We Have A Virus

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "I Gotta Tell You This":

 I don't think that those residents are willing to consider the various options if it prevents them from attaining Their Park. We can only hope that saner minds on Council will be more open. ************
To keep things in perspective , it's only fair to the residents to point out they are responding to information provided to them by Councillor Gallo.

He walked around the neighborhood and told them and hand delivered a letter on what appeared to be town stationary and indicated the school site was not needed by the school board... the town had first refusal on the property and it could be a park.

He then  booked the Council Chamber  and  called the neighbors in for an information meeting.

He told them his preference was for a park on the site.

A person in the crowd then asked for Councillors present to state their position on the site.

Several committed themselves to a park.

Councillors themselves are not fully informed of  all circumstances to be considered.

Whether they are aware of how they are being manipulated is hard to say.

What is clear is the issue is being orchestrated.

We  have seen it  before. It is a virus  which has been  affecting  the town's business affairs for the last several terms.

Neither the town nor the residents are well served.

One thing is certain. There's no subtlety in the process.

can't run and can't hide

I Gotta Tell You This

I don't intend to bog myself down  in the  unwanted school site issue on Mavrinac.

But  there is an issue and  a decision to  be made.  A long as something relevant I will tellit as it occurs.

Lincoln and The Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin  lies at my hand.  I have not seen the film. If I see it before I read the book, enjoyment of the book is spoiled If I read it before  seeing the film , the  latter is seldom  worth  viewing.

I know within a page when I start a book if  a book is worth reading.

It used  I would keep reading waiting for the story to begin. Not any more.

If it's a good book,I have no discipline. I will read throughout the night .  With Michener,I discovered he filled pages with  endless details. I  would flip pages to get  back to the story line. 


Then , when it wasover, I 'd be sorry.

I never read  a book twice.

Doris Kearns Goodwin 's book is waiting .  I have been introduced to  the people who occupy the pages  and something of the society they occupied.

If I tell now  what I learned about the Mavrinac situation, I can go back to the book.

I have told this before but bear with me .It needs to be told again  to its logical conclusion.

Neighborhood  parks were planned. A huge ravine, now public land, traverses the property from north to south . There are gaps in srvice but not in Block B where this school site is now surplus.

Four school sites were chosen .Three Separate  elementary and one public  high school  site which is considerable larger.

Parks and school are usually built in tandem to maximize  function.

The Public school board bought their site. They had approval from the Province to build a new high school.  Williams was old and outdated. Modernity has transformed schools.

The Board's  intended to sell the Dunning Avenue site and transfer  the high school to  the North east.

Susan Walmer and The Presence saw a political opportunity and brought  board  trustees to their knees.

Plans were changed. Millions have  now been spent renovating  the old school  and the board owns a site they can sell to the highest bidder .

It  was purchased with tax dollars.

Our real and pressing need , identified in the Master Recreation Plan is for a "community" park designed to accommodate sports fields needed  yesterday and in the future.

Council were informed in the last term,  of  a last  opportunity available at raw land price.

The advice was dismissed.

The public school- board - owned site would be perfect for us. The last  opportunity
within the town's boundary.

They don't need it. We do.

We could pay the board what they paid and carrying costs with the Cash in Lieu Reserve fund.

It's a larger site thn the one  on Mavrinac. It would accommodate more  houses Add more cars.

It need not be sold to the highest bidder. Need not be developed  as a town house project . That purpose would be its highest return.

The school board would be speculating with tax dollars.

It could be a community park. At an appropriate price.

It's an aspect of the issue that needs to be considered.

Brace Yourselves

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "I Cannot Tell A Lie":

Sounds very much like someone is trying to jam a large park with multiple uses into a small space without
adequate parking in an area not designed for one.

*****************

What we have is an oft-repeated scenario. 

A neighnorhood has become accustomed to an open space.  They chose lots on the understanding a school would be located in the open space. 

Some of them  paid premiums for their choice.

Others made all the inquiries they believed necessary before they made the  decision.

Now the moment of truth has arrived . The fact is the school board will not be using that site. 

School boards cannot know before a subdivision is built how many children will register in their schools. 

The homeowners are convinced someone is at fault. They have been betrayed  Somebody  better step up to the plate and make it right.

If there isn't going to be a school, there'd better be a park. Because they don't want any more houses and more traffic on their road.

That is the real concern.

Like the neighbors on Longthorpe Court, who believe they have a right to dictate grading on a neighbors lot because of their right to enjoy his trees,  they are encouraged  by craven Councillors to believe that  should be the logical outcome.

Not necessarily.

No doubt,  we will  all be subject to gale force winds of  bafflegab before the decision is made.

The Play By Play

At Wednesday's meeting in the Council Chamber , the man in the  far right corner of the  front row admonished me  from his lofty perch.

