"Cowardice asks the question...is it safe? Expediency asks the question...is it politic? Vanity asks the question...is it popular? But conscience asks the question...is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but one must take it because it is right." ~Dr. Martin Luther King

Wednesday 19 October 2011

Bathurst Street Resident Says

Barry Hall comments on the post about noise barriers. I have been around since the discussion started and  I would not quarrel with any of the information provided.

I would point out however , it was a town planning policy that required  the houses to be set back farther from the road to maintain the natural environment as part of the character of Bathurst Street. It was a deliberate intent.The trees were part of it.We call that the urban forest.

The second relevant aspect is  the public expenditure  Developers have been required to install noise barriers in the other areas Mr. Hall references.  It  means homebuyers themselves paid for the amenity.
None of that stuff comes out of developer profits even if its a requirement.  It doesn't come out of the public purse either.

I just think people should know how the region is spending  our  tax money. It's   just a tiny glimpse.
We should all be concerned about it.

They just got around to removing  thirty dead stalks of trees that never took when they were planted  seven years ago and they have acknowledged  of a tree planting program costing twenty million dollars, seventy-five per cent  failed. They never did mention any recovery from the planting contractors. 

No doubt properties with noise barriers  costing   $32,000 each to taxpayers  have increased in value by that amount. They are  not to be compared to a wooden privacy fence which would cost several thousand and be wobbling on its pins within less than five years.

I live within hearing distance of Bathurst Street traffic. I hear it. Yet I don't  It doesn't drown out conversation. It has become part of  noise ambience. I only notice the silence  early Saturday and Sunday mornings before the lawn mowers get going. I like that.

5 comments:

More Regional Waste said...

Pretty pathetic that the Region thinks they need to respond to whining complainers who perceive a problem that they ought to have perceived prior to closing their offers to purchase, Can’t blame them for trying but why must the Region buckle under the pressure of 40 odd property owners to the tune of 1.4 million , It boggles the mind

Anonymous said...

It is not only "The Region" that bows to pressure from property owners. Who remembers how the Town was dead set against creating a left turn lane into the Longos plaza from Wellington east bound?

There arguments aboutthe "gateway" and let's stick to our guns.

They made threatening statements and council went back on their values. Now, we have a hole in the median. I hope it was worth the development fee to compromise themselves.

Not the Same said...

To your anonymous respondent 9:29 pm
Where do you see the similarity , the Town makes a business decision based on financial and employment opportunities, Where as the Region looks for bottomless pits in which to pour money without so much as a farthing to gain, not too sure I get your point ????

Anonymous said...

Yes, Anonymous 20 October, 2011 9:29 AM, after earlier denying Aurora Toyota's request for that turn lane. They originally wanted to build their new dealership building on the NW corner of Wellington & Bayview.

After being rebuffed by the Town, they built across the street. So, if they had received co-operation with the initial plans, could we have saved the historic Hartman House from demolition?

Anonymous said...

To: Not the same, et al

I the similarity is that councils spend our money fighting a cause - the turn lane in this case - only to give in later. It was only after a threat to take bat and ball and go home did they change their minds.

Add to that list the Petch house round and round. The CTC lights. The Town Hall address. And so on.

Councils waste money.

Before you chime in and say that was the old council with the evil leader.... not so fast there are examples of money wasting going back to the dawn of time.

A council - and it's members - will always think about their chances ofgetting re-elected. Any councillor that tells you different is a liar.