As a newcomer, Pavlo Semernev wants to make a contribution to Timmins' development.
Semernev is one of the immigrants living and working in Timmins.
Along with another Ukrainian welder, Kyryl Ponomarenko, Semernev moved to Canada to work at The Bucket Shop in April 2021. TimminsToday recently talked to them about their experience in Timmins so far. The interviews were done in Russian and have been translated.
Before Canada, Semernev worked in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
“Thanks to immigration, there are many qualified employees arriving at Timmins like me and my colleague did. It’s all great and I want to contribute to the development of Timmins,” he said. “Timmins itself isn’t a bad city.”
As a newcomer who’s been here for almost a year, he’s faced some challenges.
He was having trouble finding a new place to live with his wife Oksana.
In his search, he’s faced high rental prices and poor-quality housing that don’t justify the higher rates, he said.
“I think it complicates the process of immigration. People are initially coming to try and see what Canada is. For me, Canada was a brand. I’ve known about Canada as one of the best countries for living,” Semernev said. “When you come here, you face a harsh reality.”
The number of new residential listings in the area added in January was the lowest in more than 30 years, according to the Timmins, Cochrane & Timiskaming Districts Association of Realtors. There were 93 new listings, a reduction of 20.5 per cent from January 2021.
The average price of homes sold in January 2022 was $223,771, an increase of 13.1 per cent from January 2021.
For those who don’t have a car, it’s hard to move around the city because taxis can be expensive and buses don’t run consistently, Semernev added.
Timmins Transit has been running on a reduced schedule since the start of the pandemic.
Acting transit manager Marcel Côté said the buses will return to the regular schedule once the schools open to in-person learning again and ridership numbers “indicate there’s a need for it and once the government lifts restrictions, which will then raise our ridership numbers."
The Timmins Transit ridership number for January 2022 was 27,510 passengers, according to Côté.
In January 2021, 24,657 passengers used the transit, while in January 2020, there were 97,130 passengers.
“Our ridership numbers aren’t anywhere near normal. They’re very, very low,” Côté added.
Semernev also wishes there were more bike lanes, better infrastructure for pedestrians, better-marked pedestrian crossings and more equipment for outdoor workouts.
“I’ve seen something similar but it was for the kids,” he said about the latter.
The city has allocated $100,000 to update the 2014 Recreation Master Plan.
City clerk Steph Palmateer said while details are still being ironed out, there will be community and stakeholder meetings as part of the consultation process.
“As far as I know, they will be looking at the entire plan updating it to make sure it’s more current, meeting the needs of the community today,” he said adding the community meetings are expected to start in spring or early summer.
There will also be opportunities to review the plan and submit comments online, according to Palmateer.
On the plus side, Semernev likes the local community and the surrounding nature.
Ponomarenko echoed similar comments saying he was surprised to see the lack of bike parking especially when he was at Walmart and at the Timmins Police station.
For him, there needs to be better infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians as well as more bike lanes.
That would stimulate people to walk more rather than drive, he said.
Mayor George Pirie, who spoke on behalf of the Timmins Cycling Committee, said council will be returning to discussions about a road diet on Jubilee Avenue and Theriault Boulevard in March.
With some funding from the federal and provincial governments, the city has finished the multi-use path and connecting trails project on Airport Road. The municipality is also planning to add bike paths with paint markings along Theriault Boulevard and Jubilee Avenue.
“It’s getting more and more popular. It’s great to exercise. I think that’s why the committee is putting these plans together because they want more people to bike,” Pirie said.
The mayor said bike parking is available in the downtown core and he thinks the committee doesn’t see the need to expand at the moment.
“I’m hoping the city’s portion of the Municipal Accommodation Tax would be used to expand the trails within the City of Timmins,” Pirie said. “It’s a great way to bring people together. If it’s done correctly, it’s an easy way to enjoy the different areas of the city together.”
Ponomareko also said in Europe, there are usually soccer fields, stadiums or equipment for a street workout where young people can come and exercise after school.
“Here, it’s a field and a running track and nothing else on this field. For me, young adults don’t have a place to hang out,” he said. “It’s a motivation for youth to grow physically and socialize with others rather than being on their phones.”
Palmateer said there are many athletic fields across the city in various locations and parks. If they’re not used by any of the leagues, people are free to use them, he said.
“We don’t have any of those outdoor workout facilities. But if the community feels it’s a good idea, I’m sure it’ll come forward during the consultation process and we’ll identify the potential areas and look at adding that to the plan,” Palmateer added.
Ponomarenko, who lived in Poland for 10 years, likes the slow pace of life in Timmins and how open and friendly local people are. He also said he didn’t have any issues finding a new place to move to.
“I don’t know if I got lucky but I found it without any problems,” he said.
