The Town of the Blue Mountains (TBM) council is pushing forward with its post-COVID-19 recovery plans.
“I am so happy that we moved quickly on this,” said town councillor Peter Bordingnon, during a virtual town council meeting held earlier this morning. “Being able to get these terms of reference in place and having conversations with our stakeholders, I think we are at a spot where we are able to respond very quickly. We are not just hunkering down, we are looking forward.”
The Community Response Initiative, which was previously named the COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, was established at the March 30 council meeting. The initiative will be responsible for the co-ordination and implementation of COVID-19 recovery and relief efforts within the TBM.
TBM council approved the terms of reference and endorsed a number of listed initiatives at this morning's virtual council meeting.
The listed initiatives include kick-starting curbside yard waste collection a month early, something the CAO says has been a request from local residents.
“The curbside collection was one of the most urgent issues we have heard from the public,” said TBM CAO, Shawn Everitt. “We have negotiated with our contractor and will be bringing the curbside pick up a month in advance of what was projected.”
TBM staff have also been looking at ways to re-open the municipal landfill that was closed on March 14.
“Town staff are also working diligently to develop a logistical plan for the landfill. Groups of five is one of our biggest concerns and avoiding line ups on Grey Road 13,” Everitt said. “We are working with other municipalities that have reopened their facilities to see some of the possible steps we may be able to take.”
The community response initiative has also identified the need to create a new online portal that will provide virtual Blue Mountains experiences, encourage post-COVID tourism and create an online business directory to support local businesses in the meantime.
“This is to really reinforce that people should be enjoying these sites from their home right now, but post COVID-19, we’d love for them to come here and enjoy,” Everitt said. “We are also trying to get a listing of our open businesses and what they are offering to help support the businesses that are still open through this.”
The TBM has contracted a company to build a website at www.exploreblue.ca, which will house vital experiences to allow people to enjoy sites from the Blue Mountains in the comfort of their home.
“Peter and I got an e-mail from people in our business community this morning saying that the bills just keep coming. We need to help them keep money coming in the door,” said councillor Rob Sampson. “This [online platform] will allow us to link to our business partners' e-commerce and hopefully, allow them to start generating more income.”
Moving forward, council is hopeful the Community Response Initiative will be a focal point of community-driven ideas and solutions, where activities and programs can be designed and implemented that will support and reinvigorate the local economies.
The initiative will have the ability to make recommendations to the council when support is needed, as well as make applications for funding envelopes that will secure funds to support the task force programs.
The TBM has identified a number of community partners that will be invited to participate in the initiative, including the Blue Mountains Public Library, the small business enterprise centre, the center for business and economic development, the local Kinnettes, Legion, Lions Club, Beaver Valley Outreach, Clarksburg Village Association, Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce, Thornbury BIA, Thornbury Clarksburg Rotary, a member from the agriculture community, the manufacturing industry, the ministerial community and the tourism industry.
Everitt says that additional participants will be added along the way and if you or your community group is interested in participating to contact the town’s communications department.
“This task force is open and we are wanting to make sure we have a fulsome reach within the community. If there are groups that want to be involved, we want them to reach out,” Everitt said.
Meetings for the Community Response Initiative will be held as required at town hall or virtually and the initiative will remain active until June 1, 2021.
