Bathurst Tells The Story

An elaborate accoustic fence  is being constructed to enclose the former Glenway golf course  on Bathurst Street in Newmarket. Obviously by the developer.

Further  south, in Aurora ,a decorator wood fence has been constructed on the same side of  Bathurst to enclose  back yards of subdivision.homes. It rises and dips with the contours of the land. In some places it disappears  below  the road level and serves no useful purpose whatsoever. Not even decorative.,

It was built by the Region. No expense spared. Trees were cut down. New trees planted.

Aurora originally  required lot lines be thirty yards back from  the.road  easement to maintain the ambiance of   countryside. No doubt the Region will be responsible to  maintain that fence forever and a day.

I believe $2 million tax dollars were spent. Regional staff  are said to be extremely accommodating to regional  council members. From the way it happened I doubt the fence was a capital item in any long term forecast.

It would not therefore be in any calculation of development charges.

Homeowners gifted with the fence had complained they bought homes when Bathurst Street was a country road with little traffic aand expected it to stay that way. Since they came ,traffic increased  dramatically and they were entitled to protection.

And so it came to be. At the expense of the rest of us. No principles apply. 

I doubt we should look for principles other than purely political in any Regional decision. Out of sight.out of mind.

Any more than we expect them  at the Provincial or Municipal or Federal levels of government.

The similarities are outstanding.

It's not indifference we see at election times. It's  a severe malaise. Like a fever ,it my have to run its
course.