Public Works Department - the Township of Lanark Highlands

Mayor’s Message 2011am pleased to be reportingI to the residents of LanarkHighlands with the firstMayor’s Message for theHighland Voice since my electionas Mayor in 2010. I wantto thank all the residents ofLanark Highlands who turnedout to cast their vote in therecent election – exercisingyour right to vote is one of themost important responsibilitiesa citizen can undertake.I have always believed thatliving in Lanark Highlandsis a privilege and am happy to note that Lanark is fast becominga favoured destination in Lanark County. With its numerouslakes, rivers and natural forests, Lanark Highlands offersvisitors and residents the opportunity to experience life at thecottage while still maintaining many of the conveniences of anurban community.The attraction to Lanark Highlands is easy to understand andas someone who has lived here all my life, there is nowherein the world I feel can compare to the beauty and attraction ofthis area. With its many unique businesses (including three golfcourses and numerous maple syrup producers), not to mentionits dedicated volunteers, Lanark Highlands is a place I am proudto call home.We are fortunate here in Lanark Highlands to have the best ofboth worlds: we can enjoy the peacefulness of rural living whilestill living less than an hour away from the City of Ottawa, andonly a few minutes away from Perth and Carleton Place. Despiteour proximity to urban areas, Lanark Highlands holds much ofthe County owned forests and green spaces. With a population ofjust over 5,000 people, the municipality contains 32,000 acres ofCrown Land and 8,712 acres of community forests.This Township has a tremendous amount of potential for growthand as Mayor, I would like to see population numbers and businessescontinue to grow within the Township. One of my goalsfor this term on Council is to make living and moving here moreaffordable. I would like to reduce the costs associated with developmentto convince more residents and businesses that LanarkHighlands is a good place to settle down.In an effort to encourage development, Lanark Highland’s Counciland staff have spent several years exploring options for Sewerand Water services. After receiving a grant of $7,250,000 in 2007,the Township undertook and completed designs for a sewer andwater system to provide clean water to the Village of Lanark.Although I am hopeful Lanark will someday boast a water treatmentfacility, we may not see sewer and water service in ourimmediate future. We have an excellent plan paid for and in ourownership, but we can’t move forward without more funding tomake this affordable for all…we are in a waiting game and mustbe vigilant of any change in the water situation.In the meantime there are many other positive developments inthe Highlands to look towards for our future growth.Unlike many rural areas in Ontario, in Lanark Highlands we arein the enviable position of having a medical clinic and physiciansPETER MCLAREN, Mayorp.mclarenfarms@sympatico.ca 613-259-3139Township Committees: Council; Committee of the Whole; Committee ofAdjustment; Lanark Highlands & North Lanark Community Health Centre –Joint Planning Committee; Sewer & Water Technical Advisory CommitteeCounty Committees: Council; Corporate Services; Community Development;Community Services; Public Works; Community Forest Working Group;Mazinaw-Lanark Forest Management Citizens Committeeto rely on as a source of quality health care. The North LanarkCommunity Health Centre employs four doctors and three nursepractitioners and is an asset to our community.In addition, we are also fortunate to have our own arena withinthe township. In two years, the Lanark Highlands CommunityCentre will be celebrating its 50th birthday which is quite anaccomplishment. It is home to the Lanark Figure Skating Cluband is used by the Perth & Lanark Minor Hockey League, in additionto other recreational leagues. Besides the arena, residentscan also be proud of our newly rehabilitated tennis courts andour world class baseball diamond.I feel strongly that the development of our young people is one ofour most precious resources. The Lanark Highland’s Youth Centreprovides opportunities for growth to youth in the community.There, young people can learn skills such as computer usage,cooking or even gardening. Funded in part by the Township, theYouth Centre is an integral part of our community.I have always believed that one of the most appealing aspects ofLanark Highlands lies in the volunteers who work so tirelessly tokeep our communities vibrant and cohesive. A good example ofthis lies in the McDonald’s Corners Re-Use Centre. The Re-UseCentre is a volunteer-driven component of the McDonald’sCorners Landfill and is already being used as a model for otherTownships, particularly as other municipalities search for meansof reducing the waste added to landfill sites.In light of the abundance of natural and pristine beauty in theregion, Lanark Highland’s residents need to take the conservationof our natural features seriously. Fortunately, Lanark Highlandsis one of the few municipalities to have created an IntegratedSustainable Community Plan (ISCP) to set out a framework forsustainable thinking. Its goal is to act as a “road map” for Councilto follow in an effort to perpetuate sustainability.With Lanark’s 150th anniversary looming next year, having agoal in mind for the future is important.As Mayor, I feel strongly that any successful municipality muststrive for balance. Our Council needs to balance the desire fordevelopment with the preservation of the natural ecologicalfeatures that draw people to our Township. As we move forwardinto the next term of Council, I am committed to keeping costswithin the Township down to a manageable level in an effort toensure a reasonable tax rate for residents.I look forward to serving the needs of Lanark Highland’s residentsover the course of the next four years, and am humbled bythe faith they have shown in my leadership.Thank-you.Mayor Peter McLarenwww.lanarkhighlands.ca Highland Voice 20111