Belleville Magazine
Summer 2014
Contents Letter from the Mayor ...... 1 Eligible to Vote? ...... 2 Election Officials Needed ...... 2 Community Resident Recognized for Efforts ...... 3 Lower Bridge Closed for Rehabilitation ...... 3 Mayor Ellis Hosts Breakfast for Local Industry ...... 4 Green Medians Mark the Path to a Calm Downtown ...... 6 Summer on the Bay ...... 7 Waterfront Festival celebrates 30 years of food and fun ...... 10 Ten Tips to Help Keep Your Green Bin Clean This Summer ...... 11 Build Belleville Project Update: Summer 2014 ...... 12 Market Square to be Renamed to Honour Late Mayor George Zegouras...... 16 Farm Fresh to Your Table ...... 17 Employee Profile ...... 18 Kellogg’s makes a positive contribution to our community ...... 19 Bogart-Carman (Cablevue, Intelligencer) Building Facade ...... 20 Upcoming City Meetings ...... 22 How can we help you? ...... 22 Household Hazardous & Electronic Waste Drop-off ...... 23
Letter from the Mayor On behalf of City Council, Senior Management and all of the staff at the City of Belleville, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the summer edition of the BELLEVILLE Magazine.
The intention of this publication is to ensure that our community is kept up- to-date on the many projects that we are completing to keep our
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Municipality at the leading edge of progress. Based on the positive feedback we have received, I think it’s safe to say that this magazine has done just that!
I want to take this opportunity to thank the many volunteers who helped with the Foxboro flood relief this spring. I was overwhelmed by the response of community members that totaled upwards of 1600 registered volunteers. I am proud to say that I am the Mayor of such an amazing city.
In this edition, we are pleased to feature information to our residents on the many exciting events and activities taking place throughout the summer in our community. During the highly anticipated summer months, the City of Belleville boasts many events and festivals that provide enjoyment for members of the entire family.
As always, I welcome your feedback and look forward to working together in making the City of Belleville a great place to live, work, play and invest.
Warm Regards,
Neil R. Ellis
Mayor
Eligible to Vote? Are you recorded as an eligible elector for the upcoming municipal election?
Potential electors can visit voterlookup.ca to confirm and/or update their electoral information in a few easy steps. You can also change/update your school support for electoral purposes and add names to your property address.
Updating this information will help to ensure that Voters’ Lists, prepared by the municipality, are accurate and up-to-date in preparation for municipal and school board elections occurring this fall.
Find out ahead of time if you are an eligible elector. Visit www.voterlookup.ca or call 1-866-296-6722. Have your say, log on today.
Election Officials Needed Monday, October 27th is Voting Day for the 2014 Municipal Election and
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Election Officials are needed for local voting locations.
If you would like to be an Election Official to assist with the 2014 Municipal Election, please complete the application form. Application Forms are available at the Clerk’s Office, City Hall, 169 Front Street, Belleville or online at www.Belleville.ca .
If you are interested in assisting with the 2014 Municipal Election, please submit your application no later than Tuesday, July 22nd. All Election Officials will receive an honorarium for their services.
For more information, please contact:
Christine Stewart, Deputy City Clerk 169 Front Street, 1st Floor, Belleville, ON K8N 2Y8 Tel: (613) 968-6481
Community Resident Recognized for Efforts When Lawrence Foster moved to his Woodland Acres home in the City’s East End in 1998, he quickly recognized that there was a common problem in his neighbourhood. He decided to take an uncommon approach to fixing it and was recognized for his long-time efforts by Mayor Neil Ellis in June.
Foster noticed litter strewn about in front of his house and in front of his neighbour’s home. Ever since then, he has put out a blue box on the corner of Woodland Acres and Bridge St. E to give students and other pedestrians in the area a place other than the ditch to drop their trash.
“I figured if I provided a facility for these students to drop their trash, they would use it and I was right,” Foster said. “I’ve walked through some pretty rough weather to pick it up but it’s been worth it. You can see the difference in our neighbourhood.”
Lower Bridge Closed for Rehabilitation The Bridge Street - or Lower - Bridge will be closed to vehicles for the summer for a complete rehabilitation.
The bridge is undergoing a $1.9 million rehabilitation project to address structural concerns that were discovered during an engineering investigation in 2013. Since then, the bridge has been subject to lane reductions and load
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restrictions. This comprehensive rehabilitation will include the required structural repairs as well as the addition of architectural and illumination upgrades.
