Mea Culpa Mea Culpa

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "A Day In The Life Of A Councillor":

Who in their right mind would have thought that this was a good location for a park , hard to think of a bigger waste of tax dollars , surely you did not support this brain child.

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As a matter of fact, I  seconded the motion to create a children' s playground on the old waterworks site off Davis Road.  I knew it was there, it was idle, it should be used. My immediate reaction to former Councillor MacEachern's motion was,  it was a good idea.

Then I went to see it and realised it was completely enclosed by houses and trees. I had been looking at other playgrounds  in the community and  realised they  were totally exposed to view from every  angle. And that's how it should be.

I  quickly moved  Council re-consider the motion . They did not.  Even obvious concerns about the safety of children was not enough to support an idea  from myself.

So staff did as  directed. Several thousand dollars were spent in time and consultation. Surrounding residents were invited to a meeting to discuss the project ,,,say what they would like to see in the playground..

I attended the meeting.  A handful of  people attended.   A father and son came from another neighbourhood to ask the town to consider a skate park at the south end of town and that was the extent of interest.

When staff reported back to the Leisure Services Advisory Committtee ,they were told they had not followed the direction  as intended .Do it again. Councillor MacEachern was chair of the committee.

So  more time and money was spent. The exercise was repeated . With even less result.

It was another time-wasting , money wasting  exercise which fortunately came to naught

Apparently there was a police committee  to advise communities on park locations and that particular spot  had nothing to recommend it.

On the other hand the site could  accommodate a small multiple residential building. The Town of Newmarket has successfully completed projects with the region to provide rental  housing.

The site has everything going for it; water and sewers, roads,  transit, shopping amenities and anything else one might think of. Apparently, all the region needs is for the municipality to provide a site.

In the 2003/2006 term, staff were directed to make an inventory of all  vacant properties the town owned and show them on a map I believe I made the motion. Staff  did what we asked. It was a major undertaking which took weeks to complete.

A meeting was  called. Senior staff were all present. It was a big night. Something positive might get done.

Former  Mayor  Jones and two councillors attended. I was one. No quorum. Nothing was accomplished.

The meeting was not re-scheduled.