By Cecilia Nasmith/Northumberland 89.7 FM/Today’s Northumberland
Just because the encampment at the former Brookside Youth Centre has been emptied and the new Northumberland County shelter location at 310 Division St. has opened does not mean the two issues do not continue to come up at Cobourg council meetings.
At Wednesday’s meeting of council’s Community Services, Protection and Economic Development Committee, updates on both show that problems are not exactly in the past.
Municipal Clerk Brent Larmer gave the update on Brookside, which was presumed to have been sold with a November 13 closing date – the date on which the encampment was vacated, but tents, equipment and belongings left behind in profusion.
“We are well aware of the current state of that property,” Larmer said.
“On a regular basis we are meeting and talking and calling IO (Infrastructure Ontario), which is still in possession of the property. The amount of abandoned debris and water and materials – the province has related to us they are aware and they are making sure it gets cleaned up, is our understanding,” he stated.
“Our own officers are checking the site regularly, providing updates to the property owner.”
Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland took a moment to report on a conversation he’d had three hours earlier with an 84-year-old resident of a home near 310 Division St.
“This is in conjunction with well over a dozen to two dozen e-mails within 24 hours,” Cleveland added.
The resident complained of not being being able to sleep for six days straight because of activities at the house that go on into the wee hours.
The mayor announced his intention to speak with each member of council on this subject in order to bring forward a motion at a future council meeting for some way to address this problem. This might mean “some form of ad hoc committee and/or opportunity for the public of Cobourg in the area of 310 Division, an outlet with which to communicate some of the ideas around the operation of 310.”
Cleveland also acknowledged that there is always the option to call the bylaw enforcement department which, as Larmer noted, is open 24/7 and can be reached at 905-372-8380.
“Call any time of the day for any bylaw-related activity,” he said.
Cleveland agreed, but had special praise for the people he had met with earlier for bringing detailed information, pictures and evidence of what they were complaining about.
“They took the time to ensure these complaints are going somewhere,” he said.
“We want the information. We know there are gong to be problems and until we hear from the people, through proper channels, we may not be able to do anything about that.”
