"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

Thursday 20 August 2015

HOW MANY TIMES CAN A MAN TURN HIS HEAD PRETENDING HE JUST DOESN'T SEE ?

Today Anna blogs and muses about, among other things, an update on the Stronach proposed wild-life park.

Anna's own update is not complete. The final public reference on the park was a report from the town's Environmental Advisory Committee, recommending further designs be submitted for their approval. No staff guidance there.

GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY  ......    IT WAS A GIFT 

Jesus,Mary and Joseph what have we ever done ? 

Fully developed with an educational facility and other attractions  and a foundation with funds for self-sufficient government. A restaurant and gift shop included in the original plans were removed to meet previous concerns expressed at the council table. 

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE .....IT WAS A GIFT

Jesus,Mary and Joseph...May the Saints Preserve Us.....They had no concept of what they did. 

I was there. I pointed to the incongruity.  It made no never mind. To a man and woman, excluding myself, Council approved the recommendation of the advisory committee.

Next heard, through media, Magna was leaving this burg. Shaking off the dust,so to speak.

"Oh My Goodness " Council  wondered  " What did the Economic Development Department do to prevent that from happening" 

The answer ...Nought they could do. The department is mis-named. It's a languid sham. Even if it had a function, It would effectively and repeatedly be sabotaged  by recommendations from various advisory committees, inert administration and Council inadvertence. 

Aurora is a corporate structure with a fifty-five million dollar operating budget. 

If a municipal image can be acquired....a giant phallus in top hat and tails,Chain of Office and Certificates of Excellence wrapped around it like a gigantic condom to prevent the seed of a sensible idea from escaping...that would have to be it. 

Anna picks up the theme that the town needs no more residential development. If only it was that simple. 

Sixty years ago Premier John Robarts of Ontario did all possible to prevent the GTA from becoming an ungovernable megalopolis like every other major city in the world. 

The Metro Toronto And Regional Transportation Study scrutinized the history of government, it's growth and the tax burden. plan to prevent ungovernable sprawl and maximize return on public investment in infrastructure was presented in the seventies. Growth would be directed along the waterfront from Port Hope/Cobourg to Niagara with ready access to hard services and arching in a horseshoe from  points  east and west north to and from the City of Barrie. 

A green belt parkway of substantial depth would hem in Metro.

York Region's role,inside the horseshoe, was clean fresh air, agriculture and recreation to serve the needs of the populace.

I was in the Queen Elizabeth building in the CNE when it was presented to politicians and media from throughout the GTA . It was received with a sense of relief and certainty. It was so obviously the right way to go.

We all know it has not worked out. 

Like our Culture Centre Board's failure to understand self-sufficiency is the solitary reason for their being, York Region has long forgotten its purpose. While politicians messed about with Character Initiatives and similar  innocuous programs having nothing to do with government, the  juggernaut inexorably advances. 

TALLY HO ....urban density all the way, lickety-split, from Lakes Ontario to SImcoe and devil  take the hindmost. 

Transit routes already built, are blanketed daily with sulphurous pollution, hanging low until it disperses overnight to the outer atmosphere. Three hours minimum added to the work day getting to and from, exhaust the populace. 

Politicians claim the environment is a special concern while every day,maybe every hour, decisions are made that contribute to it's destruction. 

Premier Kathleen Wynn worries about her grandchildren and  pensions while ignoring the obvious in regular daily smog alerts.

The Feds commit to oil extracted from oil sands to feed increasing demand while mouthing pious sentiments about cutting down on pollution .....caused by oil extracted from oil sands.,

So Anna....

        The answer my friend, is blowin' in the wind. 

        The answer is blowin' in the wind. 

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are cooking right along there, Evelyn.
We thumbed our noses at the proposed park because Cllr Gaertner expressed fears of light pollution from the lighting of a parking lot for visitors. It was right up there with the behaviour from the previous council towards Magna and the Stronach family and I suspect it did not sit well with them.
But Cllr Gaertner got oodles of votes so she must be right.

Anonymous said...


If you look at what has been happening in many concentrated population centres in China you will find the very same miasmic results.

But it took the Chinese about 20 years to accomplish, far fewer than we required.

Are they simply more efficient than us at destroying their environment?

Anonymous said...

Perhaps they thought giving him that key to the town would help ? It might have been better to just come out and ask Mr Stronach if he had changed his mind.

