Highlights from the July 11 Council Meeting

Woodstock – Council got underway at 7 p.m. on Thursday after a closed session. The following items were on the agenda:

Zoning changes for ARUs

Council approved an amendment to the zoning bylaw for Additional Residential Units (ARUs) to increase the maximum permitted height for accessory structures from four to six metres. The amendment also permits ARUs to occupy 60 per cent of the total area of the principal dwelling. The changes provide more opportunities for property owners to develop ARUs, such as a unit above a garage.

The provincial government updated the Planning Act in 2023 to allow for more ARUs as part of the solution to help address the housing crisis. Council has previously adopted changes to expand the number of zones where ARUs are permitted, reduce minimum lot area and increase the number of units permitted, maximum floor area and allowable area for parking or driveway.

Southside Park pond clean out

Work to clean out the stormwater management pond in Southside Park will get underway later this year. Council awarded the tender for the project to Greenspace Construction Inc. for $2.8 million. The work will involve draining the water, removing the sediment and restoring the pond and surrounding areas. Construction is expected to start after Labour Day, with the final restoration to be completed in the spring.

Stormwater management ponds collect debris and runoff from rain and melted snow. Waste from wildlife that live in and around the water also accumulates in the pond, which can affect the water quality and pollute the environment. This is especially true when people feed ducks and geese in the park, as bread and other human food provide very little nutritional content and can increase waste production.

Future location of pickleball courts

Council directed staff to research the cost for construction of a multi-court outdoor pickleball facility at Cowan Fields. Last September, Council received a report on possible locations for pickleball courts in response to growing community interest in the sport. One option presented in the report was to turn the existing Brompton Park tennis courts into hybrid tennis and pickleball courts. The Brompton courts are scheduled to undergo redevelopment later this month. After further investigation, staff do not recommend moving ahead with hybrid courts due to concerns about noise complaints from residents who live next to the courts and potential scheduling conflicts between tennis and pickleball players. Staff plan to bring a request for the construction of pickleball courts for consideration as part of the 2025 Capital budget.

Art Gallery 4th floor naming rights

The Woodstock Art Gallery is continuing to move forward with plans to renovate the fourth floor of the John White Building to support additional arts education programming and facility rentals. Last year, the federal government announced an investment of more than $940K towards the expansion, alongside $235K in funding from the City. To offset the City’s contribution, the gallery launched a capital fund­raising campaign and offered naming rights for the space. Dr. Leonard Reeves has generously pledged $100K in installments over three years, with the agreement to name the multi-purpose space the “Creative Hub on 4th.” The gallery has already received the first installment of $35K and will continue to pursue other naming rights proposals to further support the development of the fourth floor.

Details about these items, or any of the other topics discussed during the council meeting, can be found at www.cityofwoodstock.ca/agendasandminutes. Council meetings are live streamed on the City’s YouTube channel and recordings of the meetings are posted online following the meetings.