For Growth, the Sky’s the Limit in BWG
For Current Residents, there Is Just No Money
By Meade Helman AWARE News Network October 18 2012
1. At the Oct 16 meeting of Bradford West Gwillimbury council, the consultant’s report, which had been endorsed by the Alt Transportation Committee and staff was presented. Council voted 6 to 2 to defer the report to the budget process and to not endorse the proposal.
Councillors Hordyk, Crake, Dykie, Simpson, Sandu, and Mayor White voted for the deferral.
Councillor Leduc and Deputy Mayor Keffer voted against the deferral.
Councillor Lamb abstained due to a conflict of interest.
Mayor White recommended cutting the minimal plan down to an occasional bus along Holland Ave. He said that if people wanted to take the bus they could walk to Holland Street. Councillor Crake said that people aren’t going to wait for a bus, they will just get in a car and go. Councillor Hordyk said that we should just run a school bus up and down Holland Street to see if transit worked. All three talked about tax increases to get transit.
Editorial Comment: Why is it whenever issues like transit, or upkeep of rural roads, or heritage come up, council talks about no money and having to increase taxes. But when it is a matter of building a facility like a library or rec centre sized to accommodate the projected population 20 years from now: or tearing down a community pool; or building a freeway interchange; there is lots of money? When the town overspent the Dissette project by $17 mil it was written off as “lessons learned,” move on. But the overage would have paid for 68 years of the transit, based on the projected budget. My opinion is that our council is overly concerned about growth and not concerned at all about the folks paying the bills today.
2. Council also had a presentation on waste from the county. Big changes coming in April, more special pickups and changes in routes. Compressed Natural Gas Trucks are coming with less noise and pollution.
3. A housekeeping bylaw was presented to clean up and clarify the 2010 Zoning Act.
4. Motion to eliminate one parking space on Barrie St. at John rather than eliminating all three. No discussion of traffic control devices to control traffic flow. Once the new parking lot is in place pedestrian traffic crossing should increase dramatically.
Editorial Comment: There appears to be little concern about the fronting business and no concern for pedestrian convenience and safety. Again council seems to be out of touch with needs of the community.
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