"We don't want to hear that back and forth stuff,"he said. "We're tired of all that"

I   had told the  applauding crowd  that The Presence  had told them what she knew they wanted to hear.

I thought  the man in  the corner had scored a point.  Then I remembered . I can continue this discussion on the blog.

It's such a comfort.

If the unrequired school site turns out to be the issue  the Councillor intends to hang his hat for re-election or a bid for the chair,  he can no longer do so without the rest of town knowing  his strategy.

The Auroran will tell them. I 'll fill in details with the play by play.

The buzz around town is whether The Presence is grooming the  Junior  Councillor for a run at the chair.

Or  do both  Mighty Challengers intend to  exploit the incumbent's faltering start?

Has  a   Faustian deal been made not to attack each other  but combine attacks on the incumbent.

Former Councillor and Mayoralty candidate ,Nigel Keane could  advise the Councillor  on that.  He learned from sad experience.

So...if the meeting was  a campaign kick-off  in disguise , defence men were  strategically placed in the crowd . Purpose being to shift the puck  to provide opportunity for  repeat slap shots by the candidate.

No other team  was on the ice.

The  audience was by invitation.

Not much of a challenge.

Whether or not a vacant site becomes a park  is neither here nor there .

In the grand scheme of things , the Candidate -Councillor  doesn't need to be  fully informed before taking a position.

No debate is taking place.

There  was  a rallying  cry from  Gaertner the Valiant , who rose to her full height and  called upon the crowd to recognise  The Presence .

"She who always fought for you "

It  obviously wasn't in the script.  The response was tepid at best.

So ... cynical,,,you  say.

Not so, I say.

It's a  particularly sly and virulent  but less than subtle style of politics introduced  in the community a few years ago.

It's not Aurora style.

The path behind  is littered with the fallen, from the political , administrative and  citizenry of Aurora  who  unwittingly ran afoul of The Presence and her followers, the Councillor-  undeclared- candidate being one.

They will not forget.

I Cannot Tell A Lie

The school site is on Mavrinac. A  major  collector road  that brings traffic into the residential area from Wellington and distributes it to  all the little side streets and courts and crescents. It crosses the ravine and becomes Hartwell Way a collector that brings traffic in from Bayview Avenue.

During the last term ,new residents on Hartwell  wanted Hartwell  to dead end  at the ravine.

Council agreed to do that. An election was coming up.

The Region of York said No! the  subdivision was designed for  Hartwell  to be a collector and that's
what was needed. The alignment had already been changed once.

The Region has authority over the town's planning decisions.

The  school site belongs and has always belonged to the developer. I don't see how it could have been posted as a future park site as some residents claim.

The town would have to purchase it from the developer.

The town did not take a site from this developer for a park. The nearest park to this site is probably five minutes  away.

The site  fronts  on  to Mavrinac, a major traffic collector.  To get to a park there kids would ave to cross a very busy road.

the site is surrounded on  three sides sides by homes . Residential  lots abut on three sides.

Town regulations require  a buffer between homes and active park use  of between fifteen and thirty

metres . I don't know which number would be used or why.

A school site is normally 5 acres. I don't know  how much the buffer would reduce available park
space Thirty metres is one hundred  and twenty feet.

A road width is 24ft.  A  full width buffer would be five times   a road width. That's a lot.

Off two sides of the site, it would be ten road widths. that's an awful lot. But my math could be out.

Parking would have to be provided if the site was to be used forsports fields

people coming from other places  for tournaments could not use the busy collector for parking

Cost of developing a park  is governed by  cost of facilities  provided.  Soccer is probably least expensive to construct unless we use  artificial turf. It costs a million and has to be fenced. Lighting is provided to maximise use and justify expense.

The town has the  right of first refusal to buy the site. Not necessarily for a park however.

I don't recall a similar circumstance.

The Province has dictated "intensification " policies to prevent urban sprawl.  The Region I understand has policies about infilling.

I am not sure how far senior levels of government  are prepared to go to enforce their policies.

It's another question that needs to be  answered..

I have no idea how much the land will cost or how much  useable space would  be left after buffers
are provided .

How much for how much useable space?  A critical question.

Can I take a position without knowing the answers.

Nope ...not me.

The Best Laid Plans

It was a calm and civil  meeting sponsored by Councillor Gallo on Wedneday evening.

The Councillor had done  a great deal of work to bring it to-gether. He hand-delivered the letters. He booked the Council chaamber to give residents  an  opportunity to express concerns and have questions answered .

It took energy and commitment.  The Councillor went further and committed to the gathering he believed the site should be acquired by the town and  become a park. The residents were no doubt assured .

I told them I had seen residents, not as many , express opposition to a park abutting their properties

I suggested they needed to know more about the impacat of a park before taking a position.

They  were not impressed .

I re-call the nightmare  scenario presented to Council. on that occasion'  Foul language, fighting ,drug deals.  late  night lights . noise and screeching cars.

