Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland is proposing a Town Hall meeting for residents, businesses and stakeholders regarding 310 Division Street.
In the upcoming agenda for Cobourg Council which is on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, Cleveland states, “there is an ongoing and growing concern from residents and businesses located within a 500 metre radius of Transition House regarding safety, transparency, and communication around the shelter’s operations and impacts on the community; and there appears to be a breakdown in communication between residents and businesses in the Town of Cobourg and the decision makers at Northumberland County regarding this matter.”
The property located at 310 Division Street, owned by the County of Northumberland, operates as an emergency shelter, with service delivery contracted to the organization known as Transition House.
In Cleveland’s notice of motion it states, “Council direct staff to, in accordance with the Town’s procedural by-law, organize and host a public ‘Town Hall Meeting’ for residents’ business and stakeholders within 500 meter vicinity of 310 Division Street and the community at large; and
FURTHER THAT the purpose of this Town Hall shall be to allow residents and businesses, and condo corps the opportunity to directly express their concerns, ask questions, provide evidence, and share their lived experience so that they can receive information from Town staff and representatives, in an open and transparent forum; and
FURTHER THAT an invitation be extended to representatives from Northumberland County Council, the Transition House Board, the Community Liaison Committee (CLC), Cobourg Fire Department, Municipal Law Enforcement, Cobourg Police Service, local MPP David Piccini, the successful candidate in the upcoming Federal Election for the riding of Northumberland–Clarke, Rob Flack the Minister of MMAH and any other relevant agencies or stakeholders that staff deem relevant to attend and actively listen to documented experiences of the Cobourg community and local businesses in the area of 310 Division; and
FURTHER THAT Council request two high level summaries of all calls, complaints, education efforts, training, innovative initiatives, public town hall meetings inclusive of an estimation of costs between September 2023 when the encampment located on County Property was evicted by the County of Northumberland leading to the Encampment on the 390 King Street East (Brookside property) until the opening of 310 Division Street in December 30th 2024 and from January 1st 2025 through to April 1st while 310 has operated from Brent Larmer, Head of Municipal Law Enforcement, and Town Clerk, Ellard Beavan, Cobourg Fire Chief, Paul Vandergraaf , Cobourg Police Chief and Adam Bureau Chair of the Cobourg Police Service Board (CPSB), Tracey Vaughan, CAO of Town of Cobourg and Susan Brown, Chief of Northumberland Paramedics that can be added to the official meeting minutes of the Town Hall; and
FURTHER THAT council send an invitation to the Cobourg Police Union, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1006A, The Ontario Public Service Employees Union Local 381, The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3725, and any security companies operating in Cobourg to offer them the opportunity to share their concerns, successes and any other relevant information, data, facts or experiences that are impacting their workers in relation to the operations at 310 Division; and
FURTHER THAT the date, time, and location of the Town Hall be communicated well in advance through all available public channels to ensure maximum community participation and that this meeting take place no later that June 5th, 2025, so that any learnings or action of this council can be addressed at the June meeting of Council.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
