Your quarterly news & updates |
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A Message from the Mayor
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Video update: Invasive Aquatic Species, August 7, 2021 |
Attention all North Kawarthans! This video update is about a very important issue that is affecting many lake communities throughout the Kawarthas and beyond. Invasive Aquatic Plants are on the rise in several local lakes and I went to Big Cedar Lake to meet some local residents and talk about their efforts to control invasive water plants- in particular Starry Stonewort. This particular ‘weed’ is actually a macro alga which form large dense mats in the water up to 9ft in depth. It reduces biodiversity, degrades fish habitat and restricts movement of aquatic wildlife. According to some folks- ‘other invasive species pale in comparison to negative impacts of this nasty species’. We need to raise awareness and educate everyone visiting, living or working on our lakes to be on the lookout for this and all other invasive species. It is especially important to CLEAN, DRAIN and DRY all watercraft as this is how many aquatic invasive plants get into our lakes. For more information please check out https://www.ontario.ca/page/invasive-....
My sincere thanks to the Big Cedar Lake Stewardship Association and their efforts to preserve the health and integrity of their lake environment. I especially want to thank Brian Stock and Diane & Ralph Trauzzi for agreeing to do this video with me. It was a real eye-opener!
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From the CAO
Thank You Everyone!
As CAO, on behalf of myself and staff, I would really like to give a sincere thank you, to each and every resident and visitor to North Kawartha ! The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic brought unique challenges to our lives, at work, at home, at school, traveling and in our personal relationships. It has been a long haul and while, not quite over, we look to the future with hope !
We appreciate everyone who has worked with us, respecting health measures and requirements, through new regulations and protocols, to protect our community and our staff, as we have strived to continue to provide all services that we were, and are able to provide in the safest and most effective manner. Please pat yourselves on the back for a job well done !
If you require information on COVID-19, including vaccinations, please see our COVID-19 Resource Page. There are still many more opportunities to obtain vaccination. Please visit our COVID-19 Vaccination Information page to help us reach the percentages required by the Provincial government to move to the next step of re-opening.
Staff, in all departments are available to assist you. As we have experienced, business can be completed over the phone, by email, by electronic meeting or by appointment. The Municipal Office is currently open for walk-in visitors as well. Please use the intercom at the front door to speak with the Receptionist, prior to entry. We also recommend that you call ahead or email staff to ensure that the specific facility or program is open.
Thanks for your consideration and be safe !
Alana Solman, CAO
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Federal Election Polls
Federal Elections Advanced Polls will be
Visit elections.ca to know what ID is accepted. Please bring your voters information card along with ID to make the voting process easier. For more information on the elections please call 1-800-463-6868 or visit www.elections.ca.
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Municipal Office Closures
On Monday, October 11 the office will be closed for Thanksgiving Day,
the office will re-open on Tuesday, October 12 at 9 am.
On Thursday, November 11 the office will be closed for Remembrance Day,
the office will re-open on Friday, November 12 at 9 am.
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The program has met with great success and approval mainly because people understand the intent of the program is a cost-effective Municipal measure to remove recycling from the waste stream, increase diversion rates, and thereby reduce the amount of garbage being deposited into landfills, as well as being compliant with mandatory recycling requirements. And in doing this, it will also improve worker safety by allowing Waste Staff to have an assessment of garbage bags, in a safe and less invasive manner, to ensure garbage bags do not contain hazardous waste, in addition to recyclables. The County and the City of Peterborough, all have the overall objective of prolonging the life of landfills, and specifically the Bensfort Road Landfill Site.
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Website Updates
Bulletin Board Page
Our new Bulletin Board page gathers together in one place, posters that are currently on our Municipal bulletin boards (excluding the bulletin boards at the Municipal Office). If you happened to see a poster that interested you, but maybe didn’t have the time to read it in full, or it was cold or raining, or you didn’t have your camera phone with you, or you couldn’t read it because it was up too high on the board, or the font was too small, or you can't remember the details, then just click on the Bulletin Board page to view at your leisure, or download the poster(s) of your choice. And please note that links within the PDFs are often active. If your phone is enabled to scan QR codes, the QR code on the bulletin board will take you directly to the Bulletin Board page.
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Council meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of each month. Special meetings may be called at any time with notice.
All meetings are held electronically until further notice, open to the public and are recorded and uploaded to YouTube where you can watch meetings at your leisure, please contact the Deputy Clerk for an invitation. Please visit our website for all things municipal in North Kawartha.
