Monday, September 22, 2014

WHAT ME WORRY?

ATTENTION:  Certain blog posts containing scans of court documents have been removed from this blog as per a decision by the court reporter. This would not have been an issue if not for the actions of another blog in publishing confidential material.  This is ongoing.  

Now back to the regular rant:

One of this blog's regular contributors, Corruption Fighter said the following:

"Not to down play the serious threat this letter presents to 1 of the few people here with the guts to speak out , Sharon Bowers"

I feel that I have to set the record straight. I am not brave, nor do I really want the attention.  If anything, I want to live in quiet and peace. I am a writer,  no longer a political activist. Or so I thought.

I became involved in community organizations in my adopted home town, hoping that Crystal Beach would make a come-back from near death after the amusement park closed.  The arrival of the prestigious C.A.U.S.E. group to study Crystal Beach gave many of us great hope for its future.  The recommendations of the group became a blueprint for those working to bring the village back from blight and abandonment.  That was in 1996.

In 2001, the town purchased the Bay Beach Properties from the Rebstock Family, a recommendation of the C.A.U.S.E. study. Many of us were elated that a large piece of waterfront property and parking lots would belong to the public.

Within a year, came the staff suggestion that the north section, which included the parking lots, be sold off to help finance a portion of the Friendship Trail.  That's when I started The Strand. I wanted to inform people of the potential loss of a valuable part of the public property. The CAUSE recommendations did include the purchase of the Bay Beach Properties, but it recommended that the north section be sold off only to enable the purchase of more waterfront property in Crystal Beach. As someone who had participated in the study and practically memorized it, I was concerned that the town would sell the property and we would gain nothing for it.  

So, we worked to stop the selling off of the north properties. A petition went nowhere but the 2003 election brought the issue to the fore and a new councillor was elected on the promise that he would not let the property be sold.  And it wasn't.  The award-winning 2005 Crystal Beach Neighbourhood Plan was accepted by council and it contained clauses about the maximum building height and the retention of the north side of the Bay Beach Properties. We all took a collective sigh of relief and I went on with my life, putting the Strand and blog away for a while, 

In 2006, Doug Martin was elected mayor and some new faces appeared at council.  Didn't pay much attention until Rino Mostacci, the town planner at the time, offered the suggestion that the south (lakefront) side of the Bay Beach Properties be offered up for a Public Private Partnership (P3) in order to take advantage of amenities offered in such a scheme.  Not only are P3s expensive to the communities where they have been used, the chosen developer wanted to put two 12 story high rises on the public property in front of the public beach.

And now you know why I came out of semi-retirement and went full bore against Mostacci and everyone who supported the project. Many others took up the fight, right to the point where they realized that there needed to be a change at council because the then council ignored the petitions, pleas and delegations that came before it.  Thus, in 2010 the voters selected four councillors who were not in lock step with the town planner, the mayor and even the former Ward 5 councillor who betrayed the people's trust with lies and self-interest.

The four brave councillors have weathered numerous attacks, lawsuits and a slanted local press. 

Why is that?  I think we know.  

There is a lot at stake in this election. It boils down to the average taxpayer vs. the "establishment" which has been running this town for decades through puppet candidates and nepotism.

The record is available to peruse on the town's website. What was accomplished in the last four years. It is impressive, especially the lowest tax increase in almost a decade.  That's what the voters should be concerned with: their taxes and the services they pay for through their taxes.  

It's not about one blog vs. another.  

13 comments:

  1. "It's not about one blog vs. another"
    EXACTLY!!!
    Which is why the untruthful, vicious attacks from functioning illiterates and half assed computer teenybops need to be attributed directly back to the people that encourage and finance their actions.

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  2. How come we don't hear from Marcia Carlyn anymore?

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    Replies
    1. Do you miss her? She is alive and well. She spends a great deal of time in Crystal Beach. I'll tell her you were wondering how she was.

