Uxbridge to determine if it’s ‘age-friendly’

Roger Varley

Regional councillor Bruce Garrod suggested on Monday that the township should think about allocating funds on an annual basis to promote and enhance Uxbridge's Age Friendly agenda.

Garrod noted that the township regularly assigns a percentage of the annual budget to asset preservation and offered that a similar move could help seniors in the community.

His suggestion came after a deputation by Kathy Clulow and Dave Richardson of the Age-friendly Committee. Clulow noted that while 14 per cent of Durham residents are aged 55 or older, that percentage rises to 21.7 in Uxbridge.

Garrod, who helped spearhead the successful Communi-Tea sessions at the seniors centre before the COVID-19 pandemic started, noted "If we want to make a marked difference in the lives of our seniors, it's going to take some money."

Richardson told council that increased communication between the township and seniors would be helpful, adding that one sign of success would be "a seniors centre that's booming from morning 'til night."

Meanwhile, the Age-friendly Committee has created a community survey to gather opinions and experiences related to aging in Uxbridge. The survey, open to all, hopes to hear residents’ opinions related to support for and obstacles to active aging. The survey will provide feedback about the effectiveness of public buildings, outdoor public spaces, local businesses, public washrooms, housing, transit, health services and community services for an aging population. The township said the survey is part of a comprehensive community consultation process that will help with strategic plans for 2024-2026. The survey is available here. Paper copies of the survey are available at the township offices, the seniors centre, Uxpool and the library or by contacting Chris Gilmour at 905-852-3081 or cgilmour@uxbridge.ca The survey will be available until March 31, 2024.

Dairy cattle (Holsteins) at a farm in Durham Region. Photo by Lisha Van Nieuwenhove

Another deputation made on Monday morning told councillors that farmers need help. Bryant Hulshof of the Durham Agricultural Advisory Committee made the deputation to council, in which he listed a number of ways local and regional governments can assist farmers.

Noting that there are more than 250 farms in Uxbridge, Hulshof said agriculture is a leading economic driver in the township, offering a wide diversity of agricultural products. He said, however, that for every dollar spent on food, farmers receive only between seven and 17 cents.

He said council can support such initiatives as agri-tourism and on-farm food processing, which would provide additional revenue streams for farmers, by providing supportive planning and development policies to support such uses. Council could also help by pushing for high-speed internet service in rural areas and speeding up the permit and approval process for farmers who need to build additional infrastructure.

Hulshof also said he would like to see more food processing plants in Uxbridge. Committee member Dave Risebrough added that there is no significant food processing (abattoirs) in North Durham, with only two available: one in Port Perry and one in Manilla.