Young professionals 'thrilled' with Thunder Bay council's decision to restore beautification funds

Young professionals in Thunder Bay, Ont. say they're thrilled that a big proposed cut to the city's Clean, Green and Beautiful Committee has tentatively been reversed, while adding that the committee's work goes far beyond aesthetics.

Members of Shift — Thunder Bay's Young Professionals Network — wrote an open letter to the city this week, urging it not to go ahead with a proposed 80 per cent cut to the committee's budget. That funding was restored at council's municipal budget deliberations Thursday.

"We're thrilled with the results," Shift board member David George Noonan told CBC's Superior Morning host Lisa Laco on Friday.

The suggested budget reduction would have brought the budget down to $40,000 from the $200,000 that was approved in 2016.

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The committee, which largely acts as an oversight body, ensures that work to keep the city looking sharp is done, such as routine grass cutting on city-owned spaces, as well as other maintenance on city lands and properties. In addition, its budget helps fund a number of beautification and restoration projects all over Thunder Bay.

"The things that [the committee] does are the things that you can see, they're tangible things," Noonan said.

"If you look at the Bay-Algoma area [for example], you see the nicer sidewalks, you see public art out there ... but you also see things like tree plantings and things like that which also goes toward stormwater management," he continued.

"There is a bigger picture involved to what the Clean, Green and Beautiful Committee has achieved."

Civic Pride

The committee's work goes a long way in helping with civic pride, which Shift representatives say is a key focus of their group.

"If we had this devastating news that this budget could be cut, it could be quite a scare for us," said Samantha Mihalus, Shift's vice president.

"We haven't left town or we've actually brought people back to town because of the people [here] and the way of life we have," she continued.

"So, being here, finding new ways to make our streets more vibrant, keeping our heritage alive, this is all a crucial component to building Thunder Bay and keeping up the momentum in this positive direction," Mihalus said.

That pride in the city appeared to be on display with the response to Shift's campaign, Noonan said, adding that it's telling that the council vote to reverse the committee's budget cuts was unanimous.

'A very important role'

The motion to do away with the proposed cut was tabled by Coun. Shelby Ch'ng, whole told CBC News the committee's efforts all around the city are important.

"All those little things that really enhance the area are usually the first things that go because they're not essential, according to the budget process," she said.

"This committee plays a very important role in Thunder Bay."

For example, Ch'ng pointed to the refurbishment of the city's main transit garage on Fort William Road, saying that all the landscaping improvements on the property were the result of clean green and beautiful initiatives.

Ch'ng said keeping the funding in next year's budget may be a challenge, however.

Thursday's decision by council is still contingent on the municipal budget being ratified Feb. 21.