H.R. Doornekamp Construction Ltd. has been awarded the contract to complete the rehabilitation of the bridge. Construction is expected to be completed in September.
The Bridge will remain open to pedestrian traffic on at least one side, but all vehicular traffic will be detoured to the Dundas Street bridge crossing for the duration of construction.
For more information regarding the project, please contact: Barry Simpson, Sr. Project Manager, Engineering & Development Services Department
City of Belleville, 169 Front Street, Belleville, ON, K8N 2Y8
Tel: (613) 968-6481, ext 3508
Mayor Ellis Hosts Breakfast for Local Industry Mayor Neil Ellis hosted several local business leaders for the first ever Mayor’s Industry Breakfast at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre on June 5.
In addition to several local business owners and managers, the breakfast was attended by local councillors as well as politicians from neighbouring communities, including Quinte West Mayor John Williams and Brighton Mayor Mark Walas. CFB Trenton Base Commander, Col. David Lowthian was also in attendance.
Dr. Chris Bart was the keynote speaker and made an engaging presentation about Mission Driven Businesses and how Mission Statements can drive success locally and across the globe.
“This was a great opportunity to bring together many of the business leaders in our community and provide them with an opportunity to hear some terrific business-growth advice from a world-renowned speaker,” Mayor Ellis said. “It was a win-win for everyone.”
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Dr. Bart is the world’s leading researcher on organizational mission statements and how companies can use them more effectively to become a “mission driven” organization. He is the CEO of Corporate Missions Inc - an international consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations excel in the execution of their strategies. He is also the author of the best-selling book A Tale of Two Employees.
SABRE Jet Returning to Zwick’s Park
Residents who have been anxiously awaiting the return of the Royal Canadian Air Force SABRE Jet to its pedestal at Zwick’s Park will be happy to hear that the restoration project is on course to be completed this summer.
The Sabre Jet was presented to the City in 1967 by the Belleville Lions Club to commemorate Canada’s Centennial. After more than 40 years of display, the jet was in poor condition and is currently undergoing a full restoration by the Aerospace, Telecommunications, Engineering and Support Squadron (ATESS) at CFB Trenton. The project is being carried out by military members that are being trained to repair and restore military aircraft at 8 Wing.
“This restoration would have cost us hundreds of thousands of dollars if we didn’t have such a terrific relationship with CFB Trenton,” said Mayor Neil Ellis. “They are doing an unbelievable job in restoring the Sabre Jet to her original specifications. Everyone is going to be really happy with the work that they’ve done on it.
“I can’t wait to see it back at Zwick’s Park where it belongs.”
The jet sustained significant damage from water and other elements over the years and was removed from Zwick’s Park in 2011. It will be shipped back to Zwick’s Park in two pieces and re-assembled later this summer.
“One of Mayor Ellis’ concerns was that the project would be done with the attention to detail required for this project,” 8 Wing Base Commander Col. David Lowthian told The Contact. “He wanted to make sure the gold paint was the right colour, and that the alphanumerical code was correct along with the markings of the aircraft. Who better to do it than the pros and that’s why the Wing took on the project.”
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ATESS personnel dismantled the aircraft once they had it in their new facility at CFB Trenton and began the long process of restoring it piece by piece. The damage was significant enough that officials initially thought the aircraft couldn’t be saved.
The Sabre Jet will be restored to its original colours and markings to honour the RCAF Golden Hawks, an aerobatic flying team established in 1959 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the RCAF. 2014 is the 90th anniversary of the RCAF and returning the Sabre Jet to Zwick’s Park is a perfect opportunity to celebrate that anniversary.
The restoration project is saving a piece of Canada’s military heritage that will soon be on display again for the entire community.
“There’s that connection to the community and I don’t think you can put a price tag on that,” Col. Lowthian said.
Green Medians Mark the Path to a Calm Downtown by Laura Voskamp
You may have noticed that Belleville is looking significantly greener this spring: it could be that we’ve had a long winter, but it’s more likely you’re noticing the new green median efforts separating the South end of North Front Street as it leads into Downtown Belleville.