That park was planned for the neighborhood.  Site selected.  Design  approved. .

I risked the wrath of  angry residents and voted to proceed. With the work, study  and resources already exppended, I was satisfied .

Parks are not planned on a hit or miss basis.

Professional expertise and pride go into the final product .

Every park has a different element  to  provide children with a variety of experience

People may not know that about the town's parks .  I'm not sure we tell them.

The Consultant study  on service levels made the point.

Aurora parks  and recreation programs  are a higher level of service than any comparator municipality.

The budget is larger. As is  incoming revenue which covers the cost  Programs and events are popular and  well used.

Parades, Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween HauntedHouse   Summer  Concerts in the  park , Rib Fest,
Winter Festivals are all truly community events . Supported with financial contributions from local business and  hundreds of volunteer hours contributed generously to make it all happen .

The departmnt has a skeleton staff who  regularly go above and beyond expectations because of  the leadership of their director .

Council and the community are well served.

It's how it should be.

At Wednesday's meeting ,a resident asked Council members present how they were going to vote on the question of acquisition of  an uneeded school site as an afterhought for a park. Councillor Gallo had  already indicated his  decision  is to add the site as another park.  His answer was open and shut  Black and white. A fait accompli . A done deal. Amen my friend.

I was not and am not prepared to make a decision without facts.

The parks plan for the neighborhood was prepared and approved  years ago when the area was a blank page. and an entire neighborhood was planned.

There were no prohibitions.

I need to know  that change  now will serve a better purpose  and  additional cost can be justified.

I will not pander .

I will not toady .

Whatever I  do will have to make sense.

Portents and Omens present

At Councillor Gallo'a  meeting  on  Wednesday,the presence of" The Presence"
and suggestion of skullduggery in Council's closed session on the issue of a redundant school site ,brought  back a memory.

A double lot  at the corner of Cameron had an old house, more like a  summer cottage sprawled across the lot line.

The house  had to go to restore separation of the two lots.

It  required an application  for variance to  Committee of Adjustment, a quasi-judicial body appointed by Council but not subject to Council.

Zoning Bylaws are  passed to create order not hardship. When an existing lot needs a  variance to
bring it into compliance,  the committee makes the decision.

An application is circulated .  Neighbours and the town are invited to comment.

There's  a fee of ,I think $450.

A delegation appeared before Council demanding the committee be directed to refuse the application.

The area was historical. they said. The applicant had just finished restoring a building on Wellington Street and sold it. All he wanted to do was make money.

Like operating a drug ring or a house of hanky-panky or human trafficking or any  other unsavoury ways of making money.  Who knew what was in the delegates' mind  that would be sufficient detriment to the neighborhood to mount strong opposition?

Limits   Council's jurisdiction was explained.

Nothing daunted ,the delegate went off and collected a petition to oppose the application.

I received a call from the applicant. I affirmed the process.

Next thing , the house was gone. It was an old frame house without a basement. It disappeared
entirely from the landscape in an afternoon.

Didn't hear much about it after that. A nice two-storey brick home soon  occupied one of the lots.
The second was probably built after that  and  both added to the assessment roll.

The "Presence" was on Council at the time.

At regular intervals a puff of sulpherous smoke indicated  a fire being nurtured.

 "The Presence" was  never far. But a front man or woman was always there.

"The presence" was  very careful about leaving fingerprints.

Feeling Good About Yourself is Best. Better than sex

Thank you. But I think, everybody have a right to post a comment on your blog. You have the right to publish it or reject. But , it will be fair, if you publish all comments.
If you do not publish comments, that means, you are not brave enough to get criticized.

Thank you. 
***************

I can't print every comment received. 
I can't  allow  negative comments about town staff.  In law, they have a right  to privacy. 
I am a Councillor and a legislator . If I cannot be expected to respect the law  I don't know who ican.
Staff are accountable to the elected body/ 
The elected body is accountable to the electors. 
If there are  perceived errors and omissions within the administration, the elected body is ultimately 
responsible. 
We cannot say the devil made us do it. 
He did not. 
We are the devil who made us do it. 
People who pressure  politicians to do things they should not, aid and abet  the devil we didn't know better than the one we did .
I am brave enough to risk opposition to my views. That's why they're out here.
I am just not stupid enough to  be degraded by abuse heaped on my head. 
A man asked me on Wednesday how many children I had. 
I told him seven. And seventeen grandchildren. And eight  great grandchildren.
I  have  lived through my life experience and I have lived through all of theirs.
Then  I laughed and  said ......I am  a woman. not to be taken lightly.
I felt  supremely confident being able to say that

Views Shared

Good Morning,

Thank you for taking the time to put your thoughts into writing. We live  in wondrous times.

I can assure you we are also living in a rare community  of homes ,businesses , schools ,parks and wide open green space. 

There are at least seven golf courses. 

