March | 2022 | Dianne Rintjema

TO: ALL ATTENDEES & COUNCIL

SUBJECT: MINUTES OF WARD 1 MEETING OF FEBRUARY 23rd, 2022

Meeting began at 6:00pm – Councillors Russell and Rintjema introduced staff in attendance, advised that the meeting would be conducted with an open-agenda format and that the meeting is for information purposes only and no decisions would be made.

1. King Street

Question:

A resident inquired about King Street generally around the West Avenue area – Are there plans for reviewing existing speed limits/plans for road improvements?

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): King Street from Lincoln Avenue to the roundabout is to be upgraded including intersection improvements at Thirty Road and Mountainview Road. Utility relocations are planned for 2022, and the construction is planned to start in 2023.

The design will include upgrades such as:

Replacing culverts
Improving sub-surface drainage
Repairing and reconstructing the ditches, curb and gutter to improve roadside drainage
Improving illumination at the intersections
Widening the road platform to include bicycle lanes and geometric improvements at the Thirty Road intersection
Constructing a traffic signal at Thirty Road

2. Lincoln Avenue:

Question: A resident had a concern about the line painting on Lincoln Avenue

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): Staff will visit the site and review.

Konkle Creek Area:

*Question: A resident expressed concerns about

children playing in and near the particular section of Konkle Creek lying alongside Meadowood Park;
The extent to which the creek widened (overflow) during the extended period of rain that took place mid-February;
Garbage that flows through the creek from upstream.

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): Noted that the creek for the most part has functioned well in terms of handling overflow and that this unusual rain period put it to a good test. Will look into the concerns.

*Question: A resident noted that the anti-slip strips placed on the bridgerunning from Tamarac Avenue to Meadowood Park(after the issue of the bridge being slippery was raised at the October Ward meeting) have been damaged – likely during snow clearing.

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): Staff will attend the site and review.

Crime:

Comment: A resident commented on their belief that crime has increase in recent years in Lincoln generally.

Response from Staff: (CAO Mike Kirkopoulos): Feedback from Niagara Regional Police indicates that crime is not on an increase. Monday March 7th, Shaun Parrent, Staff Sergeant, Jen Lawson, Police Services Board Member, Bryan MacCulloch, Chief of Police, Brett Flynn, Deputy Chief of Police, Marco Giannico, Superintendent, Patrick McCauley, Inspector, and Stephanie Sabourin, Corporate Communications Manager – representatives from the Niagara Regional Police Service will attend a meeting of Town of Lincoln Council to provide an overview of services and programmes.

Link to Agenda: https://pub-lincoln.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=332153c0-38e9-497d-861f-3ab67d6443cc&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English

Fleming Centre Parking Lot:

Comment: A resident of Park Avenue noted that cars speed up as they come around the bend to head south and they approach the area of the Fleming Centre Parking lot at the west end of the building where it meets Park Avenue. This is an area where pedestrians cross. Could there be a speed bump installed?

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): Staff will review the conditions of the site and consider traffic calming measures to suit, including the possibility of a speed bump.

Vision Zero:

Question: A resident had questions about the status of The Region’s project Vision Zero the goal of which is to install red-light cameras and automated speed enforcement elements on Regional Roads. The resident’s understanding was that a neighbouring municipality voted against it and that the project requires the endorsement of all 12 municipalities to move forward.

Response from Staff: (CAO Mike Kirkopoulos): Town of Lincoln Council passed a motion to ask the Region to return with a model that is more likely to receive support and his understanding is that this is underway.

Response from Regional Councillor Foster: Further to the CAO’s comment – his understanding is that the neighbouring municipality’s concern stemmed from the proposed funding formula.

Proposed Alternate Beamsville Truck Route (Bartlett Road specifically):

A resident had questions about what plans are in place in advance for the proposal to redirect northbound truck traffic coming from Mountain Street to turn east rather than west and then to travel northerly on Bartlett Road. https://speakuplincoln.ca/truck-traffic. If this work is not expected to be completed until 2025 as the earliest, what measures will be put in place to control trucks speeding on Bartlett?

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): The Town will has put speed cameras (Black Cat Radar) on Bartlett Road to monitor speeds, and if the data warrants, will ask NRP for increased enforcement based on the data.

Truck Traffic on Mountain Street:

Comment: A resident suggested restricting truck traffic on Mountain Street rather than redirecting it easterly toward Bartlett (and away from the downtown/Ontario Street).

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham and CAO Mike Kirkopoulos): The Town cannot back truck traffic from Mountain Street as it is a Regional Road. The Town has signage at Fly Road suggesting that trucks take Fly Road to Victoria Avenue. Further to this, the Town has two active quarries and the Town works with these businesses to help educate their drivers to use suitable routes. Also, the Town has discussed the approach of taking over Mountain Street from the Region but nothing is imminent.

Re-routing Truck Traffic – West End:

Comment: A resident had a concern that trucks will not respect the new proposal for east/west truck traffic movement (that they travel westerly along the South service Rd and then south along Durham Road and then west along King). The resident had concerns that they may use Greenlane Road instead.

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): Plans are to upgrade Durham Road in such a way that truck traffic will be welcomed.

Intermittent Truck Traffic related to specific construction projects:

Question: A resident had questions as to what the Town does to mitigate not only issues related to ongoing regular truck traffic but also that related to specific construction projects.

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): the Town has a Construction Truck Management Plan, and its focus is to keep them on Regional Roads and off other roads.

Flooding in the Sann Road/Bartlett Area:

Question: Is there anything that can be done to deal with the water in the area – Sann Road flooding between John Street and the CN Tracks?

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): The Town liaises with CN Rail to have the area along the tracks cleaned out regularly as the water is proposed to run northerly to the track and then westerly along the tracks. The Town also works to maintain the ditches that run north/south along Sann Road on the west side. The area is low lying. Staff/Councillors will reach out for further discussion on this.

Hilary Bald Park:

Question: A resident asked if it’s possible to install a second basketball net and asked if it’s possible to add more lighting to the ice rink.

Response from Staff (Director of Community Services Shannon McKay): Staff will check if it’s a possibility and if there’s room for a second basketball net. Staff will look into this further and continue to keep lights on as long as possible but also must consider the neighbors surrounding the park and their concerns.

Specific Residential Development related questions:

Building on south side of King at Ontario: A resident asked how access to the building will be arranged/accommodated for:

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): This Ontario and King will be upgraded to a 4-way intersection.

New Proposed building at NE corner of Ontario and Greenlane: A resident asked how the $500,000 Community Benefit will be allocated:

Response from Staff: (Melissa Shi, Manager, Prudhomme’s and Special Projects):

1. A portion will go to the public space at the east end of the development
2. A portion will go to fund the Gateway feature on Ontario Street
3. Approximately $350,000 toward affordable housing initiatives.

Further to this, there are development related funds required from the developer that go directly for funding greenspace/parkland.

Pedestrian use of John Street between Bartlett and Sann Road:

Question: A resident noted that there are a considerable number of pedestrians that walk along this stretch and this section of road is poorly lit and there are no sidewalks.

Response from Staff: (Director of Public Works David Graham): Staff will be looking into improvements to improve pedestrian safety. Staff/Councillors will reach out for further discussion on this.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:20 p.m.