Housing bylaw discussed & Hedican's Coach4Food presented award

Tom and Nancy Hedican of Coach4Food receive a first ever recognition award from Mayor Al McDonald and the city for their contribution to the community at Monday night's council meeting. Photo by Devin Size

Anyone who lives in the North Bay area knows about what Tom and Nancy Hedican have been committing themselves to for the last few years. Coach4Food has now helped over 1600 kids across Canada get professional hockey training, all the while raising food, money and awareness for local food banks and the less fortunate.

Mayor Al McDonald opened up Monday’s regular meeting of council with a presentation of a special first time recognition award from the city, for Coach4Food’s outstanding success and contribution to our community, considering especially how strongly valued hockey is in this region.

“We want to thank you for everything you and your father have done for this community,” said McDonald.

Hedican modestly accepted the award, explaining how he didn’t really realize what he was getting himself into in the beginning. Now Coach4Food has become a major part of his life and says he does it for the passion.

“This award is unexpected, and not necessary, we do Coach4Food because it’s the right thing to do,” said Hedican. “A great inspiration once told me that you don’t have to change the world, you only have to change where your feet are.”

“We’re honoured that Mayor McDonald and the city decided to do this, we just hope it raises the profile even more for the food bank.”

Hedican is constantly surprised by the growing support for Coach4Food, as his program has always remained the same.

“This year we reached 108,000 lbs. It seems like every year it’s the community that tries to beat it. I do the same number of practices, the same number of teams come out. The teams come up with unique ways of raising food, and they get businesses to jump on board.”

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The new Rental Housing Licensing bylaw being proposed has many people talking in the city, and Monday we heard from three viable perspectives – Landlord’s, home owner’s, and the city’s.

Essentially in one line, the bylaw proposes landlords be licensed to rent homes to multiple tenants (such as students) and be limited to only four residents (or less) per domicile.

Local resident and home owner (Oakdale area), Lorie Tremblay, says that her everyday life is filled with chaos due to over-populated private student housing. From broken beer bottles to naked students, she’s seen and heard it all.

“My reality is a lack of respect in our neighbourhood,” explains Tremblay. “There are too many student houses, and I have nothing against students, we have to be fair to them as well, but we live in fear in our neighbourhood. I woke up to two naked students in my swimming pool – still drinking and smoking. I had my window smashed in and someone stole a flower pot I made myself. There are beer bottles smashed everywhere. I don’t know how many I’ve cleaned up over the years. What I’m seeing is the deterioration of a once beautiful, peaceful neighbourhood.”

Representing a group of 15 landlords (250-300 homes) throughout the city was Eduardo Barron, who disagrees with this bylaw, and instead would like to work out a system between the city and landlords that will address the real issues, which he believes reducing tenant numbers will not affect.

“I think it all comes down to enforcement,” says Barron. “The proposed bylaw doesn’t ensure enforcement for tenants. This doesn’t touch on the garbage, noise, parking, parties, or concerned neighbours, and how to deal with them. Sure you can say we need to reduce to four people, but it’s the behaviors that have to change. Behavior only changes through enforcement.”

Barron’s group is proposing to launch a website with a database of local landlords and property owners. With this system, you would be able to find the residence in question on a list, and be able to address you concern directly with the landlord via e-mail. There aren’t enough police in the city to be able to respond to every call that is made, and Barron feels it is the landlords who should take responsibility.

“As long as some landlords are getting paid, they don’t care. Basically what our plan tackles, is if you have a complaint as a neighbor, the owner of that residence would receive an e-mail, and have 24 hours to respond and address it. If unresolved, the next step actions will be taken.”

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The Nipissing Wild football team will be kicking off their season June 5 at West Ferris Secondary School, against the Clarington Knights, in their first game ever as a franchise. Tryouts for the team are being held April 5-7 at Canadore College in the gym.