This project is the result of a collaboration between the City of Belleville and CN EcoConnexions, an initiative focused on greening municipal and First Nations properties across Canada. The fund provides up to $25,000 in grants for greening projects, a number which was matched by the City of Belleville to complete the project. CN is committed to greening initiatives, especially in areas near its’ rail lines, which made Belleville a prime candidate for the funding.
The area of the new medians had been identified during the 2006 Downtown Master Plan as being in need of greening, partially due to the deterioration of the asphalt medians that once separated the street.
“While there are multiple areas which could benefit from greening projects, the City felt that this one would have the greatest impact,” says Melanie Morrish, Green Program Coordinator for the City of Belleville. “There are two components to the project from the Green Task Force perspective - greening
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and beautification. The plant species include vibrant but drought- and salt- resistant flora like Black Eyed Susans and Armstrong Red Maples.”
When a green, treed median is put in place, it has a calming effect on traffic, meaning that the busy flow of North Front Street will naturally find itself slowing in pace as it moves into the Downtown Core.
Belleville is the latest in a host of progressive municipalities to focus its efforts on soft infrastructure efforts like greening and lighting, which can drastically alter factors like traffic speed and atmosphere, along with contributing to run-off and pollution concerns.
The CN EcoConnexions From the Ground Up program is a joint effort between the City of Belleville, CN, Tree Canada and Communities in Bloom. Its objective is to promote the greening of municipal properties across Canada, especially in communities along its rail lines.
CN EcoConnexions, with its partners Tree Canada and Communities in Bloom, will help Canadian municipalities establish tree plantings in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner.
Summer on the Bay There are so many events to keep the entire family occupied this summer in Belleville. From live music, great food and fun for all ages, there is literally something for everyone.
This is our first summer edition of BELLEVILLE Magazine so we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to preview the amazing summer events that happen in our community.
You can always find more information about events in our community online at www.Belleville.ca . Now, get out there and enjoy the summer!
Community Events July 1: Canada Day - Celebrate Canada’s Birthday with the year’s biggest family party. Events all day long at Zwick’s Park are capped off with a stunning fireworks display at dusk. There is free live music all day at the Lion’s Pavilion. www.bellevillecanadaday.com
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July 5: Pride in the Park - A Celebration that honours sexual and gender diversity of those living in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties. This year’s Pride celebrations will take place on Sat. July 5th at West Zwick’s Park from 12:00 to 6:00 pm. The event starts off with a Pride Parade, which will be gathering at the Empire Square (353 Front Street) at 12:00 and will continue down Front Street to Zwick’s Park.
www.bellevillepride.ca
July 9 and Aug. 6: Garden Games - Play outdoor garden games such as croquet, hoops, graces and stilt walking on Wed. July 9th from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at Glanmore National Historic Site. www.glanmore.ca
July 18: Rotary Loves Kids - The 12th anniversary of Rotary Loves Kids Golf Tournament with proceeds going to help the children and youth in the Quinte Area.
www.rotaryloveskids.dojiggy.com
July 25-27: Bay of Quinte Poker Run - The Poker Run event will encompass the beautiful waters of the Bay of Quinte. Boats of all speeds and sizes are welcome to enter and will include two routes for rendezvous and performance classes. The in-water boat parade takes place at Meyer’s Pier on Sat. July 26.
www.powerboating.com
Aug. 28-31: Quinte Exhibition - Close out the summer with a ride on the Midway, candy apples and stunt performances in front of the grandstand. The Quinte Exhibition takes place on Thurs. Aug. 28 to Sun.Aug. 31. www.qer.ca
Food and Festivals July 9-13: Belleville Waterfront & Ethnic Festival - The Belleville Waterfront & Ethnic Festival is a fun filled weekend of tasty ethnic food, midway rides, entertainment, a meet & greet of children’s movie and tv stars and the return of the sail past on Friday night. The fun begins Wed. July 9th through to Sun.July 13th. www.bellevillewaterfrontfestival.com
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Aug. 8-10: Quinte RibFest - Celebrate the 8th annual Big Brothers Big Sisters Ribfest with some of the best ribbers in the world waiting to serve you ribs, pulled pork and chicken. This mouthwatering event takes place on Fri. Aug. 8 to Sun. Aug. 10th. www.bigsneeded.ca
Live Music June-July-August: Lions Concerts on the Bay - A wide variety of musical entertainers take the stage at the Lions Pavilion at Zwick’s Park every Wednesday and Sunday throughout the summer. www.concertsonthebay.ca
July 3-6: Hollyrood Country Jamboree - The 8th annual Hollyrood Country Jamboree is a weekend of live country music promoting Canadian County Artists. This live event takes place Thurs. July 3rd to Sun. July 6th. www.pascoemediagroup.com/hollyrood
July 9: Indie Music Fest - See the musical stars of tomorrow…today at the Canadian Independent Music Festival on Wed. July 9th, 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
www.canadianindiemusicfest.com
July 18: Party in the SquAre - Belleville’s best summer party in support of the Kids of Quinte in Market Square in Downtown Belleville on Fri. July 18, 2014.
