Rideau Lakes Mayor Arie Hoogenboom (file photo)
Rideau Lakes Mayor Arie Hoogenboom says he’s implemented his strong mayoral powers to derail the Chantry municipal office build.
He provided five points in his reasoning to formally veto the project from being put out to tender, after council voted to continue in favour of gathering a costing earlier this month, citing financial pressures the township is in.
He also called the project “flawed” that does not have the support of staff or the public.
Hoogenboom also felt council didn’t properly consider the offer of a free 5-acre parcel of land offered by a developer along the highway which would result in a new adjacent subdivision.
We’ve reached out to the mayor for comment.
Full Statement
Contrary to the provincial priority to build 1.5 million new residential units by December 31, 2031, and the need to maintain infrastructure, namely roads, to support rural housing construction and in accordance with Section 284.11 of the Municipal Act, 2001, By-Law Number 2025-69, the Confirmatory By-Law of May 12, 2025 – Chantry Addition/Renovation to Tender, be vetoed.
I hereby provide my rational for utilizing the strong mayor powers to veto a local by-law that authorizes staff to tender the retrofit and addition to the Chantry Municipal Offices.
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The development of new offices in Chantry will not encourage new housing or support economic development in an established hamlet/settlement area.
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Locating an approximately 5-million-dollar public facility in a hamlet will encourage additional local housing starts. A local citizen/developer has offered a free 5-acre parcel on the highway that would facilitate the development of a new adjacent subdivision in an existing village. This option was not properly considered by Council.
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During this term, the township has significantly increased their debt load, hampering efforts to encourage new housing growth. Requests for incentives to allow new housing on surplus municipal lands have been rejected by Council.
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Our shrinking debt capacity needs to be reserved to fund redevelopment and infrastructure such as roads that serve our growth and local housing and provincial goals.
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Asking contractors to bid on a flawed project that is not supported by the citizens, by staff, nor our hired architects and engineers, is inappropriate.
As such the Confirmatory By-Law which authorizes staff to put to tender the retrofit and addition to municipal offices in Chantry is hereby vetoed as provided for in provincial legislation.
Sincerely,
Arie Hoogenboom
Mayor
Story by Grant Deme