Thoughtful And Correct....Up To A Point

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Homecoming":

Evelyn, I agree with everything you said, this is a foolish decision but I think you have been unduly harsh in your criticism of the resident who fought for it. All home owners are "selfish" about their properties. Although it is undeniable that the town owns a few metres at the bottom of everyone's property, it is only natural that we think of it as our own. We nurture and care for it as we do the rest of our lot and we are responsible for its aesthetic maintenance. The resident did the right thing, he had a concern, went to the Mayor and fought for what he wanted. It is not his fault that council granted his request at the expense of his neighbours and fellow taxpayers. Although I agree that the Town has a responsibility to work with citizens for the betterment of all neighbourhoods, in the end it is up to the elected members to determine how best to utilize community owned property. It is them that must be held accountable for their decisions. No homeowner is objective about their own property or neighbourhood, that is job of their elected government. I think in fairness you owe him an apology. And it is council that owes an apology to his neighbours.

The foregoing was received this morning and the writer is correct.

I have said before that every citizen has a right to defend whatever he sees as his interest.

There are a couple of peculiarities here which provoked the criticism.

This neighbour collected a petition in opposition to a sidewalk when the town allowed residents to state their preference.He sought my support and I gave it freely.

Most of the street has sidewalk already. The new construction is closing a gap

Since the petition was collected, policy changed. People still have the right to express preference. But traffic pattern and pedestrian safety will be the determining factor. It's a good policy and I support it.

New information disclosed Nisbet Drive is heavily used as an alternative for drivers and pedestrians to reach commercial shopping on Yonge Street or conversely the liquor store at the corner of Brookland.

It is not unusual for cars to mount the curb and plow the boulevard in that neighbourhood.

Boulevards serve as snow storage. They also protect pedestrians from potential hazard such as the one above.

Sidewalks, even seven foot wide, cannot be kept clear and be used as snow storage.

Pedestrians, in the main, are the elderly, children and youth, mothers with strollers , the disabled and people walking pets.

These are the people needing the safety of a properly placed sidewalk.

To accommodate the new alignment, a considerable stretch of sidewalk in good condition will be broken out and discarded.

Trees being cut down are town trees in beautiful condition, in front of number 63 .

The new metre of road on the west side will require a new base and catch basins re-aligned.

A hydro transformer and vault will be closer to the travelled portion of the road and there are hydro cables which as far as I am aware have not been examined in the plans.

Neighbours' property are not all that's affected by this bastardised plan.

We are currently contemplating thousands,potentially millions of dollars in current and future budgets to improve public amenities to accommodate mobility for the disabled.

Miles of sidewalk are missing or in need of renewal within the town.

This small section was but a step in the right direction and the town is not taking it.

I acknowledge Council is responsible for the decision.

I acknowledge my criticism is severe. But I draw the line at an apology

When a citizen comes to the public forum to argue for a particular decision in his favour and so influence decision-making, privacy is surrendered and views are subject to the same analysis and criticism as any elected member seated at the table.

The only thing they do not share is responsibility for the decision.

However, in my book, my highly intelligent and influential neighbour in Nisbet Drive is not excused for his lack of social responsibility.

In my experience, knowledge that a self-serving demand can only be accommodated at the expense of one's neighbours is generally what keeps most people from making outrageously,
blatant,self-serving demands.

My neighbour has not witheld his criticism.

Of course,who can know what assurances were received by the supplicant of the righteousness of his request in the privacy of the Mayor's office.

Nah! that's still not an excuse. He is too smart to be taken in by that. More likely he was exploiting it to his advantage. .