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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSD-006-11Clar~ng~o~ Leading the Way REPORT PLANNING SERVICES Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Dater January 10, 2011 Resolution #: e"daa'// By-law#: NIA Report #: PSD-006-11 File #: PLN 37.4 Subject: COURTICE COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM UPDATE RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: THAT Report PSD-006-11 be received for information; and 2. THAT all interested parties listed in Report PSD-006-11 and any delegations be advised of Council's decision. Submitted by: D id rome, MCIP, RPP Director, Planning Services IUFL/sn/df 15 December 2010 Reviewed by: ~~~~ - Franklin Wu Chief Administrative Officer CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON 40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1 C 3A6 T (905)623-3379 F (905)623-0830 REPORT NO.: PSD-006-11 1.0 BACKGROUND PAGE 2 1.1 Council incorporated $5,000.00 in the 2010 Community Improvement budget for Courtice. These funds were earmarked for construction of a cairn and a bronze plaque. 2.0 STREET TREES 2.1 A street tree planting program began in 2009 utilizing community improvement funding. A total of 26 street trees were planted at four locations along the Courtice Highway 2 corridor between Townline and Courtice Road under the supervision of the Manager of Parks Development. It is anticipated that future funding will augment the street tree planting program on the municipal road allowance, thereby continuing to implement the recommendations of the Courtice Main Street Master Development Plan. 3.0 TOOLEY MEMORIAL 3.1 The Municipality acquired the house and property at 71 Old Kingston Road in 2009 with the intention of providing a trailhead and small parkette along the Farewell Creek Valley. This initiative was to start to fulfil the actions identified in the Municipality's Corporate Strategic Business Plan 2007-2010 to create a focal point and develop a trail system along the Farewell Creek, also known to some as Barber's Creek. 3.2 The property acquired included the homestead of Augustus Tooley, who operated a mill along the creek. Although the home has been destroyed by fire, the stone foundation walls were removed to the Operations Depot in Hampton. It was recommended that a memorial cairn be established (See Attachment 1 for an overview of the history of the site). 3.3 Funds were allocated for the construction of the cairn in the 2010 budget and the project was completed in November. The Clarington Museum and Archives, in consultation with the Clarington Heritage Committee and Staff, prepared the wording for the text on the plaque as shown in Attachment 2. REPORT NO.: PSD-006-11 PAGE 3 On November 12, 2010 an unveiling ceremony of the cairn was held on site to commemorate the historical significance of this property to the development of Courtice. Members of the Tooley family were in attendance along with members of Council, neighbourhood residents, the media and staff. The Tooley family publically expressed their appreciation of the Municipality's recognition of their family's contribution to the community's settlement. 4.0 COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROJECT AREA 4.1 The Clarington Official Plan Review is recommending that the Courtice Main Street Corridor be identified as a future Community Improvement Project Area. This is to help facilitate the implementation of the Courtice Main Street Study and the Official Plan policies arising from this work. It is recognized that this will be a major area of intensification and redevelopment in the years to come. When a CIP Plan is prepared, a variety of actions may be recommended. Most importantly, by being identified as a CIP Project Area, it would comply with the Region's polices for eligibility for regional participation for servicing projects. Cairn prior to plaque installation Bronze plaque mounted on cairn REPORT NO.: PSD-006-11 PAGE 4 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 Council provided funding in 2009 and 2010 for municipal initiatives to improve the streetscape and the public realm of the Courtice area. Funding for 2010 covered the cost of the Tooley Cairn's construction and the bronze plaque. All of the funding allocated to-date has been expended. It is recommended that Council provide funding for the continuation of community improvements in 2011. Staff Contact: Isabel Little Attachments: Attachment 1 -Background on the Augustus Tooley Mill and House Attachment 2 -Plaque wording List of interested parties to be noted of Council's decision: Martha Rutherford Conrad, Clarington Museum & Archives Clarington Heritage Committee Attachment 1 To Report PSD-006-11 AUGUSTUS TOOLEY MILL AND HOUSE Augustus Smith Tooley came to Canada in 1860. He first worked at Gooderham and Worts Distillery in Toronto and then relocated to Cedar Dale, a village south of Oshawa, where he was the head miller for Sandy Small's Mill. In the 1870's Jacob Stalter obtained a large part of a 100 foot long mill in Haydon and had it moved to this property. The mill pond dammed. both Farewell and Black Creeks. Augustus purchased the mill from Stalter and named it The Peoples Mill. Augustus and his family resided in the house and the area eventually became known as Tooley's Mill Hill. Augustus operated the mill until the creeks did not provide enough water power. In the 1890's major work was done on Kingston Road. The steepest ravines were causewayed to raise the road bed well above the valley floor. The road bed in front of the mill house was raised so much that the house had to be lifted to meet the new level of the road. A high stone basement foundation was placed underneath the house and the stones to be used in the cairn are from that foundation. The Prestonvale Tourist Camp operated on the site during the 1920's and was owned by Bob Preston, who was the Mayor of Oshawa from 1927 to 1929. The dam, diner, and change rooms made it the best swimming hole for miles around. The Courtice Diner featured a large teapot on the roof that blew smoke: The camp was sold in 1942 shortly after Bob Preston's death. Attachment 2 To report PSD-006-11 Peage"s FStl PlAgllEptt 6f28t2U104:G5:tO PM Scak:1:Z83 Hr~1#26.85b LerxXh: 19:774 in