www.partyinthesquare.com
July 24-26: Empire Square Rockfest - An outdoor concert venue from Thurs. July 24 to Sat. July 26. This years performances include Huey Lewis & the News, Glass Tiger, Weezer, The Trews, Extreme and Sammy Hagar.
www.empiresquarelive.com
July 27: Country Rocks the Square - An all country music outdoor concert venue featuring Sarah Cripps, Rob Carnege, Chad Brownlee and George Canyon. Country Rocks the Square is on Sun. July 27th.
www.empiresquarelive.com
Aug. 15: Downtown Street Dance - Come out and enjoy live music in the downtown core on Fri. Aug. 15 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.
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www.rediscoverdowntown.ca
TBA: Porchfest -Porchfest Bellevile is a neighborhood celebration of music where residents in East Hill perform on front porches to an audience that moves from house to house.
www.porchfest.ca
Waterfront Festival celebrates 30 years of food and fun While many aspects of Belleville’s Waterfront & Ethnic Festival have changed over the past three decades, some things have remained constant. It continues to be a wonderful mix of food and family fun and is a tremendous opportunity to attract visitors to our community.
The Belleville Waterfront & Ethnic Festival celebrates its 30th anniversary this summer when it returns to West Zwick’s Park from Wed. July 9 - Sun. July
This year’s event includes the World’s Finest Shows Midway, dozens of family-friendly rides and attractions, the Ethnic Food Village, Vendor Exposition and a wide variety of Live Music throughout the event.
“We really do have something for the whole family,” said Susan Walsh, Special Events Coordinator for the Belleville & District Chamber of Commerce. “We have worked hard to make sure that this event has a family atmosphere and we’re seeing a tremendous response from the community because of that.”
Last year, more than 36,000 visitors attended the Waterfront & Ethnic Festival creating more than $1 million in economic impact to the community. The City has partnered with the Chamber of Commerce since 2007 to run the event.
“We have designed, built and marketed this event as a tourism attraction,” said Bill Saunders, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber enjoys the opportunity to partner with the City on this event. It brings people to our community and gives them the chance to view our waterfront and other attractions.”
The Waterfront Festival started in 1984 when then-Mayor George Zegouras wanted to host an event to coincide with the opening of Meyer’s Pier.
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During the past three decades it has had several different formats. The current family-themed event has been at West Zwick’s since 2007.
A survey conducted at last year’s event showed that the average attendee was between the ages of 30-49 with young families.
“We’ve brought together so many great activities for people of all ages to enjoy and that has been the key to the success of this event over the past few years,” Walsh said.
Admission is free for all at the event. Parking on-site is $2 and there are free shuttle buses running daily from Downtown Belleville to West Zwick’s. (please see the ad on the back cover of this edition of BELLEVILLE Magazine for more information). www.bellevillewaterfrontfestival.com
Ten Tips to Help Keep Your Green Bin Clean This Summer Here are your best bets to keep pests (including raccoons) out of your organics recycling Green Bin.
The summer brings fruit flies and common house flies (and their larva). These tips will help prevent them.
For more information, please visit: www.GreenBinBelleville.ca
1. Keep lids on your Kitchen Catcher and Green Bin securely latched at all times. Keeping your bin in an upright position securely fastened to a fence or other permanent structure will prevent raccoons from knocking your bin over. Ensure that bags are not sticking out the top of the bin. 2. Keep your green bin in a secured upright position and securely closed at all times. 3. Empty your Kitchen Catcher into your Green Bin on a daily basis. 4. Reduce odours that would attract fruit flies by rinsing your bin with baking soda. Deodorize your bin by sprinkling baking soda, garden lime, or white vinegar into your bins. 5. Line your bins with paper liners or newspaper to absorb liquids (flies love juice!)
