DAN CEARNS, The Standard
KAWARTHA LAKES: The City of Kawartha Lakes is moving forward with a review of and repairs to Potts Shore Road, in Fenelon Falls, after concerns were raised about winter plowing damage.
At a meeting, on Tuesday, May 23rd, local resident Mike Belton made a deputation to council, for repairs of at least a portion of that road.
"I'm here to petition the city to give consideration to a comprehensive repair or repavement of Potts Shore Road," Mr. Belton explained. "The road shows considerable wear and tear, and has been falling apart for the last decade."
He then spoke about how the road had been slowly stripped of pavement during the winter. "Every winter, our road is degraded by the snow plow, which scrapes down to the pavement. In doing so, the plow sometimes picks up the asphalt and has stripped about two feet of pavement off the edge of the road in some areas, near the bend in the road."
Mr. Belton finished his deputation by saying, a "cleaned up road would make for better, safer walking."
Council members then discussed a memorandum from Ward 3 Councillor Mike Perry. The memorandum called for city staff to "review conditions of Potts Shore Road and perform any necessary local repairs and maintenance required, as a result of the 2022-2023 winter plow damage," and for the resurfacing or reconstruction of the road to be considered in the 2024 municipal budget.
"We all have roads which have potholes. We all have roads which need repair," Councillor Perry said. "In my opinion, it qualifies [for repair and reconstruction] because [the disintegration] has been going on since 2017-2018. My understanding is, there have been talks of repairs; they haven't been effective. As our deputant said, they aren't talking of pothole repairs; they're looking to get the ongoing structural plow damage repaired. This is a less than one-kilometre strip."
Councillor Perry added, he thinks this "isn't an average road [work] request," and he felt now is "the time to get this one cleaned up."
Ward 6 Councillor Ron Ashmore supported this request.
"We have to get it done. Doesn't matter where it is," he said. "We need to get staff out there, and have meetings and site visits. It's really important."
Councillors later voted in favour of approving the memorandum.