New Speed Limits; Nearly 18,000 charges laid; LoB CIP Incentives; $100K Donation; Temp Bus Stop Relocation; Muskoka Lakes seeks public input

Select Muskoka Newsbites from various sources including our own reporting, media releases, and a few notes contributed by our friends at The Bay 88.7 FM.

New Speed Limits in Bracebridge

The Town of Bracebridge will soon have new speed limits after its general committee approved staff recommendations to reduce speeds on several roads.

According to the staff report presented at the committee meeting, changes to rural road speeds include a reduction from 60 km per hour to 50 km per hour on Campbell’s Road, South Monck Drive, Fraserburg Road, Manitoba Street, and others.

Meanwhile, some roads will see a reduction from 60 km per hour to 40 km per hour. These include Cedar Beach Road, Church Hill Road, Hawn Road, Muskoka Road 118 West, Uffington Road, Highway 118 East, Golden Beach Road, and Peterson Road.

In total, 116 rural roads and another 164 urban roads will see the speed limit reduced from 50 km per hour to 40 km per hour. The Ann Street railway crossing will be reduced from 50 km per hour to 30 km per hour.

With the changes, 320 new speed limit signs will be installed with staff indicating the cost to range from $50,000 to $100,000 depending on whether the work is completed in-house or tendered.

He also inquired about the costs for the 320 new signs that will have to be installed from the change.

Staff advised that they don’t have an established cost, however, they estimate it will range from $50,000 to $100,000, depending on whether the work is done in-house or tendered.

Close to 18,000 Charges Laid From June 21 to July 1

OPP say it was a busy start to summer as officers conducted their Canada Day Week campaign and targeting poor behaviours on roads, waterways and trails across the province.    

Police say one person lost their life in a boating incident over the long weekend. During the  campaign which focused on seatbelt, lifejacket and helmet laws, the OPP laid 1,287 seatbelt-related charges, 96 charges for lifejacket and other marine safety equipment violations and 34 “no helmet” charges.

Overall, almost 18,000 charges were laid from June 21-July 1, including over 8,000 for speeding, 224 for stunt driving.  173 people were charged for distracted driving and 447 for impaired.

CIP incentives from LoB

Lake of Bays Township launched its Community Improvement Plan private sector incentive program today, aimed at revitalizing properties in Baysville, Dorset, Dwight, and Hillside. The program encourages reinvestment to enhance public spaces and community vitality.

Approved by Council, the plan focuses on attracting tourism, business investment, economic development, and affordable housing.

Project Grants of up to 50 per cent of eligible costs, with grants reaching $5,000, and loans of up to $10,000 are available. The municipality says these incentives support business expansion, beautification projects, housing development, and new tourism activities.

To learn more, visit lakeofbays.on.ca/CIP.

Family Donates $100K to Hospital Foundation

The Huntsville Hospital Foundation announced a $100,000 donation from a family of Lake of Bays cottagers help to acquire new technology and medical equipment.

Based in Toronto, the Antoniades family, fond of their family time at their Lake of Bays cottage, made their inaugural donation to the Foundation, showcasing their enduring commitment to community healthcare.

The Foundation says their generosity underscores the critical role of private donations in bridging funding gaps for essential medical equipment.

Temporary Bus Stop Relocation

Due to the Minerva Street reconstruction works starting this week, the Transit stop in front of the Huntsville Public Library will be temporarily moved in front of the Portage Building at 11 Centre St. S.

The Minerva Street reconstruction work is starting this week (week of July 2) and is anticipated to finish by the end of August. For more information on the Minerva Street reconstruction project, visit the News Notice on Huntsville.ca.

Muskoka Lakes Seeks 2025 Budget Input

The Township of Muskoka Lakes – and likely other municipalities as well – is getting a head start on next year’s budget by asking ratepayers for input on what the 2025 budget priorities should be.

The Township has set up a 2025 budget information page and survey on Engage Muskoka Lakes where those interested can find out more and share their thoughts.

“Hearing the community’s priorities is an integral part of our annual budget planning process,” said Mayor Peter Kelley in a press release. “Listening and learning about the programs and services that matter most to those who live, play and work in Muskoka Lakes ensures we are effectively prioritizing our investments.”

A public meeting will also be held in the coming months so the community can discuss in person potential ideas for the 2025 budget. As information becomes available it will be posted on the Engage Muskoka Lakes website.

This is all part of a process to collect feedback, which will then be summarized and help to develop next year’s tax supported budget.

Included in the annual budget are the services and programs residents and businesses rely on each day, and the budget expenses fall into two categories: operating and capital budget.

The operating budget consists of the day-to-day services in the Township including fire and emergency services, Township facilities (libraries, arenas, community centres, etc.), recreation programs, road maintenance, debt payments and transfers to reserves.

The capital budget consists of larger investments including infrastructure development, building and construction projects (building new roads, sidewalks multi-use paths, bike lanes and bridges, etc.), park and greenspace improvements, fleet expansion and maintenance (for example, purchasing new fire trucks and snowplows), and service level strategic plans and reports.

The tax-supported budget for the Township of Muskoka Lakes uses 20 per cent of the property taxes you pay. Though you pay at the Township, 54 per cent goes to the District of Muskoka, 26 per cent goes to Education tax, and 20 per cent stays with the Township.

The Engage Muskoka Lakes budget survey, and subsequent public meeting, is about services provided from that 20 per cent.