The Oak Ridges Moraine Act  places strict control on lands within the Moraine. 

The town has purchased wood lots and  substantial properties have been  transferred to ownership of Ontario Heritage. 

A Ravine stretching from St Johns Road to Wellington will never be developed  and lands 

on flood plains are similarly excluded from development.

The Town is governed by the Planning Act. Steps for us to follow when we receive an application for development are clear. If we do  not adhere to regulations, decisions are taken out of our hands and  transferred  to the Ontario Municipal Board to decide.

We are an urban municipality. Our purpose is to provide space for residential growth with all the services that make growth clean and healthy.

We are not mistresses in our own house . We are subject to Provincial authority and in some instances, federal authority. 

Except for the beginning, before governments were  formulated under the British North American Act in 1867, it has always been this way.

I think it has worked out pretty well except that  modern government intrudes far too much in our  private and personal affairs. 

I resist  it wherever and whenever I have the opportunity.

Have a great day

Evelyn Buck 

Dear members of council,

It has been brought to my attention that there is currently a parcel of land that is to go towards parkland in the north east section of Aurora.  As one of the few 'greens' in Aurora I am of course in favour of as much green space as possible.  However...I am EXTREMELY concerned with the changes that have come to Aurora over the past twenty five years since I first moved here. 

While many are positive changes, I do not think that the unending rezoning of extremely valuable farmlands to residential areas has been positive.  With a projected population growth from 53,203 in 2011 to 71,436 in 2023 (Based on the information provided in the website http://businessaurora.ca/demographicsc55.php) I would like to know where all these people are going. 

I am told that at last nights meeting, which I sadly did not attend; a councillor had assured a resident that ALL these projected new residents had been accounted for and that there would be NO new building whatsoever.  I find this hard to believe and woul 

like a written letter stating such. 

Should this be the case then yes, after a serious cost analysis, a park sounds great.  However if it should not be the case, then it is imperative that we consider building inside of current residential neighbourhoods in order to protect the very little (if any) agricultural lands that are left to us. 

Yes this is an election year, and yes these people (might) vote; but it is of the utmost importance that we start making our growth decisions responsibly and with a little foresight.  Please forward me in writing a signed letter confirming that there will be NO new building in town and that we are finished with all new builds.

Secondly, though likely more importantly; I am extremely alarmed to hear that there has been no business plan regarding this issue at all.  I demand that council consider the costs of all sides of this issue and make the best choice for the TOWN OF AURORA.  This information needs to be laid out for the residents of the town detailing all costs (I'm told one councillor did a decent job of at least reminding us all that there is more to this than meets the eye.)  This is not about getting votes, not about appeasing a few loud residents.  We need a detailed report outlining all costs for both options.  This should be considering not only the current town but a projection for the town 20 years and even 50 years into the future. 

It would stand to reason that this logic should apply to any decisions council makes on our behalf.  It may well turn out that a park is the best option, but council has a tendency to back down to bully groups (ie the possible sale of GW Williams lands where a buyer was lined up, only to back down to the 'emotional' arguement when Wells street public school closed so as not to cause more upset.)  

You have been elected to represent this town as a whole, and while I am no friend of developers I want your assurance that our town will be maintaining its integrity (what is left of it.)  If there is to be no more building work then fine; but if there is then we need to start filling in the gaps. 

Flotsam

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Things may be changing":

Lesson to be learned for the future: If the neighbourhood needs a park why wasn't that part of the plan at the start for what the town & the developer would provide for the area. It will be either a school or a park - end of story. If a school goes in there is still grass, fields and a play area as it is needed for the school children. But having it left open that if more development could still occur this was simply misleading everyone in the first place or at least hiding that fact. Everyone has cookie cutter houses - the largest house on whatever sized lot with minimal backyards the size of a matchbox. And then the kids will be either playing on the streets, going a dozen blocks to another park or sitting at home on video games. 
*************

There's only one thing that could make you think  no planning goes into a subdivision before it's built.

It can take  a decade to get a plan on the ground.

We have engineers that examine grades.

Consultants reviewing a master recreation  plan  every five years.

We have Arborists. Landscapers.  Horticulturist , Forestry experts. And if we don't have we cin git it

Section 4.6 , page 34 of  the MasterRecreation plan deals with Outdoor  Recreation facilities .

It says; playgrounds should be considered  in newly developing or existing residential areas that offer access unobstructed by major barriers within an 800 metre radius.

There's a map on the same page showing the block under discussion has no gaps in  that requirement.
Unlike nearby neighborhoods which have several gaps.

I discovered  something else to-day. The Public School Board purchased the  high school in this block and had government approval for a new  high school to replace the current high school on Dunning Ave.

They chickened out in the face of pressure  organized by the former Mayor and other known characters and persons of interest.

They can sell it and make millions. It would serve our purpose beautifully for a community park It's the last site not slated for development

It sits idle and vacant.

