Thank you for you response below and thanks also to Councillors Wilson and Buck as well as Mr. Giroux for their invaluable input.I understand that the neighbouring towns have resolved this problem by providing temporary or permanent facilities in their sports parks – I wonder why Aurora finds it so difficult to respond to a simple human requirement.28th May 2008 I sent an email to Mr Tree reporting the problem. A portable toilet installed a week later - problem solved in seven days and the portable toilet remained in place for the rest of the baseball season. I had naively assumed that a portable toilet would have been installed the next year also – this was not to be so. July 2008 staff recommended to Council $4,800 be provided to locate fifteen additional Portable toilets in town parks. Council approved the resolution. On 18September 2008 at a meeting of LSAC the recommendation was considered but it was moved by Councillor Grainger and seconded by Judy Norwell that no portable toilets be placed anywhere in town parks. This was carried (LS08-032). Thus no toilets in 2009 – the problems continued> May 2010 and as a result councillor Wilson has requested “staff prepare a report to place a minimum of one portable unit in each of the major playgrounds, sports fields etc. for the months of July and August.” According to your email below this will “allow Members of Council and /or LSAC members the opportunity to discuss the matter further, and also allow Staff , Sports associations, schools and residents an opportunity to offer their input and suggestions about the placement of portable washrooms in sports parks.” I’m not experienced in the internal workings of municipalities but this appears to describe a quite lengthy “process”. I do hope that this can be resolved before the end of the baseball season as a month has elapsed already. If passed, will this be a permanent solution that will be in place next year from May to September (the baseball
season) or do we go through the whole process anew each year?
*******************************************************
Email from Councillor MacEachern , June 18th 2010
Hi Mayor Morris, Ron and Dave,
Ron, thanks for bringing this issue to our attention.
Dave & Mayor Morris thank you for your efforts in trying to resolve this.
To Recap:
May 26, 2010 - Ron you sent an email to Mayor Morris and cc'd the following individuals Tree, Jim; Wilson, Al; Buck, Evelyn; Dave Giroux
May 27, 2010 Mayor Morris forwarded your email to me, as Chair of LSAC and to staff, and enquired on the status of "portable washrooms".
May 27, 2010 I responded to Mayor Morris' email and cc'd Mr. Downey indicating that I understood the portable washroom policy was dealt with through review of the Master Recreation Plan - see copy of email below. Not having heard back on my email I assumed all was well.
After receiving the most recent emails on the matter, I went to the Adopted Master Recreation Plan and found the following applicable sections:
__________
Page 53 of the document reads:
Comfort Facilities
Wherever possible, the Town should cluster the same type of playing fields together to increase a
sense of form and function in active use parks. Such parks should also include washrooms,
electrical outlets, benches and safe, pedestrian‐friendly pathways, etc. The Town should continue to consider permanent or portable washroom
facilities at heavily utilized park and trail locations as these conveniences can attract a greater use by individuals and families.
__________
Page 77 of the document reads:
RECOMMENDATION: Public washroom facilities (through a combination of permanent and portable facilities)
should continue to be provided at heavily utilized parks and key trailheads along the greenway systems. PRIORITY - Highs
I believe the policy is in place and should assist to resolve the matter ASAP.
Evelina MacEachern
Chair, Leisure Services Advisory Committee
----- Original Message -----
From: Evelina MacEachern
To: PMorris@e-aurora.ca ; NGarbe@e-aurora.ca ; adowney@e-aurora.ca
Cc: RSmart@e-aurora.ca ; EMacEachern@e-aurora.ca ; WGaertner@e-aurora.ca ; jtree@e-aurora.ca ; KGobbels@e-aurora.ca
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 10:41 PM
Subject: Re: Here we "GO" again
This was discussed at LSAC several times. Most recently during update of the Master Rec Plan.
I don't recall the recommendation/resolution, but, I believe it was NOT that portable washrooms were to be placed at each
park, but, I believe washrooms are to be housed at certain parks.
Mr. Downey perhaps can add to this?
Evelina MacEachern
----- Original Message -----
From:Resident
To: PMorris@e-aurora.ca
Cc: jtree@e-aurora.ca ; bryanhb@rogers.com ; dmdsfusco@sympatico.ca ; r_gray@rogers.com ; aleschristie@yahoo.com ; s.rycombel@sympatico.ca ; dedmunds12@rogers.com ; lwillert@trebnet.com ; carolemgir@aol.com ; thicks@rogers.com ; javed@empression.ca ; lurrywilson@bell.net ; scalam1@gmail.com ; coralg@rogers.com ; jwagg1392@rogers.com ; kieffer@rogers.com ; davegiroux1@aol.com ; AllCouncillors@e-aurora.ca
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 11:16 AM
Subject: Portable Toilets in James Lloyd Park
Ms Mayor,
Thank you for you response below and thanks also to Councillors Wilson and Buck as well as Mr. Giroux for their invaluable input.
I understand that the neighbouring towns have resolved this problem by providing temporary or permanent facilities in their sports parks – I wonder why Aurora finds it so difficult to respond to a simple human requirement.
On 28th May 2008 I sent an email to Mr Tree reporting the problem. A portable toilet installed a week later - problem solved in seven days and the portable toilet remained in place for the rest of the baseball season. I had naively assumed that a portable toilet would have been installed the next year also – this was not to be so.
On 15th July 2008 staff recommended to Council $4,800 be provided to locate fifteen additional Portable toilets in town parks. Council approved the resolution. On 18th September 2008 at a meeting of LSAC the recommendation was considered but it was moved by Councillor Grainger and seconded by Judy Norwell that no portable toilets be placed anywhere in town parks. This was carried (LS08-032). Thus no toilets in 2009 – the problems continued.
