Another Daft Scheme

Aurora has been creating a trail system for over forty years. The constant has been resident Klaus Wehrenberg He initiated the concept.

Europeans have enjoyed rights of way across private lands since before the wheel was invented. Walking is a popular activity in Europe. Vacations are organised walks of hundreds of miles.They hike over hills , down dales and the entire length of a river.Hostelries are available and companionship of people who share the same joy. We will never know that.

Our trail has been pieced to-gether.We've never had resources to purchase land. We had to wait for development to acquire it through site plan dedication.

Klaus sometimes ran out of patience with the pace. But he never lost interest. Staff have known him forever as a valuable resource.

The link with Newmarket has been a long time coming. It was finally possible with the site plan for a new building. The Town acquired the necessary link. The first location was changed, to take it further from the building. A budget was approved at $250Ks. An $80Ks Regional grant was obtained.To cut down cost, Park staff would construct the board walk over the Marsh. Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority gave environmental approvals.

But Newmarket got stalled. They had to expropriate the land .

The Nokiida Trail goes to Holland landing and is intended to reach Lake Simcoe

Then Hadley Grange residents were shown the plans.

They were not impressed. They feared undesirable activity on the trail and invasion of their privacy. Councillors received e-mails soliciting support to stop the trail.

I did not agree with the concerns. We have had trails for years and no experience of the problems cited . The trail was planned before the building and residents became its fortunate tenants.

I support the trail.

The residents were not persuaded. Under his authority the Chief Administrative Officer retained a “Problem Facilitator” Consultant. at a price OF $20Ks.

Congenial luncheon meetings followed between the“problem facilitator” and residents. Money was soon exhausted. Council approved a further $30Ks for more tea and sympathy.

A further $70Ks ,was spent, all from the original budget of $250Ks. Three enormous weighty publications of almost a hundred glossy cardboard pages with more blank space than content were circulated. Coloured pictures and vacuous verbiage were the sum and substance.

Council were advised the residents concerns had to be taken seriously.

Cost of the project ballooned to almost $800Ks. It was indicated grants were available from South Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority to pay for the crazy scheme.

None of the Hadley Grange residents expressed support for the spending. Even the resident opposed to the trail didn't believe Council would spend taxpayer's money that way.

On Tuesday, Council were informed no money was available from South Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority'

At theMeeting, Councillor Wilson left before the item came up for debate. Councillor Gallo left during the debate.

I left at ten-minutes past ten, when there was no obvious sign the Mayor was going to stop an endless dissertation on the marvels of the plan.

The “Problem Facilitator” had apparently solved the problem for the Mayor and followers with a recommendation to spend an additional half million dollars, having already swallowed $130Ks. of the original budget to produce nothing of any intellectual value whatsoever.