I drove down Leslie to Wellington Street yesterday. I looked for a particular house. Didn't see it. I will return. I did see one in ruins.
It was the home of a couple who, on an occasion during the last Council term, spent several months in California with a family member . On return, they discovered to their horror, part of a metal pole could be viewed framed in their dining room window. It wasn't there when they left .
New light poles had just been installed for the new Stewart Burnett Baseball Diamond on Wellington Street abutting the Sronach Recreation Centre.
The couple were aware of construction of the diamond. They could hear the earth movers. They couldn't see anything because of the natural woodland screen.
The season had changed, Foliage was off the trees and they could see a portion of a
metal pole.
They were not concerned about the lights. Just that section of the pole framed in the dining room window.
They came to Council in high dudgeon. The wife had been in contact with Councillor MacEachern who was a source of solace. Now the only question was what would be done to resolve the perceived problem.
The first solution was to move the newly installed pole to another location.
Sports field lights are installed according to a plan. They cost hundreds of thusands of dollars.
It was hard for me to see how one pole could be easily re-located.
The second solution was to plant evergreen trees high enough to obscure the offending section of pole. The top part didn't matter. It was not seen from the dining room.The bottom part was obscured by scrub bush. It was just that itty-bitty part in the middle.
Estimated cost was $8,000 of trees of the right height.
The owners had no intention of staying in the home.
Property use had changed from rural residential to urban commercial. It was opposite the
Walmart shopping centre . It was the property-owners intention to realize vastly improved asset.
One real estate listing has already expired. A new listing was intended.
Except for a tripod rather than a section of a pole and $8,000. versus $150,000 , the situation was peculiarly similar to the current foo-fer-a on Bathurst Street.
And Oh yes.... a different Mayor and Council but pretty much the identical knee jerk hysterical reaction.
Council were complaining that their hard work went unappreciated by residents. So they were in a panic at suddenly receiving all that negative attention. There is absolutely no use in trying to explain to them that Council should just take care of town business competently so that undue attention is not needed.
ReplyDeleteBallard brought this down on the heads of council & staff. But Councillor Humfryes gets special mention for claiming that she didn't care how much an injunction would cost. What an air-head she has turned out to be !
I didn't vote for her so cannot call and protest. Those who did will have to handle that duty.
When we moved in, there was one light on the street that was never on. New people would complain, although it was not on the sidewalk side & made little difference. Town would come, replace the bulb. But the light wouldn't work. Took us a while to learn what the older neighbours knew. The light shone into one man's bedroom. He just shot the thing out on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I miss those people.
Indeed Humpfryes has been a disappointment. We can only hope she now realizes she is unable to contribute and will not put her name forward for election ever again.
ReplyDeleteStreaming is not available on my computer. I'm not sure if it is my fault or another goof by Aurora's Communications gurus.
ReplyDeleteChristopher has a well-researched article on towers.
ReplyDeleteI understand Councillor Ballard is in mourning. He lost his saber at the Council meeting.
ReplyDeleteBut he didn't lose his tin foil hat. Sadly he will ride again!
ReplyDeleteFootNote: Ballard denies wearing a tin foil hat, but his actions beg to differ.
I don't know about that, 10:09 AM. If anything could have happened, the council - including the mayor - could have claimed victory; thus sharing the credit and diluting Ballard's grandstanding support.
ReplyDeleteThis way, Ballard will be heralded by those residents for 'fighting the good fight,' and will no doubt use that in next year's election campaign. This outcome against the impossible is probably a better one for Ballard, actually.
Sister Phyllis & Her Mule
ReplyDeleteMay I disagree, 11:19 AM ? Precedent would argue against your suggestion. The past bunch catered to vocal segments of the community. I have not seen a break-down of voting patterns but believe that the rejection of their approach was pretty well across the board.
ReplyDelete2:26 PM, you may want to look at the 2006 election results, and how MorMac benefited from their pandering to Aurora Grove residents.
ReplyDeleteWas any explanation offered for the lack of streaming? It was supposed to be an important meeting. Did someone forget? Is it more complicated than pushing a button? I confess total ignorance but was ticked off. If you want our attention, there has to be some consistency. Gardens are beckoning.
ReplyDeleteNo. He used the residents. And that John Cunningham is still furious. They did not get their demands. Any of them. Ballard's problem is that he brings the same degree of fury to the table on every issue. He was just as livid about alcohol expenses and Lucid. Gets tiresome.
ReplyDelete