They will not allow permit public use of land purchased with public funds.

*********************************

I had a phone call yesterday from a supporter. She urged me to support a more restrictive tree bylaw. She was in a hurry, so I barely got a word in edgewise.

A neighboring home had been sold.

The new owners promptly cut down four huge maples at the rear of the lot. Transformed  her view completely.

Nobody should be allowed to cut down a single tree  that size without a permit. she avowed. They don't allow it in Toronto.

They come from Woodbridge and they want to grow a vegetable garden, she said.

When I finally got to talk I said I hate the  tree bylaw. I think government intrudes  far too much into our lives.

A person who wants to grow  a vegetable garden loves nature as much as any tree hugger. And There's always a chance you'll get a share of  fresh fruit and vegetables because everything ripens at the same time.

A vegetable garden will not grow in the root space of mature trees and if some of it did, it will not ripen in the shade.

It especially chills my bones to think of someone like  Councillor Wendy Gaertner , whose main pre-occupation  seems to be how high can she can make the fine? Is $100,000 as high as we can go.

And the answer is "NO"

Councillor Gaertner is a vote to take away our liberty at any and every opportunity .

Think Abaht It

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "I WENT TO A GARDEN PARTY.....NOT":

& Communications couldn't be motivated to stream that meeting ? Obviously they didn't think there would be any interest. Like, duh !

**********

It was not a meeting of the Council.

The Councillor booked the Council Chamber for his own purpose.

The  user fee doesn't include streaming service.

Like why would taxpayers be expected to foot the bill for that?

Duh yourself
**************

 I have a ring side seat.  I say the Councillor continues to take orders from the deadly duo.  They can turn on him as easily as they have others.

 I also believe the election campaign started  at the same time as his letters to the editor.

****************

I went  over to Mavrinac and over to Borealis where the school  site is located. It's no mre than five minutes from the nearest park. It can't be twenty minutes closer to any residence than the nearest
park.

*************8

I went over to 33 Longthorpe Court. The trees are still there. While it was still light I had a better view.

They are exactly the same as the two trees planted on my front lot fifty-three years ago. Except mine are not maples.

The trees are too close to one another. About ten years or more since the tree nearest the road started to show signs of stress.

The buds burst  a week or more later in  Spring. The leaves fell a week or more earlier in Fall.

More branches were dead  and dying.

Neither tree  was in the best of health. But they continued to provide precious shade  and they balanced the gigantic spruce tree on the other corner of the front yard.

Finally I had to make the hard decision. If I cut down the one faring  most poorly , maybe the other one would have a better chance of flourishing in the next number of years.

It wasn't  noticeable. This week my son and daughter went to wrk removing dead parts of the second tree. What's left is a tall trunk with sparse foliage at the top.

I hope surgery will prove to be successful.

Things may be changing

Oh common Evelyn…You should know how it works now. Whoever claps the loudest or cries the loudest gets what they want. Don’t you know?…We’re a big corporation now It’s to improve the quality of life for "all" Aurorans. Just add it to the tax bill.…It’s only money. 

*************************

I would have agreed before  last night. 

Reaction  of  some Councillors was the norm.

How people in the neighborhood expressed themselves seemed to me to be a breakthrough.

If the land  had a huge price, of course they would not expect the town to pay they said.

The interest  of the larger community was acknowledged.

They want to be heard  but I believe they are also willing to listen.

The  Mayor  did not make the commitment, Councillors did.

I didn't hear Councillor Thompson . Councillors Pirri and Humfreys weren't at the meeting.

The former Mayor appeared to have the subdivision agreement or  part, to  suggest
there was no requirement for in-camera discussion.

The objective of course was to create  mistrust.

It was ever thus.
Convince  the  unwary of dirty deeds by others so that Phillydilly can ride to the rescue and save the day.

The Section of the agreement  not dwelt upon ,was the site  not chosen by the town for a neighborhood park.

 $2 million were taken from the developer  instead.

Former  Councillor MacEachern , Chair of  Leisure Services Advisory Committee consistently argued against neighborhood parks because of  cost of maintenance.

One  development in particular in the south east corner of town, a single street of homes . Less than fifty.

The Councillor argued it was acceptable for mothers with small children to cross Bayview or Leslie  at the traffic lights to reach a park.

The  facility recommended was a tot lot.

The Councillor argued against it. I  believe I won that vote.

The Mavrinac situation  is not clear yet.  Information is outstanding and steps  are needed .

Councillor  Gallo is an eager beaver

But I think the people in the neighborhood  are not unmindful of the interest of the town as a whole .
They don't  want to be  seen as nimbies . At the same time they do want  Council to know how they feel.

It's what most people would do in the circumstances.

I just hate to see that exploited  by cold -blooded unscrupulous individuals who care nothing about anybody but themselves.