If you would like to receive regular municipal updates you may subscribe to North Kawartha's email alerts via the website. The Township is active on Social Media including Facebook and Twitter.
Regular Meetings of Council will be held on:
*Tuesday, September 21 at 9:30 am
*Tuesday, October 5 at 9:30 am
*Tuesday, October 19 at 9:30 am
*Tuesday, November 2 at 9:30 am
*Tuesday, November 16 at 9:30 am
*Tuesday, December 7 at 9:30 am
Special Meetings of Council will be held on:
Special Strategic Planning Review Wednesday, September 29 at 9:30 am
Special Capital Forecast Meeting Wednesday, October 27 at 9:30 am
Special Budget Meeting #1 Tuesday, November 30 at 9:30 am
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From the Roads Department |
A few reminders for all:
- Do not deposit snow on any roadway
- No parking in town from 11 pm to 7 am from Oct 15 to May 15
- No parking on any township roadway.
- Please keep garbage and recycling blue boxes off of the roadway and in the entrance of your driveway
- The Township does not plow Private Roads.
(Highway Traffic Act S.181, and North Kawartha By- Law 2008-50)
Thank you for your cooperation
If you have an emergency concerning a Municipal road issue,
please call 705-926-0150 for the 24 hour, 7 day per week
Emergency Answering Service.
If it is not an emergency please call the Roads Garage
at 705-656-4796 or 705-656-4445 extension 243.
all road maintenance and plowing on the following roads:
- County Rd. 52 (Jack Lake Rd up to stop sign)
- County Rd. 54 (Balmer Rd)
- County Rd. 56 (Northey's Bay Rd)
- County Rd. 504
- County Rd. 620
Please contact Peterborough County Roads Department
at 705-742-4862 during business hours, and 705-742-6823 after hours.
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We are delighted to announce that this year’s Apsley Studio Tour is a go! Visit 13 studio locations presenting 28 artists and artisans whose work encompasses a wide spectrum within the disciplines of painting, jewellery, glass art, sculpture, fabric art, pottery, felting, photography and metalwork.
The free Apsley Autumn Studio Tour App is available through the App Store or Google Play, with links on our web site apsleystudiotour.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Apsley Autumn Studio Tour.
Hope to see you there! September 18 - 19, 10 am - 5 pm.
#apsleystudiotour #northkawartha #art #studiotour #ontarioartist #openstudio #autumn #apsley #makingascene #weekend #weekendplans @thekawarthas
General Interest Pages
An easy way to get to the various fun, exciting, and informative events going on in North Kawartha is, at the top right of the home page, click the Attractions button. It will take you to the Attractions page and links to several pages that are among our most popular, general interest pages. Specifically, you will find lots of additional information and listings on these linked pages: Community Calendar, Community Centre Events and Activities - Recurring, Community Groups, Recreation Programs, Special Events, and in the North Kawartha Directory.
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Transfer Stations Hours Information Line: 705-656-4361
Open Holiday Mondays with Sunday hours.
Closed Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Family Day
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September 13, 2021 to May 29, 2022
- Monday - Closed
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday from 1 pm to 4 pm
- Wednesday, Friday from 9 am to 12 pm
- Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm
September 13, 2021 to May 29, 2022
- Monday - Closed
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm
- Wednesday, Friday from 1 pm to 4 pm
- Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm
New Bulletin Board at Anstruther Transfer Station
There is a new bulletin board at the Anstruther Transfer Station. It includes informative posters to answer all your garbage and recycling questions. These posters can also be viewed or downloaded from various Garbage and Recycling pages of the Township website. If your phone is enabled to scan QR codes, the QR codes on the bulletin board will take you directly to the Garbage and Recycling page or the Bulletin Board page. In addition, anything appearing on the bulletin board is available at the Transfer Station as a hand-out. Simply ask one of our friendly Attendants for a copy of the ones you’re interested in.
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Garbage and Recycling
Our main Garbage and Recycling page has been re-designed to make it easier to find the information you require, especially if you are trying to access the information on your mobile device. User-friendly icons will help you quickly get the answers to your questions.
Curbside Collection will continue as per its normal schedule. To support physical distancing, residents are encouraged to use Curbside Collection.
Recycling/Blue Boxes
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Finance Department
The 2021 Final Tax Bills for all properties were mailed out at the end of June and included two (2) installments with due dates of:
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Tuesday, September 28,2021
If you have not received a copy of your bill, please contact the Accounting Assistant through email or at 705-656-4445 extension 235.