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6. Consider freezing your scraps and placing them in the bin on collection day (this is your #1 defense against maggots!) 7. Deter flies by dabbing vinegar on the outside rim of your containers.
Tips on controlling pests: 8. Keep a spray bottle of white vinegar on hand to spray the top contents of your bins. 9. Trap fruit flies by placing a small amount of cider or balsamic vinegar with a drop of dish soap in a glass next to your kitchen catcher (the soap ensures the flies cannot escape) Sprinkle salt, white vinegar, or garden lime on top of maggots.
Build Belleville Project Update: Summer 2014
North East Feedermain: Yeomans Street Reconstruction The North East Industrial Park area within the City of Belleville currently experiences problems with low water distribution system pressures.
A new 600mm diameter watermain will be constructed to service the northeast quadrant of the City along portions of Sidney Street, Bridge Street West, Yeomans Street, Frank Street, College Street West, Lane Avenue, Donald Street and within a new easement across the Prince of Wales School from Prince of Wales Drive to Moira Street East.
A Public Information Centre (PIC) was held on January 28th to present a project overview.
This project will include the full road reconstruction of Yeomans Street, Lane Avenue, and Donald Street, complete with local watermain replacement, sanitary sewer replacement, construction of new storm sewers, curb and gutter, and pavement reconstruction.
A PIC was held on May 7th to present the road reconstruction for Lane Avenue and Donald Street. A third PIC was held on May 22nd to discuss the work taking place on Yeomans Street.
CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE: Estimated Project Duration of Construction: Approximately 15 months (August 2014 to October 2015).
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Estimated Duration of Construction on Yeomans Street: Approximately 3 - 4 months.
Scheduling constraints will be imposed in order to reduce disruption.
The City of Belleville is working with all of its Build Belleville Consultants to develop a construction phasing schedule for the Build Belleville projects in order to minimize the traffic disruption caused by construction in the west side of Belleville.
Traffic Impacts: There will be traffic disruptions during the road reconstruction associated with this project.
Yeomans Street will be reconstructed in roadway blocks, with only local traffic permitted access at each end block.
The MMM Group will develop Traffic Management Plans for these impacted areas.
Mitigation Strategies: 1. Construction of the North East Feedermain will occur simultaneously with the road reconstruction and sewers to minimize traffic impacts on Yeomans Street. 2. Construction activity will be coordinated with Belleville Transit to ensure adequate detours are in place during construction. 3. Driveway access will be maintained and construction staff will work with the property owner. 4. Permits will be required from the applicable agencies.
Yeomans Street Bicycle lanes Bicycle lanes are a result of recommendations made in the Transportation Master Plan adopted by Council on May 26th.
Yeomans Street Reconstruction will include conventional roadside Bicycle Lanes.
The 1.5m (1.2m + 0.3m Gutter) Bicycle Lane will include standard Pavement Markings and Signage:
1. Solid White Line Pavement Marking 2. Bicycle Symbol Pavement Marking 3. Diamond Symbol Pavement Marking
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4. Reserved Bicycle Lane Sign
The Diamond Pavement Marking indicates “Reserved Lane” which means, legally, only bicycles may travel in this lane. This will result in the elimination of on-street parking.
Should you have any questions or wish to forward comments regarding this project, please visit the Build Belleville project Centre, 116 Pinnacle Street or contact:
Mr. Stan Czyczyro, Senior Project Manager Engineering and Development Services, City of Belleville 169 Front St., Belleville, ON K8N 2Y8 Telephone: (613) 968-6481, ext. 3220 Email: [email protected]
Downtown Revitalization Vision Taking Shape The Downtown Belleville Revitalization Project is starting to take shape visually and a full house at the BuildBelleville Project Centre got a sneak peek of the design directions during an Open House in April.
The City received more than 100 recorded comments and questions since the first Open House in February and these drawings and design directions are a result of that feedback and how it relates to the Downtown Master Plan.
You can view the design direction and ask questions or provide feedback any time at the BuildBelleville Project Centre, 116 Pinnacle Street (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday).
Above Ground Elements The vision for Downtown Belleville is about a recognition of both its history and promising future, where both the restoration of heritage features and a new generation of city-building create a healthy balance.
