Mayor Gabrielle Parr finds it difficult to single out just one highlight in the past year for Harrington Township.
‘‘There are two actually,’’ Mayor Parr said during a phone interview January 10.
First, in her mind, was the township’s success in getting approved for $8 million in provincial infrastructure aid for future upgrading of a large portion of Harrington Road.
“I’m very proud that we were able to achieve that,” she said. “That is a great portion of our achievements in the past year. It (Harrington Road) has been on our projects list for two terms now.”
The other significant accomplishment last year was getting $700,000 worth of grant money to create a community revitalization fund for the township. So far, council has allocated $300,000 from the fund and shared it out to the three community centres for necessary improvements. Other smaller-scale community and recreation projects will also get financial aid from the revitalization fund.
Mayor Parr noted that these and other work done in the township during the past year would not have been possible without the support and help of both council and municipal staff.
“We have a very committed council,” she said, “and a very good administrative staff.”
In a brief summary report of 2024, the mayor noted that Steve Deschenes has come on board as the township’s new chief administrator. Also part of municipal administration as 2025 begins are Drusilla Davis as administrative assistant and Luce Tremblay as deputy finance director. The township also approved bylaws to restrict short-term rental usage of houses and other types of dwellings in the municipality. These bylaws are intended to prevent the problems other municipalities have experienced with “party house” situations resulting from local and non-resident property owners listing houses as available for temporary vacation venues on AirBnB, Vrbo, and other short-term rental sites.