Please note that the 2020 MPAC (Municipal Property Assessment Corporation) Assessment update for all of Ontario properties has been postponed until further notice due to COVID-19. Property assessments for the 2021 property tax year will continue to be based on the fully phased-in current values. This means your property assessment for the 2021 property tax year will be the same as the 2020 tax year, unless there have been any additional changes to your property. For more information, please contact MPAC at www.mpac.ca or 1-866-296-6722.
- Learn more about how your property was assessed,
- See the information they have on file about your property, and
- Compare your property to other properties in your neighbourhood.
If you have any questions about your tax bill, payment options, or any tax related matters please visit the Taxation page on our website or contact the Finance Department through email, or by calling 705-656-4445, extension 235 for the Accounting Assistant or extension 233 for the Deputy Treasurer.
Updating Your Mailing Address per Canada Post Requirements:
Do you have an RR# mailing address? If you do, your mailing address needs to be updated. Canada Post will no longer recognize RR# mailing address and requires all mailing addresses to be a civic address, a post office box or General Delivery.
Are you a seasonal property owner who wants their tax bill sent to a different address for part of the year? Please contact Canada Post directly to make arrangements to have mail redirected.
How to update your mailing address with the Township:
To change your mailing address electronically, please locate our Change of Mailing Address form on our website, fill out the form as directed, and send it in to the office via email, mail, or our 24 hour drop box located to the right of our front entrance. Otherwise you can visit the office in person to complete a Change of Mailing Address form. MPAC and the County of Peterborough are now requesting authorization from property owners to share updated mailing addresses with these institutions. Your authorization allows the Township of North Kawartha, MPAC, and the County of Peterborough to send you important information (when needed) regarding your property.
Please note it is the property owner's responsibility to keep the Township and MPAC informed of any address changes. If you have any questions or concerns about changing your mailing address, please contact the Accounting Assistant through email or call 705-656-4445 ext. 235.
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Fall Safety Tips from our
Fire Department
In The Home
- Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove. If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking. Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.
- Do not overload electrical outlets or use extension cords in the place of additional outlets.
- Check electrical appliances regularly for wearing cords and plugs. Do not leave electrical appliances plugged in if they do not need to be.
- Lack of maintenance is the number one cause of dryer fires. That is why it is critical to clean the lint filter before and after each use, and wipe away any lint that has accumulated around the drum. Perform periodic checks to ensure that the air exhaust vent pipe is unobstructed (lint accumulation) and the outdoor vent flap opens readily. Do not run the dryer without a lint filter. You are encouraged to not leave the dryer running if you go out, in case it malfunctions.
Outside the Home
- Never park your car or truck over a pile of leaves. The heat from the vehicle's catalytic converter or exhaust system can ignite the leaves below. The resulting fire could destroy your vehicle.
- Flammable liquids should not be stored inside the home or in an attached garage or shed. This includes any unused fuel still in the fuel tank. Store this equipment away from your home or drain excess fuel out of the tank before storing. This simple safety precaution will help prevent accidental fires from escaping fuel vapors.
- Remove fuel from lawn mowers before storing them for winter.
- Contact your utility company if trees or branches are not clear of power lines
- Prune back trees, and rake up leaves and debris. If you live in an open area with a lot of natural vegetation, consider creating a defensible fire zone around your home. Prune the bottom branches from trees and remove shrubs and trees within 20 feet of your home
- Don’t store cardboard boxes, paper or other flammable materials in the backyard. These materials provide ready fuel for a fire and all it takes is one spark.
Heating your Home
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Most Important! Check all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work, and change the batteries. It is the law for all Ontario homes to have a working smoke alarm on every level and outside all sleeping areas. This covers single family, semi-detached and town homes, whether owner-occupied or rented.
- Have a useable fire extinguisher available.
Space Heaters
- Make sure that any space heaters are surrounded by at least three feet of empty space.
- Never place clothing or any other objects on a space heater to dry.
- Do not place space heaters near furniture or drapery.
- Turn space heaters off when you leave the house or go to bed.
- Avoid storing any combustible items near heaters.
Fireplaces and Woodstoves
- Have heating appliances serviced and chimney flues examined for defects.
- Have fireplaces and fireplace dampers checked.
- Fireplaces should be equipped with an appropriate screen or glass enclosure to prevent sparks from flying out.
- Wood burning stoves should be examined and the flue and chimney checked for creosote buildup. Creosote is a deposit from smoke that can build up in a chimney and can start a fire.
- Use only seasoned woods, and avoid soft woods like Pine, etc.
- Never use a flammable liquid to start a fireplace.