Belleville’s double bowstring bridges are strong symbols for the city and the family of elements that are proposed for the new downtown urban landscape that are tied to these iconic river-crossings by their lightness, sculptural form and simplicity.
The elements of the street are also tied to each other to create a complete composition of seating, cycling spirals, bollards, lighting, signage, canopies,
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screens and gardens, through the use of similar materials expressing lightness, comfort and colour, placed upon a strong pattern of multi-coloured bricks tied back to the masonry heritage buildings along the street.
The placement of the family of elements on the brick pavement refers to the contrasting adjacency of the white bridges to the masonry buildings on both sides of the Moira River.
Parking: Existing and future parking is being closely examined as part of the Downtown Revitalization project. The current project will include:
• Maintaining on-street parking spaces within lay-bys with special paving techniques like special surfaces and bollards. • Loading areas will be provided in adjacent areas formed by bollards and rolled curbs. • Consolidating parking lots that are attractive, more conveniently organized, well-lit and well connected by vehicle roads and pedestrian passages to both the Riverfront Trail and Front St. • Creating better street relationships to parking lots that presently face onto Front St. by the design of special edge treatments between the pedestrian space and parking zones.
We need your input on BuildBelleville BuildBelleville is the single largest investment that the City of Belleville has made in its infrastructure at one time and we need your help to ensure that we continue to head in the right direction with these projects that are important to the health of our community in the years ahead.
There are several ways that you can make sure that your voice is heard on these projects:
Visit the BuildBelleville Project Centre: The BuildBelleville Project Centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 116 Pinnacle Street. You can drop in to see drawings and plans about the various BuildBelleville projects, ask questions and provide your feedback.
Attend an Open House: There are Open Houses for each of the BuildBelleville projects scheduled throughout the planning process. Watch for notices in the local paper, online
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at www.BuildBelleville.ca and on the radio. Open Houses are typically held at the BuildBelleville Project Centre and are open for all to attend.
Visit the web site: We have a large resource of information on all of the BuildBelleville projects online at www.BuildBelleville.ca. You can see the background information and current progress reports as well as view videos and see photos from the different projects.
Send us an email: We welcome your input by email on the BuildBelleville projects. Please send your comments to Mary Ann Walmsley, BuildBelleville Projects Coordinator ([email protected]).
Follow the conversation on Twitter: Follow us on Twitter and be part of the conversation by using #BuildBelleville.
Please be part of this exciting project any way that you can. We are building a better Belleville and we need your help.
Market Square to be Renamed to Honour Late Mayor George Zegouras Mayor Neil Ellis and City Council announced in March that they will dedicate Belleville’s Market Square to the late Mayor George Zegouras this spring.
George Zegouras Market Square will be recognized with an archway in the square – a symbolic reference to the long-time Mayor and his association with Market Square, City Hall and the community.
“We are very proud to honour George Zegouras by dedicating our Market Square to him with a memorial that will help our community remember the tremendous legacy that George left behind,” said Mayor Ellis.
“George loved this City and he loved Market Square and City Hall – neither of which would be what they are today without the vision and energy that he brought to making sure that these pillars of our community stood strong for generations to come.”
The archway will span two brick columns that match the brick and colour texture of City Hall and are capped with cast concrete pediments. A plaque
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honouring Zegouras and his contributions to the City of Belleville will adorn each pillar.
The archway will be constructed in August with an official dedication to follow.
Zegouras was a City Councillor from 1973 to 1980 and served two terms as Mayor of Belleville – from 1980 to 1991 and 2000 to 2003. He passed away on October 1, 2012.
Farm Fresh to Your Table Belleville’s Farmers’ Market continues a nearly 200-year-old tradition with locally grown food and goods every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday behind City Hall
Story and photos by Gerry Fraiberg
Chinese spring rolls, German sausage, Scottish shortbread cookies - these are just some of the delectable items offered at Belleville’s Farmers’ market.
There is fresh roasted coffee, Stirling honey and maple syrup from Prince Edward County. You can find butter tarts and other baked goods, jams, hand made soaps and a variety of handmade crafts - sometimes created before your eyes. All this in addition to local apples, asparagus, corn, and strawberries.
Planning a salad for dinner? You can pick up fresh beans, cucumber, herbs, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and more. In season, fruits vegetables are often picked earlier in the day that you buy. You can’t get fresher than that. Decorate your home and garden with flowers and plants.
