Residents are petitioning council to lower the speed limit along Liverpool’s Main St between Court St and Fort Point Park. Photo Google Maps

Some residents of Main Street in Liverpool are calling on the municipality to lower the speed limit on one end.

At Tuesday’s council meeting two petitions were received asking to reduce the speed limit on Main Street from 50 km/h to 40 km/h between Court Street and the Fort Point Park.

Well over 100 residents and businesses signed the petitions raising concerns about safety for both drivers and pedestrians as the reason to reduce the speed.

Mayor Darlene Norman says because the Region of Queens own the road in the former Town of Liverpool, they have the authority to lower the speed limits. But before that can happen, a traffic study would need to be undertaken to determine if reducing the speed limit will make the area safer.

“We’ve directed staff to look at the costs involved,” said Norman. “Because one of the criteria for this would be you have to have a traffic study done by an outside agency that can show that because of traffic calming devices that you’ve installed and other things, that a large percentile of the people that travel will obey that reduced speed limit.”

Staff will look into the cost of a traffic study as well as what other traffic calming measures may be effective in that situation.

That information will be presented in a report to council at an upcoming meeting.

To hear the interview with Mayor Norman regarding reducing the speed limit on Liverpool’s Main Street click play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

Entrance to Region of Queens council chambers. Photo Ed Halverson

Tuesday’s Region of Queens Council meeting began with a couple of petitions to address speeding on Main Street in Liverpool.

Council moved the item to discussions and decided to have staff look into the costs and process of lowering the speed limit from 50km/h to 40 km/h at the far end of Main Street ending at Fort Point Rd.

Moving to the recommendations portion of the agenda, staff recommended reappointing three members of the Planning advisory committee to their current positions. Members can serve either a one- or two-year term. The intention of the policy is to stagger the appointments, so the entire committee isn’t replaced at one time.

Next council heard a recommendation to waive tipping fees for a property that has fallen into disrepair since the previous owner died in 2001. Her beneficiaries have agreed to cover the cost of demolition but as they are on a limited budget they are asking the municipality to forgive the tipping fees. Council will vote on the recommendation to waive the $700 charge at their next meeting.

A request to enter into a development agreement to expand what is currently two short- term rental units in Summerville into seven units was denied as council and staff felt the number of structures would be too much for a parcel of land which is only 26,5000 square feet in size.

Council appointed two new representatives to the new Police Advisory Board. North Queens will be represented by Donald Kimball and South Queens will be served by Elaina Gaetan.

The Diversity and Inclusion Action Team also added a new member as council approved Tammy Conway-Denning. She brings over twenty years’ experience working with vulnerable and diverse populations to the position.

The long-discussed new outdoor pool was next on the agenda. Council was presented with a site plan based on the criteria they had previously established including a six-lane competitive pool, seating for spectators, a thermal pool and a zero-entry side. The cost to fulfil the wish list comes in at $8.22 million.

Council directed staff to proceed with the next steps of developing an estimated operating budget including expenses and revenue; a financial plan including possible funding models and grant opportunities for the current capital cost deficit; construction procurement options; and to obtain further Project Management services.

The last recommendation was to provide the Hunts Point Community Hall Association with $6,139 from the Community Investment Fund to install a new roof.

In the discussion portion of the meeting Council received a report to improve the heating system at the Town Hall Arts and Cultural Centre, home of the Astor Theatre. Theatre personnel have applied for federal funding to offset the cost of installing a new HVAC system.

Council then directed municipal staff to work alongside theatre group to determine what work will be performed and how it is to be funded.

The next Region of Queens Council meeting will be held November 28 at 6:00pm in Council Chambers.

To hear the broadcast of this story click play below.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com