Community garden ‘with a difference’ presented to council
Roger Varley, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
In a deputation to council on Monday, the Uxbridge Community Garden committee asked for permission to build a community garden at Herrema Fields. Their selling point was a community garden with a difference.
Maureen O'Shea Brown and Sara May gave a power-point presentation showing that the garden would consist of a number of individual beds, some raised and some at ground level. They said the raised beds would make it easier for seniors to engage in gardening without a lot of bending and stooping.
Other amenities would include a tool shed, seating and shade, and the paths through the garden would be constructed with either a gravel base or rubberized surfacing such as is used in the Lions Club playground in Elgin Park. The deputants said accessibility for seniors was prioritized.
The UCG said the garden would not be tucked away out of sight as many community gardens are because its structure would be appealing. They said they hope to start building the garden later this summer.
Council gave approval in principle for the garden to go on public land.
In another deputation to council, Matt Somerville of North Durham Pride asked council's permission to use the parking lot adjacent to the CIBC Bank and Wixan's Bridge Restaurant to host a Pride event on Aug. 9.
Somerville said the event would run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with various activities for visitors.
Again, council gave approval in principle and asked North Durham Pride to work with staff.
Finally, in the near future, every vehicle approaching the Centre Road-Maple Street intersection will be required to come to a stop.
In a report to council, Courtney Clarke, director of public works, said Safe Roads Engineering was hired by the Township last year to conduct a traffic study on Centre Road, between Brock Street West and Bolton/North Street. The company's report was presented to council last August and it recommended the four-way stop.
Clarke said the proposed four-way stop is intended to reduce speeds, improve driver awareness of pedestrians and provide a cost-effective, low-maintenance safety improvement.
Council approved her request to proceed with the change.