Open all year long every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, Belleville’s Farmers’ Market is busiest from late spring through to the fall when local produce is available. But aside from filling their bags with products from various vendors, people also come to socialize, stopping to chat with friends.
Many of the vendors have been coming to the market for several years. Farmers like Clifford Foster of Fosterholm Farms and Don Wilson of Wilson’s Honey are in their 80s and still at it. They like the social aspect of the market.
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“I remember riding to market as a young boy with my sister in the back of our father’s truck,” Foster recalled. “We had a coal stove to keep us warm in winter.”
Located in Market Square behind Belleville’s City Hall, the Farmers’ Market is one of the oldest in Ontario and will celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2016.
When City Hall was built in 1873, there was an indoor market on the first floor with a public auditorium/council chamber on the second. The indoor market continued well into the early 20th century.
The familiar market shelter with timber support posts and galvanized metal roof is a part of the downtown landscape, but it wasn’t always there. Farmers used to rely on tarps that they brought with them for shelter from the sun and rain. Belleville City Council felt they deserved better, and entertained plans for the redevelopment of Market Square. The official opening was held on Saturday, October 5, 1996. You will find inviting benches and a stage area overlooking the square at the back of City Hall.
Construction is scheduled to begin this September with the $21 million City Centre Revitalization Project, which will include new sidewalks and roads, improved lighting and landscaping. Below ground will be new water and sewer services. All this is designed to improve existing conditions and attract new development and business.
The Belleville Farmers’ Market is poised to continue as an anchor of this downtown redevelopment for generations to come.
Employee Profile
Jim Zimmerman, Director, Environmental & Operational Services The new Director of Environmental and Operational Services for the City already has roots in Belleville and he hopes to use that familiarity to make a difference in the community.
Jim Zimmerman’s father was in the Canadian Forces stationed at CFB Trenton. When the family moved to the area, he went to Bayside Secondary School. He graduated from Loyalist College with a Technologist Diploma, then from Lakehead University with a Bachelor of Engineering. He then went on to a career in the public and private sectors.
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Zimmerman was hired in May to replace Brad Wilson to head up the City’s largest department. Environmental and Operational Services includes four city departments - Public Works, Transit, Water Treatment and Distribution, and Waste Water Treatment. The combined budget represents $36 million of the 2014 Belleville budget of $117 million and consists of approximately 160 staff, most of whom are unionized and are the front line of delivering services to the city. They look after everything from clearing snow to making sure traffic lights work, the buses are on time, water is safe to drink and parks are maintained.
“Improving customer service is my top priority,” said Zimmerman. “We plan to record and track calls for service and provide feedback to the community and council on the response times, measures taken, professionalism and if the problem is fixed or not.”
Zimmerman says customer service and the perception that people have of his department is vital to its long term success. Aside from improving how they deliver services, he adds it’s important that they communicate that to the community.
“We have a lot of great people working in this department,” Zimmerman said. “One of the things that my managers and I will be focused on will be to make sure staff are proud of where they work, enjoy the work that they do and go home safely to their family at night.”
Zimmerman’s father now lives in Stockdale, one sister is in Belleville, another is in Frankford, while his mother is at Hastings Manor. So when he accepted the position, it was like coming home.
Kellogg’s makes a positive contribution to our community Story and photos by Aaron Bell
W.K. Kellogg once said that “whatever success I have had in business has been a result of my good fortune in selecting employees who could do their jobs better than I could have done them myself.”
More than a century later, that tradition continues for Kellogg’s across the globe including right here in Belleville.
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Nearly 100 local workers turn out more than 250,000 boxes of cereal a day from the Kellogg’s facility that opened in Belleville’s Northeast Industrial Park in 2007.
Kellogg’s clearly could have chosen any location for their manufacturing plant but selected Belleville largely because of its strong labour pool.
“For us, the team members are critical,” said Claude Boily, Human Resources Manager for Belleville’s Kellogg’s plant. “You can have equipment and buildings anywhere in North America and anywhere in the world. The labour force and the people, the work ethic and the willingness to learn, all of those are key and that’s what makes our site successful.”
Belleville’s facility was the first new one opened by Kellogg’s in more than two decades. The 205,080 square foot facility cost more than $100 million to build. Kellogg’s added multi-million dollar expansion in 2011 to add a second line to the facility.
