I'm going to have to speak against that crazy Heritage Park scheme
on Tuesday.
As a politician, I am conscious of how often I find myself in opposition to ideas that come up at Council.
The last lot complained about that as well. Former Councillor Wilson said;
:She is undermining everything this Council is trying to do"
They created a Code of Conduct and retained services of an Integrity Commissioner
Passed a rule that a Councillor could not 'criticize" a Council decision.
Councillor Granger said "Lets get at it" Meaning to hang, draw and quarter me....no expense spared.
It's not a sweetheart image. .
If I didn't realise it myself, plenty of people are willing to remind me. Including readers of Blog.
What to do! What to do!
I have proposed ideas to take the town forward. Council has supported them. I've no complaints on that score.
But somehow, they all seem to get de-railed along the way.
A report of pending items has not been presented since Spring.
The report and progress is a staff responsibility.
I dunno
Maybe I will just let everyone who is not in favour of the Heritage Park Scheme speak against it.
And I will simply echo.
Ditto!
It is confusing how certain requests to Staff are ignored while other issues can keep turning up at the table without the slightest interest from Council members. Would a formal request in writing on those matters which you feel should be due be ignored? Or is only one individual setting the agendas? I am not specifying Staff or Council here.
ReplyDeleteThat Heritage Park scheme seems to have blown out of nowhere. Not being privy to special meeting, my views might be wrong. It would appear as though the good old boys are after about $3 million smackeroos from the Hydro fund, formerly the Hydro Reserve Fund. My understanding is that any and all plans to divert money from that fund must be open for public debate for a period of 30 days. How can we have this on the table with apparent approval when no one has even seen a business plan on feasibility? Did a void open and swallow those plans for development of the lands around the old Library site which we ALREADY own? Where are they?
ReplyDeleteWe live in an old house too. The roof needs work. There are water streaks on some of the wall-paper. You have to know which switches work. We just put stuff off because someone will likely knock the place down. Now we aren't on Yonge Street but there would be lots of parking around. If a bunch of neighbours got together, we could plan something really unique. Maybe in time for the next budget?
ReplyDeleteI agree with you councilor;the Heritage Park should be opposed.
ReplyDeletekeep it up Ev, if this brain child takes as long to see the light of day as the plan to rejuvenate the library square, both those derelict shacks will be on the ground with not one thin dime of tax payers $ invested
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteChristopher Watts has a rather stinging commentary today on the Aurora Architectural Heritage Program.
Should this be taken together with the "proposed" Heritage Park?
If so the latter is foredoomed, which might be a good thing, as the former was obviously someone's idea many years ago that has not been realized, which might also be a good thing.
It is difficult, virtually impossible, to keep up with all of these "great" ideas that seem to go nowhere.
Although they all require someone's time and they are not done gratuitously.
Can Council not demand from staff a list of all "pending" matters, some possibly going back many years?
Let's get them dealt with, over and done, wipe the slate clean.
We might then reasonably expect Council to deal with others in real time.
ReplyDeletePlease change "Heritage" to "Salvage."
Although there seems to be little difference.
Has anyone made a presentation to council for the Library area with some initial or rough plans? I think both that and the Yonge Street vision are incredible opportunities for the future of Aurora. The only thing I object to with the library lands was the destruction of Vic Hall. Still interested in your views tomorrow night!
ReplyDeleteRight. On Tuesday night we will hear Mayor Dawe argue for a massive project on Yonge Street that makes absolutely no fiscal sense. Nor do we neighbours support this flea-brained idea. And this from the same man who has been grumbling that more facilities should be aimed to the east of town? The kids have a censored epithet for that - " Nutzy-Kooko "
ReplyDelete(With tongue in cheek) I have to ask - Is this the kind of project that Councillor Gaertner was looking for in providing high income jobs for people of Aurora? Especially so since it's Town (taxpayer) money that is directly helping fund the operation.
ReplyDeleteIf it such a good idea then there should be other business people clammering to invest without the Town having to spend a dime. Others would be wanting to get into it without the dependence of the Town's involvement.
So many people may have good ideas but it always comes down to "who's going to pay to get it off the ground?" Who's really going to benefit from all of this invested money?