Tuesday, May 27, 2014

YOU CAN EXHALE NOW, THE TOADS ARE BACK.

The Bay Beach Properties (at least the south portion) are safe from sale or development until at least after the Municipal Election on October 27.


That is thanks to a bold move by four councillors on Fort Erie Town Council on Monday, May 26, 2014.

They used their power to push through a motion that protects our public beachfront property. Don Lubberts brought forth the motion:

  
THAT: No further consideration shall be given to a possible private residential development on the Bay Beach uplands located on the south side of Erie Road, and further

THAT: The Bay Beach uplands located on the south side of Erie Road shall no longer be marketed for sale. 

(Carried with Steckley, Hill, Lubberts and Collard voting in favour)

The built up to the vote was the best part of the evening for those of us who sat through years of being ignored by town council over the fate of the Bay Beach Properties. The audio is available now on the town website. It's short, so enjoy listening to Martin bluster and Passero doing his best Eddie Haskell impersonation.

As if they knew it was now safe on Bay Beach, the Fowler's Toads have reappeared!  About fifty toads were spotted along Bay Beach and toad tracks were seen at the public beach. While others make fun of our concern over the Fowler's Toads, they may not be aware that the endangered species acts as a indicator of a beach's overall general health.  It is very important that the Fowler's Toads are allowed to flourish and share the beach with us. They were in great danger if the Molinaro Project was to continue. Their natural habitat at Bay Beach would have been destroyed during the construction. The MNR did sign off by allowing the plan to include a Toad Habitat on the property, but most believe that would have not worked.

So, the toads and the people will have the run of the public beach, thanks to the courage of the four councillors. Brave, because they have endured almost savage attacks since they were clearly elected in the election of 2010.  Compliance audits, conflict of interest lawsuits, bad press, stalking, phony police reports, and the venal ministrations of a group of sore losers from the north end of town have been done to thwart the four from doing what they were elected to do: represent the people whose voices were ignored by the previous council.

MORE GOOD NEWS:  The Molinaro Billboard sign at Bay Beach has come down and the sales trailer will be removed, according to CAO Tom Kuchyt, by June 14.

The voters need to show their gratitude to them for the saving of our public beachfront property on October 27.

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