“There were a few factors that contributed to the selection of Belleville as a location,” Boily said. “Readily-available industrial serviced land was very big. The flexibility and response rate from the City – questions got answered and items got addressed really quickly. The good labour force – we have a great work force in this community to hire into – as well as the availability of Loyalist College, which is a good benefit for improving skills and developing team members and associates.”
Kellogg’s is routinely recognized in Canada for their efforts as a socially responsible company. Already this year they have been named a Diversity Inc Top 50 Company for Diversity, Maclean’s 50 Most Socially Responsible Companies, Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies and National Association of Female Executives Top Company for Executive Women.
They are also very active in Corporate Social Responsibility locally and have contributed more than half a million dollars in food and donations to local charities including Gleaners, Food for Learning and United Way Quinte.
“It’s fantastic to hear people on the street talk about the impact of Kellogg’s and the people that work here,” Boily said.
Bogart-Carman (Cablevue, Intelligencer) Building Facade Story and Photos by Gerry Fraiberg
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Many tales were told behind the historic arches at 160 Front Street across from Belleville City Hall. The three storey building that stood there was associated with the news and printing business from the time it was completed in 1873 until 1965.
John Forin, the builder of City Hall, was hired by David Demorest Bogart to construct a retail and office building with a carriageway in the centre. Bogart leased part of the building to the Ontario Publishing Company, which put out the daily and weekly “Ontario” newspaper. Then in 1930 Ontario publisher W.H. Morton bought The Intelligencer and combined the two as the “Ontario Intelligencer.” The newspaper remained at the Front Street location until 1965 when it moved to the white brick Intelligencer building at 45 Bridge the corner of Pinnacle Street - site of the former post office.
Cablevue Quinte, also owned by the Morton family, then had their offices and studio in the historic Front Street building until 1985, when it moved to 10 South Front Street along with CJBQ and CIGL-FM, now known as Mix97.
The city bought the former Cablevue building in 1985, with the intent of creating a park facing the river, then using it as office space for city staff - before the 1988 renovation of City Hall.
But a consultant’s report in 1986 indicated the building was in poor condition. The city then sold the property to Teddington Limited in 1988.
During the preparation of the site for redevelopment, the building collapsed. Teddington Limited salvaged the existing first floor stone facade as a tribute to the role of this historic building in the life of the city.
FALL PROGRAM
REGISTRATION: Aquatic Programs: August 18 & 21
Recreation Programs: August 25 & 28
Call for information and to register: 613-966-4632 or visit www.quintesportsandwellnesscentre.ca
QSWC ANNUAL POOL SHUT-DOWN: The pool at the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre will be closed from Aug. 30th – Sept. 13th
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Fall Schedules will begin Monday, Aug. 14th
Upcoming City Meetings
City Council July 14
August 11
September 8
September 22 Planning Advisory Committee July 7
August 4
September 2 Committee of Adjustment July 10
August 14
September 11
Find more meeting information, agendas and minutes online at www.Belleville.ca
How can we help you? The City of Belleville’s Environmental & Operational Services provides a 24- hour service to the community.
• Sewer problems • Tree issues • Sign Maintenance • Traffic Lights • Leaf & Yard Waste • Thurlow Landfill • Winter Control - sidewalks & roadways • Dead animals on roadway • Garbage & Recycling issues
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• Road & Sidewalk Maintenance • Street cleaning • Flooding
If you have the following concerns after hours or on the weekend, please call (613) 968-6482 and your request will be forwarded to an answering service who will contact the person on call. If your concern is during regular business hours - 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, please call the direct line (613) 967- 3275 for assistance.
Household Hazardous & Electronic Waste Drop-off 75 Wallbridge Crescent
2014 Spring & Summer Hours (April - October) Tues. 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Wed. 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thurs. 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
First Saturday of the Month 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
(April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5, Aug. 2, Sept. 6, Oct. 4)
Re-Use Days (Give-Away Days) 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
(incl. paint, stain, household cleaning solutions and more)
April 11, May 9, June 13, July 11, Aug. 8, Sept. 12, Oct. 10
All materials are “first come-first served” while quantities last. No drop-off of materials during this time.
Hazardous Waste is now accepting: microwaves, toaster ovens, hand held power tools, motor oil and cooking oil.
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