And I think we have just taken a step forward

I WENT TO A GARDEN PARTY.....NOT

I  went to Councillor  Gallo's meeting in the Council Chamber.  A fair turnout.  All appear to be of the same mind. The town  should keep the site  no longer required for a school for a  park.

Councillor Gallo assured the audience he wants  that too.  It's  why he walked around,  hand-delivering his letter and organized the meeting.

Except for Councillor Pirri, all members of Council were present and were equally supportive

One other was there in  support of Councillor Gallo. The former Mayor.

The Councillor explained he could not talk about what  Council had talked about  in closed session.

The former Mayor, reading from a document , contended nothing  needed to be discussed in closed session.

 Terms from the  subdivision agreement were read.

That was the first round of applause.

I suggested  the information might be what they wanted to hear.

They didn't want to hear that.

In a reproving tone, I heard they didn't want the back and forth .  They found that tiresome.

That wasn't surprising. The pattern is well established.

The just want to be assured the town will ake into consideration

It's not hard to calculate what  people want to here.  Au contraire,  It's remarkably easy.

It's not hard to  figure what they don't want to hear.  That's equally easy.

In the cold hard world of reality ,it is sometimes hard to avoid  telling people things they don't want to hear.

In politics , it's best not to.  People don't get mad at you.  The sweet sound of applause is heard instead.

Councillor Gaertner  excitedly took  advantage  of warm and fuzzy to introduce  the former Mayor by title  with  a  glowing testimonial of how "she always fought for you"

The applause was  slightly tepid.

It was a moment of irony.

The former Mayor signed the subdivision agreement.

The site  was set aside  with three others for school sites.

No park site was required.

  $2 million dollars in lieu of a park was taken instead.

A  former Councillor  and chairman of the parks and recreation  advisory committee was on record as opposed  to neighborhood parks. Because they cost too much to maintain.

Land recommended for purchase,  for a community park , at raw land prices was rejected by the pair and their cohorts. Including  Gaertner and Gallo.

The neighbors are naturally not interested in history.

Nor are they suggesting the town pay tens of millions for the school site.

They just don't want more houses or more traffic . And they  want the site to become  a park.

Let Me Count The Ways

In Richmond Hill, there are parents of a family with a closing date for a new home  in Aurora.

In Aurora , there's a builder ready to meet a commitment to meet the closing date for  the home he built for the Richmond Hill family.

Also in Aurora , there's a team of professional staff who cannot authorize what is needed for
grading of the lot of the new home to be completed for occupancy by the closing date.

Also in Aurora as  a matter of the public record, eleven pages of legal  opinion from the town solicitor advises the political body they cannot withhold permission for that which is necessary  to allow grading  of the lot of the home built by the builder  to be ready for  the new  Aurora family on the date committed to close.

Of Aurora Council ,five members  steadfastly refused to accept  legal advice  from the town's solicitor.

Councillors John Abel , Sandra  Humfreys ,John Gallo, Wendy Gaertner and Chris  Ballard
voted to deny that which is necessary for the home to be completed  by the closing date.

At the behest of neighbors who believe their right is paramount to enjoy the sight of trees  bought and paid for  and  owned by a new neighbor , the five voted  together, to  a round of unneighborly applause .......

For a resolution to

SAVE THE TREES

The lot is currently being graded in accordance with approved grades, with three  trees standing on a mound twelve feet away from the house and the  walkout basement doors

Somebody should take a pictur.

What the

I wrote a post already  this morning. I went in later to correct errors. The post vanished before my very eyes,
My granddaughter tells me nothing is ever lost. It's just tucked  away somewhere, I don't want to write it again so It will have to wait till she comes home to help me find it.
Unless someone out there already has it printed ad can by the magic of modern technology flip it back to me.
It would be much appreciated.

A Little Information is a Dangerous Thing

E-mails are coming  in fast and furious , urging council to keep the vacant site on Mavrinac vacant,

The neighbors want a park on the site. It showed on the plan as a school site when they bought their homes.

Traffic is growing and they don't want any more houses.

Councillor Gallo's letter ,circulated throughout the neighborhood , gives scant information.

The site is owned by the developer, obligated to set it aside until  the schoolboard could decide .on the basis of school population ,whether it would be needed. 

Four sites were set aside for schools.  Three have been taken up. None for a park The Town took $2million instead. 

One of the sites is for a public high school. 

The value of the site reflects the number of lots that can  be created or the number of units if a town house application is made. 

The neighbors were not informed  about that. They  may not be in the mood to hear it . That would be part of the calculation when the letter was circulated before details could be released. 

The $2 million dollars the town took from the developer reflected the value of raw land, the  value when the developer was obliged to provide  land  for a park. 

More later.

When is a Secret Not a Secret

The subdivision agreement gives the town first right of refusal if a school board  has no need of a site
 set aside for a possible school.

The agreement is a public document.

For  the town to be considering first right of refusal means the school board has decided not to use the site. It must be a matter of public record.

