Several goals will be reached this year through already- established relationships with key authorities including the Police Department and the Parks Department.
This action will help to ensure incidents of graffiti, mischief and vandalism will be quickly addressed. This shall be, in part, achieved through our network of reps from condos and many other supporters in the district who report incidents to the association, as they arise, and report this information to the executive and authorities for action.
Meetings with Parks will address ongoing and arising issues regarding the waterfront trail and parks in the district. This summer the small park on the waterfront will have two benches repurposed with a fish motif, as per a recommendation by the executive to beautify this little gem. The Association also requested universal no smoking icons be affixed to benches which is pending decision. This request was made last year as the waterfront trail was designated a no smoking area four years ago yet few smokers are aware of this action. This situation must be remedied this year since cigarette butt litter deteriorates the environment, especially the river which makes this section of the waterfront appear neglected.
A meeting with the Fire Department this winter will be held to ask the department to check for potential fire hazards in the district, through the introduction of a proactive approach i.e. look for infractions in the district, considering the east end has experienced the greatest number of fires in the city during the last decade. The main cause of these fires is tied to the poor condition of the properties, mainly neglected rentals. Since there is a large volume of substandard properties in the Renaissance district the Fire Department can count on more fires unless Fire Prevention becomes a high priority.
The topic of property standards will be taken up again with the mayor and CAO soon. This meeting has been pending for some time. At the very least yard maintenance and garbage management policies should be enforced by Bylaw and Environmental Services. Recommendations have been shared in this regard with the city, including a streetscape plan similar to Kingston, and the local business association, for the past three years that, if adopted by city Administration, would produce a much cleaner and orderly area of town, including Montreal Rd.
The Renaissance District Association has seen a number of improvements to the district since its formation in 2020. Much of its success is due to the effort of keen residents who believe the area should be treated to an overhaul to raise it to a decent standard. This quest for change and innovation complements the city’s aim to be seen by residents and visitors alike as a progressive city. For this to materialize old sections of Cornwall like the Renaissance district must be valued as much as newer districts and invested in accordingly.
The Renaissance District Association will do its best this year to advance its mandate which is to achieve a clean, safe, healthy and law-abiding district. To reach the Association please contact: renaissancedistrictassociation@gmail.com