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  3. Whatever happened, the proposed development at Bay Beach didnt "move forward" as they say in Real Estate speak. What was done worked in favor of common sense. Its possible big things could be in the works but not likely on the lakeshore. Now our attention turns to the racetrack lands in the hands of people with no shyness regarding their plans to build something to get a solid return (again in Real Estate speak) on their "investment". Maybe a partnership with a group like the Mollys of Oakville. No problem. Make it a group of buildings with what should be a view of the horse track. One of the buyers mentioned Darian Lake as an example of money getting a little too far out of town, and we should do somthing about it. What a great idea. Think big, and bigger if need be. What a bunch of nonsense having to oppose using beach front for easy money. It was great to see people coming together to define common sense. Do you see any opposition to development on the private track lands?? No. Because that is how business is done. Next, a marina similar to Sugar in Port...?? Who knows.

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    1. The racetrack lands would be a perfect place for major development. I doubt that anyone would object to a well-thought-out plan for the property. Those of us who opposed the one high rise development on public waterfront land have been unfairly referred to as being anti-development. What was so frustrating is that we were called anti-development and no one at town hall would listen to the many people who came out against the giving away of our public lands. That is why the four were elected. They listened.

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  4. aka ol boys club

    aka Chamber of Commerce / EDTC

    aka unofficial political party

    aka the establishment

    aka FE's ruling elite

    aka insiders.......whatever you want to call them, that is exactly right Madam Editor, this election is critical as it is about the vast majority of people here, many politically unaware or only believing what has often been contorted by the local press.....that WE TAKE BACK OUR TOWN FOR OURSELVES and not a few insiders.

    Keep the good work of the FOUR moving forward people or return to old time local politics where if you didn't play on the same hockey team and buy the right people drinks, you're out.

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  5. You guys are really starting to act very strangely. Who cares what the other blog says? Why should we be even dwelling on a codo project that was defeated by a duly elected council? I would love to hear some positive suggestions { NOT ALL CRYSTAL BEACH RELATED) that may benefit THE TOWN OF FORT ERIE as a whole. The divisiveness needs to end or we will all be worse of. And CB may be worse off than the rest of the town. Anyone seen some type of invasion of Bay beach, our Town Public Beach by people from Brampton, especially on Sundays? By the bus loads? Really Just hearing from some regular Beach goers. Any trith to this or are the three people who told me that they do not feel comfortable on THEIR beach wrong? Should we have a residency requirement to use our beach ? Why is there no complaints from the locals? As fpr the election. almost any one but Ms. NO YES should be able to take over and run the Municipality as a whole, not as only CB..

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    Replies
    1. I take it you haven't yet read the report, prepared by staff, on the accomplishments of this council. Perhaps you might start there and then offer your criticisms. I want people to understand just how frustrating it was for the people who opposed the Bay Beach Project. No one listened and they were repeatedly lied to and mis-characterized by councillors and the local media. Thus the 2010 election results. As far as beach attendance goes, perhaps those figures should be put up against the attendance figures of the taxpayer money supported Fort Erie Race Track. As far as busloads on Sundays, the local transit doesn't even run on Sundays and holidays. Maybe something for the next council to tackle.

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    2. BG B;
      It's a Public Beach. I thought that was what the fight was all about over all these years? Or are looking for a Public Beach that is public for people YOU decide should be permitted to use it?

      And you talk about "divisiveness"?

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  6. This election results will certainly have an impact on the public Bay Beach waterfront. It is still zoned for a 12 storey building. The majority of this council took the lands off the market, doesn't mean it will stay off the market if the wrong candidates get elected.
    Again we in Crystal Beach are NOT against development, just on our public beachfront. We have to keep saying this because the mayor tells everyone the opposite. The idea behind propaganda is that if you say it enough times, people will believe it.

    Please listen to the candidates and make an informed vote.

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  7. I hope that wasnt a little wiff of racism by BG G regarding Sunday visitors to the beach from "Brampton". Uncomfortable on "our" beach?? I know people might look different than some. We really dont need to throw that into the mix. By the busloads? What busses? A few years ago asian fishermen were being attacked in Dunnville and Port Maitland. There were criminal charges laid. We felt ashamed it could come to that.

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  8. Could that be BG G as in BiGGot?? Maybe their Freudian slip is showing.

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    1. OK. Enough with the finger pointing. I remember a time when people were afraid of Blah People (™Rick Santorum) who visited the amusement park. They too came on buses. If people are afraid of people enjoying our great public beach, then the problem lies with those who fear. Get over it, already. The world is changing.

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