Boondoggles

Have been a feature of this term of council.

In the year 2000, the trail system was the town's project for the millenium. Land for the northern section was acquired in 1991, at the same time as the land acquired for construction of the Hadley Grange Seniors Apartment .

In December 2005. Councillors Vrancic moved and Kean seconded, $250,000 be allocated for the Nokidaa Trail Extension.

On August 8th 2008 a public notification process was approved.

Staff had consulted with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority to build the trail on municipal lands in an area of provincially significant wetlands. The alignment had been moved once already, further from the building site.

On February 9th 2009, positive talks were reported . The design completed had an alignment approved by LSRCA

In 2007. a grant of $80,000. was approved by the region. It was jeopardised by delay on the 2008 start date. Newmarket had to expropriate to satisfy their alignment. In 2008, the Region extended the grant period.

The completed trail will go all the way to Holland Landing.

My daughter and her husband, Newmarket residents, biked all the way yesterday.

At nine o'clock on Good Friday Morning 2010,Newmarket residents were walking, running, walking their dogs and riding their bicycles in a spectacular environment within their own community.

In Aurora, some residents( two in the main) of Hadley Grange Seniors Apartment objected to the trail. Staff met with them to explain. To no avail.

Funds were expended for a consultant to explain. To no avail.

The consultant, a problem facilitator, was given a contract for $50,000.

Meetings and lunches were held over a period of months.

Eventually three huge heavy cardboard brochures were produced full of coloured photos , blank space and minimal verbiage.

They purported to explain why concerns of the residents of Hadley Grange had to be taken seriously.

The residents, the same two, were concerned about the environment. They were concerned people would use the trail. They were concerned young people would discover the trail and interfere with the residents safety, peace and tranquility.

It took $488 Ks. to allay their concerns. A snake pit,a turtle pond and other enhancements have been added to the project .

Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority apparently has $377Ks. lying about in their coffers waiting for Aurora to ask for it to provide snake pits and turtle ponds.

And the two obdurate residents are assigned watchdog status to ensure town staff fullfil every detail of their agreement.

A project designed to be built by town staff , to keep costs at $331Ks, has been escalated to almost $800Ks.

We spent more than $50ks on consultants to persuade two residents they had nothing to worry about.

Instead, they persuaded the consultants to hold us to a king's ransom.

One of the residents attended general committee where the recommendation was considered.

Satisfied smiles were exchanged with the Mayor on the decision to approve in principle yet another colossal boondoggle.