The Township of Rideau Lakes is pleased to announce that Malcolm Norwood has been selected to fill the position of Manager of Development Services, which includes the building department and planning services.

Responsible for dealing with all applications under the Planning Act and the Ontario Building Code as well as providing current and long-range planning for the Municipality, the Department of Development Services is also accountable for ensuring compliance with the Township’s Official Plan, Zoning By-law, and other Municipal By-laws.

Norwood will be starting in his new role early next month, as the current Manager of Development Services, Brittany Mulhern, will be moving on from the Township after more than a decade of working with Rideau Lakes. Norwood is a familiar face at the Township Office as he currently works as the Manager of Facilities and Parks. In that role, he has successfully managed several capital projects - and is now poised to seamlessly take on the tasks at hand.

Rideau Lakes Mayor, Arie Hoogenboom, said that Norwood comes to his new position already well-versed in Township matters, as he has been with Rideau Lakes for almost seven years. “The Township is pleased there will be a smooth transition for property owners who are developing the housing and services needed by our communities,” Hoogenboom said. “We are very grateful to Brittany for her long-standing, excellent service with the Township and wish her well in her new endeavours.”

During Mulhern’s tenure with Rideau Lakes, she created the Township’s Development Review Team Program which helps to streamline large development projects, led the Comprehensive Zoning By-Law Update, spearheaded multiple Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) and modernized the Development Services Department through electronic application submissions, online payments, and online mapping through the creation of Rideau Lakes MapIT. Mulhern has also been a key member of the Rideau Lakes Lake Association Committee.

Continuing these programs, Norwood will be building on previous experience in the Planning Department. Norwood first started with Rideau Lakes as an Associate Planner, then moved up to Senior Planner followed by an Acting Manager of Development Services position, before entering into the role of Manager of Facilities and Parks. Norwood will start as Manager of Development Services on November 6, 2023.