I sent an email to you on 26th May 2010 and as a result Councillor Wilson has requested “staff prepare a report to place a minimum of one portable unit in each of the major playgrounds, sports fields etc. for the months of July and August.” According to your email below this will “allow Members of Council and /or LSAC members the opportunity to discuss the matter further, and also allow Staff , Sports associations, schools and residents an opportunity to offer their input and suggestions about the placement of portable washrooms in sports parks.”
I’m not experienced in the internal workings of municipalities but this appears to describe a quite lengthy “process”. I do hope that this can be resolved before the end of the baseball season as a month has elapsed already. If passed, will this be a permanent solution that will be in place next year from May to September (the baseball season) or do we go through the whole process anew each year?
Yours Sincerely,
Resident
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
e-mail from Mayor Morris
your email concerns have been forwarded to staff for their review and a response.
Mr Giroux has advised us all that he is following up with the teams from his club who are using the fields
And in addition following these communications - Cllr. Wilson has just this week raised the same issue by way of giving Notice of Motion
When Councillor Wilsons motion is tabled all Members of Council and /or LSAC members will get the opportunity to
discuss the matter further.
And Staff , Sports associations, schools and residents will also all have an opportunity to offer their input and suggestions at that time
about the placement of portable washrooms in sports parks
Regards
Phyllis Morris
Mayor
********************************
Hi Mayor Morris, Ron and Dave,
Ron, thanks for bringing this issue to our attention.
Dave & Mayor Morris thank you for your efforts in trying to resolve this.
To Recap:
May 26, 2010 - Ron you sent an email to Mayor Morris and cc'd the following individuals Tree, Jim; Wilson, Al; Buck, Evelyn; Dave Giroux
May 27, 2010 Mayor Morris forwarded your email to me, as Chair of LSAC and to staff, and enquired on the status of "portable washrooms".
May 27, 2010 I responded to Mayor Morris' email and cc'd Mr. Downey indicating that I understood the portable washroom policy was dealt with through review of the Master Recreation Plan - see copy of email below. Not having heard back on my email I assumed all was well.
After receiving the most recent emails on the matter, I went to the Adopted Master Recreation Plan and found the following applicable sections:
__________
Page 53 of the document reads:
Comfort Facilities
Wherever possible, the Town should cluster the same type of playing fields together to increase a
sense of form and function in active use parks. Such parks should also include washrooms,
electrical outlets, benches and safe, pedestrian‐friendly pathways, etc. The Town should continue to consider permanent or portable washroom
facilities at heavily utilized park and trail locations as these conveniences can attract a greater use by individuals and families.
__________
Page 77 of the document reads:
RECOMMENDATION: Public washroom facilities (through a combination of permanent and portable facilities)
should continue to be provided at heavily utilized parks and key trailheads along the greenway systems. PRIORITY - Highs
I believe the policy is in place and should assist to resolve the matter ASAP.
Evelina MacEachern
Chair, Leisure Services Advisory Committee
----- Original Message -----
From: Evelina MacEachern
To: PMorris@e-aurora.ca ; NGarbe@e-aurora.ca ; adowney@e-aurora.ca
Cc: RSmart@e-aurora.ca ; EMacEachern@e-aurora.ca ; WGaertner@e-aurora.ca ; jtree@e-aurora.ca ; KGobbels@e-aurora.ca
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2010 10:41 PM
Subject: Re: Here we "GO" again
This was discussed at LSAC several times. Most recently during update of the Master Rec Plan.
I don't recall the recommendation/resolution, but, I believe it was NOT that portable washrooms were to be placed at each
park, but, I believe washrooms are to be housed at certain parks.
Mr. Downey perhaps can add to this?
Evelina MacEachern
**********************************************8
Councillor Evelina: I appreciate your response to our Mayor, Ron and Dave as Chair of LSAC and concur as a member of LSAC that this area was originally discussed on a related subject item by the LSAC committee but I'm not entirely sure either of the specifics of the case item that was before us at the time. Later as you have mentioned, LSAC through the Master Recreation Plan supported this subject area as being of importance.Its application may require further discussion and clarification and I look forward to receiving such information. I have been following the e-mail's of this issue Ron has expressed to our Mayor, and other individuals copied watching closely how this would go forward in being addressed internally. I can appreciate Ron's concern and it has been helpful in seeing how this issue is to resolve in light of the input from yourself and the Master Recreation Plan document approved by Council. I look forward to seeing what further actions may be considered either by staff, Council or LSAC in the resolution of this matter. Sincerely,Councillor Grainger
*******************************************
From the Mayor to Resident June 19th
By way of an update :
The CAO has indicated that the matter of Councils earlier direction and endorsement of portables in active parks will be addressed by staff
This means LSAC, Council and the community can look forward to "portable washrooms " being provided in the Towns active Aurora parks shortly
Regards
Phyllis M.Morris
Sounds to me as if Councillor MacEachern is blaming staff for this issue.... isn't that a no-no?!
ReplyDeleteYou refer to Councillor Grainger's failure to either remember the resolution or grasp the rationale.
ReplyDeleteQuite frankly I don't understand a word or fragments of thoughts that he wrote in his email.
It's bad enough having to listen to his spoken drivel. It would drive me absolutely crazy to have to read it too!
I am left wondering have the toilets been installed in the parks and has the resident been satisfied? I am telling you that after all this crap of writing emails back and forth and attempting to justify why or why not, these things could have been in place and all of this avoided within hours. More smoke and mirrors, boy they are good at it!
ReplyDelete