chair Roger BOUNDARIES see page 5