That a decision  is pending can be deduced from that which is already  public. information.

In camera  meetings happen when the municipal interest  needs to be protected

Only  three aspects of  this issue are not  already public;  an acceptable price., the right purpose and the decision

I'm not sure why the asking price for the land should be the town's secret to keep.

Tenders are opened in public. Bids are analyzed  and listed in public. Recommndation  is submitted to Council and subject to debate;

I believe the decision to be made on the unneeded school site should debated and decided in public.

For that reason, Councillor Gallo's use of town stationery to  under-inform  a specific neighborhood    is of secondary importance.

The real question is when does the public officially get to hear about it?

Anothe Pot Boiler On The Way

I'm back. I need you to think about something.

Remembe the tumult a few weeks ago when Bell Telephone erected  a tower to better serve cell phones clients  in the neighbourhood.

It was in a field in King Township.

In contrast to wood poles and wires everywhereI  I found the white tripod  outlined against blue sky with white clouds scudding  about. neat  and appealing. If we must have modrn amenities and it seems we do , the simplicity of the tower is a vast impovement over what has beeen.

But some of the  nearest neighbours were furious. they had not een consulted.

 Despite assurance   the  Town had no authority in the matter of  a cell phones tower in a field in a neighboring muncicpality.

Despite that King Township had dome everything required under  Federal law and their own regulations.

The neighbors demanded the town spend whatever it  cost to file  an injunction to stop the erection of the Tower.

It was already up and running.

Then the fact a communication had gone out from the Town's planning department stating  the Town had mo comments was discovered.

We  had no comments.

Then the demand was  for a judicial inquiry to track down the villainous staff person who sent out the communication.

Notwithstanding that  judicial inquiries cost millions and would accomplish nothing useful, the  neighbors continued to insist.

The only thing sillier was the majority of Council  seriously considered the outrageous demand.

We  have a legal department consisting of two solicitors ,three law clerks and one other.

But Council authorized  an outside legal opinion about the logic  doing it.

It cost $9,000 of your hard-earned tax dollars.

The advice  confirmed what had been said already.

Spending massive amounts to challenge Bell's authority to do business would be utterly futile.

I  still find it mind-boggling.

But I have  another  reason  to ask you to think about it.

Supposing  a majority (there were some)  was in favour of an inquiry.

What would have been  the purpose.?

Find out who sent the e-mail stating the Town had no comment.

Then we would all know why Council could not acced to the neighbors demands.

We would have a fall guy.

What would they have done  then to satisfy the mob?

Now fast forward.

Why did staff  insist Council  had to make the decisions about the trees at 33 Longthorpe Crescent?

Do you begin to have a glimmer of undestanding  about how this Council functions ?

Even as we speak  syet another pot is being stirred in the north east of Town by Councillor Gallo.

A school site is being relinquished in a  new subdivision. The Town  has first right of refusal to buy the site. 

No park was required in the subdivision agreement. $2 million was extracted instead. 

Councillor Gallo has notified  the  neighborhood  the site  is available and invited their input. 

They want a park, tennis courts, ic surface or a  swimming pool on the site.

They think  it belongs to the town and  plans are to give it back to the developer.

Last Post of the Week-end

This  will be my last post this week-end.  My reservoir of good intent is at  low ebb. Hardly the right  mood for Thanksgiving week-end.

I  made a serious mistake.  

A particularly virulent  attack that made me come to grips with blog  being used in a way tI do not  use it, was published in error.

I apologize to the parties for that.

I spent  the morning writing  a response, documenting how a subdivision is planned, how park sites are chosen and why I did  not vote to spend millions on a  sliver of land in a completed subdivision.

The response received was brusque.  "send me your phone number."

It  prompted a memory of a situation  during the 2003/6 term of office,

An application was received for a parcel  on John West Way , designated for  multiple residential-institutional use .

The land had  sat vacant  long after the Town house neighborhood was complete. A change in use had already been processed to provide a buffer between the town houses  and  Bayview Avenue commercial use.

Residents  of town houses backing onto the land had enjoyed free use of the property. Some had  installed gates  from  rear yards.

Council  was lobbied for the town to purchase the multi-million dollar parcel for  a park. All kindsof nightmare  scenarios were  presented. An incinerator for body parts  and other unmentionables was
speculated. One resident claimed to have first-hand knowledge of the aawful consequences of approving the application.

John Gallo was spokesperson for the residents as President of the Ratepayers Association..

History repeats itself. Councillor Gallo has informed   neighbors of  a decision pertaining to a site for a school and  not required. The town has first right of refusal .

The matter was dealt with in camera in an abundance of caution .  It would have been better not. The community had no opportunity to hear the rational ,pro and con, for  the Council decision.

Residents  are now expressing their desire for the land to be purchased for  park.

