By Cecilia Nasmith
Colin Bromley has previously addressed Cobourg council on a big gap in its Waterfront User Needs Assessment and Detailed Design Plan – its failure to address rising Lake Ontario water levels.
Bromley returned to renew his appeal at Monday's committee-of-the-whole meeting, noting that the summer season that passed in the interim was marked by flooded properties and interruptions to power at the marina dock.
Water levels this November over last November are almost 40 cm. higher, he added. As last November's water levels were followed by record spring-and-summer flooding, he wondered, what lies in store for spring and summer 2020.
Bromley asked council to call on the Federal government and the International Joint Commission (which controls Lake Ontario water levels through the Moses Saunders dam in Cornwall) to take urgent action to reduce water levels this winter to avoid this risk.
“I don't know who else to go to,” Bromley said.
“The IJC doesn't seem to be listening.”
Mayor John Henderson noted that the IJC had agreed to lower the water level, but not as significantly as the town had hoped.
Councillor Emily Chorley made a motion to receive the presentation for information purposes, and to instruct staff to organize a public open form on Lake Ontario water levels to be held in early 2020. The exact date will be known when organizers can pin down the availability of reputable presenters for the event, Chorley said.