- Never overload the hearth with wood or artificial logs, the resulting fire may be too large for the unit.
- Put all ashes outdoors and away from the house in a metal container.
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Parks and Recreation
The Township will gradually re-open the North Kawartha, Wilson Park, and Glen Alda Community Centres in the weeks after Labour Day, which means the return of some indoor programs and/or services including the NKCC Ice Surface, Minor hockey, Adult hockey, Figure Skating lessons, and some Public Skating, but with the cautionary note that every event will have restrictions and protocols that must be adhered to, as with the Fitness Centre. For example, the NKCC Ice Surface and Banquet Hall will open Monday, September 13th, and in spite of the perception that everything is “wide open”, that simply is not the case. Following is a general list of what to expect if you attend an event at our Township facilities.
If you use the opened amenities, the Township and Public Health Officials remind you:
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Stay home if you are sick.
- In unsupervised areas, User Assumes All Risks and Liability.
- Physical distancing of 2 metres (6 feet) must be maintained between anyone who is not from the same household.
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You must wear a mask (even outdoors) if you cannot maintain physical distancing.
- Hand sanitization upon entry of a facility is highly recommended
- In general, wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or use hand-sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- It is highly recommended that team sports be modified to reduce or limit the amount of personal contact.
- Groups are to adhere to all directional signage while in a facility.
- Floor markers, signage, and enhanced cleaning measures are implemented to control the risk of transmission.
- Participants and spectators/guardians will be provided access to the facility/event 15 minutes prior to permitted time, using designated entry points.
- Groups must exit 15 minutes following permitted time, using designated exit points.
- Food and beverages will be permitted, keeping physically distanced while consuming.
- A maximum of 2 spectators/guardians will be permitted per participant. General public access is not permitted.
Fitness Centre
In compliance with Provincial Government orders, and Peterborough Public Health recommendations the NKCC Fitness Centre re-opened on Monday, July 19th with regular hours but with some operational changes including that all “Swipe/Access” cards are de-activated, and will not work. All members will be required to come to Reception, to update their Membership/Par-Q form information, and an additional COVID-related waiver. In addition, you will have to complete the “Required COVID-10 Screening Questions & Contact Tracing Record” before being allowed to enter.
There are some additional changes to be aware of:
- Only Staff can let members into the Fitness Centre.
- Members must complete the “Required COVID-19 Screening Questions & Contact Tracing Record” before being allowed to enter the Fitness Centre.
- Masks must be worn into the building until you begin your workout, and again after you complete your work out.
- The machines are physically distanced and must not be moved.
- Only 1 person is allowed in a dressing room at one time. We are currently limiting total occupancy of the Fitness Centre to 10.
- If the Fitness Centre is busy, please come back at another time.
- You must thoroughly wipe down the equipment before and after use, with disinfectant bottles provided.
- We request that you exit the Fitness Centre through the rear stairwell. (Understanding this may not always be possible for reasons related to accessibility).
- The Fitness Centre will be electrostatically disinfected on a regular basis.
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As the Fitness Centre is an unsupervised area, User Assumes All Risks and Liability.
Please note: Although the machines are physically distanced, when working out, droplets are expelled at higher velocities. Therefore, although masks are not mandatory (only when working out) they are recommended.
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Subscribe To Website (Updates/Calendar Features)
Please visit our Subscription Page to receive Township news, alerts, notices, and newsletters directly to your email. You can choose the areas that interest you. If you subscribe to the items in the “Events Calendar”, on Friday at noon, you will receive an email, listing everything that appears on the Calendar for the following week.
The email contains active links to each calendar entry. Just click on the title of the event and it will open up in the calendar, showing you a map of where the event is located, a direct link to the appropriate web page, contact information (email, phone numbers), upcoming dates and posters (if applicable), links to the Township Facebook and Twitter pages, and YouTube channel. You may unsubscribe or edit your preferences at any time by following the link on your email subscription page.
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Building permits are in place for your safety - and the safety of those around you, ensuring your construction project is protected from structural failure, fire hazards from electrical and heating systems, electrical shock and other health risks. Permits also provide a permanent record of the work performed and all inspections conducted to ensure the project is sound and safe.
Before starting a new construction project -- either indoors or outdoors -- you must determine whether you need a building permit.
Building staff at the Township of North Kawartha is here to help you through the Building Permit process.
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Mailing Address: PO Box 550, Apsley, Ontario K0L 1A0
Hours of Operation: 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday to Friday
Telephone: 705-656-4445 or Toll Free: 1-800-755-6931
Fax: 705-656-4446
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