A couple of weeks ago, I knew nothing about this site .  I received an  e-mail expressing serious concern about it being used as a dump.
"  Neighbors push wheel barrow loads of yard  and household waste down the street and dump it over the fence"  I was told.  The last straw was when an elderly woman carried an animal carcass down the street  in broad daylight and dumped  that over the fence as well.

The plea was for the town to do something about  the problem.

The town already had a file on the problem.

*****************

The last  comment I received  this morning was particularly obnoxious . It was in defense  of Council Gaertner. The  Councillor;s unfounded speculation  the builder of the house at 33  Longthorpe Court   had deliberately planned  the need to cut down the trees, was repeated .

As always I was  accused of being the true villain  of the piece and architect of  all  that's mean and spiteful  and  malfeasance into the bargain.

About the same time that Mr.  Gallo was petitioning Council to purchase land at a cost  of millions with potential for hundreds of thousands of dollars in  tax revenue, Councillor  Gaertner's
eligibility to retain her seat was less than certain.

The family home was sold. The clerk was having trouble making contact Phone calls to the Councillor's elderly parent's home in North York , answered in the Councillor's voice, denied her presence.  Finally an address in Aurora was  provided .

The Councillor was said to be renting a room in the home of a Council colleague.

When the family were re-united a new home was purchased in Aurora.

 Problem solved.

So, you know, like I said the other day, I have taken my share of drubbing.

I Still do.

But  even in the best of times, I will take only so much before I lobb some of it back.

Have a great  Thanksgiving everybody

An E-mail exchange

Below is my response to a resident's concern. I tried to put his e-mail first and my response to follow.

But it didn't work .

I don't know why

She swallowed a fly

Thank you for  taking the time to express your thoughts. 

There is information relevant to the issue.

First is the nature of a subdivision agreement:

School Boards and the municipality are required to indicate at the time of a development proposal whether sites for schools or a park will be required.In turn, the applicant is required to set aside whatever sites may be  indicated. 

Often it's many years before a subdivision  plan is complete. When  there is considerable development going on, the  need for a school in a particular area is not always clear. 

If  sites are not requested at the beginning of  the planning process, they cannot be obtained afterwards. 

This subdivision agreement called for the town to have first right of refusal if sites  chosen by the school boards are not required. 

The price at that point is no longer  for raw land .It's a reflection of all the costs of developing the subdivision; cost of your lot multiplied many times over. 

In this instance ,the town did not require a park site based on the Master Recreation Plan .

That's the document that supports the calculation for development charges.

It's a convoluted process .

Sometimes when I try to explain it I  can see the  eyes of the person I'm talking to  glaze over as they conclude I'm  giving them the run around. Nothing can be that complicated. Unfortunately for all of us, it is that complicated and worse.

Because we did not require a  park ,we took 2 million dollars in lieu instead.

The  town's need now is for  community park. It's a large parcel that will accommodate 

a variety of sports fields such as you mention and parking , servicing, toilets lighting nd all the other amenities you can imagine. 

The town, by law, only take  five percent of land for a park . It means a community park  designation will not come from any development currently designated. 

It follows if we are to provide such a facility,  a large parcel of land will have to be purchased. 

The site at Mavrinac is surrounded  by homes. 

Our regulations call for buffers to be established between homes and parks. By the time a buffer would be provided the site would  hardly accommodate  any of  the facilities  that interest you. 

The  price would be what it cost  to provide  roads and services , carrying charges for money and the years it took  for that   and all the professional services necessary to  complete the process.

Your home probably incurred  $100.000 in taxes even before it was built. 

The  market value assessment  to determine the level of property taxes  to be paid  to the corporation for your share of municipal  services  includes all those hidden taxes. 

You pay interest on the mortgage  you raised to pay the  hidden taxes. 

You pay taxes on taxes for as long as you own the home. 

You contributed to the $2 million dollars the town took in lieu of parks. 

And you still did not pay what it would cost to purchase that land for a small neighborhood park.

Council must make the decision to exercise the option or not. 

I  have voted no. 

I hope the above explanation helps to explain why.

You can't afford it and neither can I.

Evelyn Buck 

*******************

 Our family is has come to realize you are meeting to discuss the open lot on Mavrinac Blvd. (2B lands, block 208) in the coming weekWe are Aurora residents who live across from this lot .

 We wish to express our desire that the land become a park or other public space such as tennis courts, baseball diamond, outdoor rink or pool.  

We have two young daughters and believe that family amenities are badly needed in this area. 

Current parks are crowded and there is a lack of public space most notably tennis courts, baseball diamonds and pools (we come from an area that had all these amenities nearby). 

Further to this we would like to note that something should be done to calm traffic on this street rather than make it worst and we are hopeful that you will not allow development of townhouses on this land as it is already very densely developed and traffic is a concern especially with a 1 and 3 year old who plays outdoors often.

Thank you and looking forward to meeting you in person,

_____________________