Anonymous said...

It is sad when you hear young people and not so young say that they cannot afford to even ' think ' bout looking for a place to live in the GTA.

Anonymous said...

It was a head-scratcher that no one at the town knew they were leaving. Mr constable was a little irate over that.

Anonymous said...

We have to hope that the park is still part of Stronach's plans and he is just not getting into a fight with the town over dimensions of trees removed and all that other stuff. If it was all part of a package there would be little opportunity to be petty.
It is his property and he has good people working for him.

Anonymous said...

As everyone should be irate, because it's a lie. This has been in the making for years. There are a lot of connections between the Stonach's and government. Both personal and political. Just the suggestion that nobody at the Town knew about this move is ludicrous, and heads should be rolling or resigning who say otherwise. Could anyone have stopped the move? Probably not. But it speaks volumes about the character of those who say they knew nothing.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure it's still in the works. If not...well we have 3 more yrs to elections folks! I hope we can get rid of some of those on staff as well.

Anonymous said...

We have bigger problems to worry about than a park.We have three dump.sites in the Region we need to clean up.Yes these are a problem.

Anonymous said...

Apparentle we're in or already in a recession or going into one. I hope it's a real doozy so that people will understand and re-evalute what need and want is all about. The entitled will have a rude awakening. That's the only way we can fix this mess.

Anonymous said...

17:32
A child of mine was employed at State Farm (now Desjarden). Employees were told soon after the deal closed in January that there would be lost jobs. This weekend that child moves into a new house in London because it was realized the GTA is too expensive and working for a local London company. Commute to work.... 15 minutes.

myonlyphoto said...

Evelyn :), interesting reply.

On the end of the day I would have been happy with nice trail through the park and let the nature take its course.

I have issue with big plans, they cost money to start up and if a plan is too complicated will cost money down the road or simply become not sustainable, not achievable, discouraged and neglected.

Eco-park is a nice 'gift', but it will cost money to maintain in the future.

Re no developments, :), i stand by it, it's time for the politicians to listen to the people, but we need a 'tornado' of people to make more noise and wake some up.

Anonymous said...

22:07
Only a chance to make a difference each year when the budget rolls around and there is a bit of interest . The next one will be a dandy as all the promises made come due.

Shirley said...

There is a picture that misinforms in the Auroran.

The large crowd walking into the Cultural Center is actually people on a tour led by David Heard.

He had a huge crowd that day and took us into the Museum display and shared some stories there.

Just an FYI and an honest take.

Anonymous said...

I really think they might be telling the truth, 22:03
And that scares the heck out of me. A town hall that is left out of the loop by the rest.

Anonymous said...

Anna- Hi.
I got the impression that the eco-park came with enough to keep it running - a kind of legacy for Mr S.
But I could be wrong and someone will surely tell me.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Shirley. I was puzzled by that photo. It did not compute with what i knew.

Anonymous said...

Shirley, did they hand out blindfolds (just to make sure the group wouldn't catch sight of anything on the way up to the museum)?

Your Last Name Must Be Petty said...

The caption on the front page of the Auroran reads, "The Aurora Cultural Centre hosted several activities throughout the day."

What's untrue about that statement, Shirley? Where's the misinformation? What exactly is dishonest about that photo of the Cultural Centre?

Anonymous said...

6:06
Worse than a recession, I'm afraid. And Canada had a one trick economy in oil.

Anonymous said...

16:00
I appreciated that clarification which was offered to prevent a misunderstanding.
It that clear enough for you ?

Anonymous said...

I would place money that someone was assigned door duty to count the heads entering the Centre.
We will see those numbers in their next pitch to council.

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Anonymous said...

Key Performance Indicators are de rigueur, 11:17.

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Anonymous said...

20:31 self sustaining is the only clear number that proves success, snd we all know that's not going to happen because they don't have to.

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Don L said...

Good Afternoon @ 8:36

I have been a resident of Aurora for many years, and I can safely say I matter.

I have followed both of those people you slighted, and have found them to care about this town very much.

They are appreciated by many except maybe your elite.

I hope they do make an effort to create MORE change.

Anonymous said...

Why would I think about an inconsiderable cohort of carpers, 11:29? I'd much rather focus on the many more Aurorans who appreciate the place and value its many offerings.