Should there be a Moratorium on Waterfront Development in Cornwall Ontario until the next Municipal Election?

CFN – Awesome picture!   Look at that big green swath of waterfront in Cornwall Ontario.  Pretty amazing.

However a group of developers and politicians are hungering over it.   Heck there are even taxpayers in Cornwall who feel that it should be developed.

There of course those who don’t feel this patch of Green should be attacked.

The Waterfront is brewing to be a major storm of contention in Cornwall Ontario.

The current drama emanates from the City turfing many of the members of the Waterfront Development Committee  at the last election and replacing them with developers and noted stooge types.

None of the current councilors or Mayor Kilger ran on a platform of Waterfront development.   Barely a word was spoken during the election including Councilor Thibault who seems to be spear heading some of the intiatives.

In the video above Mr. Menard talks about what’s presented to the public, but what about interested public groups having their say too?

The issue many are having is the process.   This is an open discussion.  This essentially is a group looking for public sanction.

The above video includes Greg Kielec of The Journal asking the money question:

Is this committee too pro development?

Mr. Menard answers clearly.

Council chooses the Waterfront Committee.

That begs the follow up question which is why council turfed those who were against development in favor of developers?

Cornwall has one shot at developing its waterfront, if the taxpayers of Cornwall choose to do so.  Should a quickie public consult open those doors?

Currently we have a shopping centre with its back end facing the waterfront that literally divides traffic from Pitt Street to the Waterfront to the point that the DBIA and many businesses do not benefit from events like Kinsmen Cornwall Lift Off, Waterfest, etc.

The poor planning that allowed the design of Cornwall Square is something that the community has paid for for decades.

Can the City of Cornwall afford such a poorly designed project in Lamoureux Park or anywhere along our downtown Green Belt?

CFN has sent an open letter to the City and Council which we’ll be publishing once they have a day to digest it and respond if they choose.

Essentially we are asking that the City immediately announce a moratorium on Waterfront development of public lands in Cornwall until  there is a ballot question in the next municipal elections.   The only people who should have a say in development are the ones that gain and lose from those decisions.

Can we afford another Lecky Dome where a business owner campaigns for a large project only to build a near million dollar property outside the city limits so that his family won’t have to pay taxes towards that project?  And that his kids don’t pay a tariff for using it as non-residents after his co-campaigner supported not charging out of town residents a surcharge at the facility?

Methinks not.    You can post your comment below.

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8 Comments

  1. Your idea about a ballot question in the next city election is a great one and a breath of fresh air. I’m involved with the federal Conservative Party and in August about 6 years ago every Tory Member of Parliament came here for a weekend meeting and stayed at Navcanada. I chatted with many during a barbecue at the Ramada Inn and a Navcanada reception and these Canadians from coast to coast raved about the beauty of Cornwall’s waterfront and green spaces. But developers and their kind smell a payday and all ratepayers and residents must be vigilant.

  2. That’s horrible about the Lecky Dome and spiffy new house outside city limits. Any non-residents of Cornwall should pay an extra fee to use our recreational facilities and especially Benson Centre. The Mohawks of Akwesasne are unique and should pay city resident fees, since we took so much from them.

  3. Mr.Editor,

    A moratorium is a terrific idea ! Then, the next municipal election would force the candidates to declare their “DEFINITE” position on lets say, building in the Park ! What an election that would be ! Then you would have , well, what would the question be on the ballot, most people, that I’ve chatted with, feel that no condos in Lamoureux Park is a reasonable position, which i agree.
    The other matter of the Committee, they sure appear to be controversial. PUT IT ON THE BALLOT !

  4. OK, cough it up Jamie, why the notation on the Glen Grant video “this video is private” ? I’m sitting here with baited breath !
    Ya can’t leave me like this ? I have the power to have you cut off , from your iced latte’s ! lol Answers, answers……..

  5. The private properties’ value that are adjacent to the existing waterfront public park land is not great enough to warrant the development of waterfront public park land. That is not to say that the private properties are of little value, but rather that the value of the waterfront land is immeasurable to the citizens of Cornwall ad infinitum.

  6. What scares the HXXX out of me is the possibility of the Govt. releasing land to the City while this water front dev. group still remain in power.I am therefore in full agreement to a moratorium until the next election at least that would stop this 2011 water front dev group from ruining our Beautiful Waterfront. This would also get any Fence Sitters to show their true colours instead of telling people just what they might want to hear.

  7. THANK-YOU ROY PERKINS,

    THIS JUST ABOUT SUMS IT UP !

    Judging from your last paragraph, your concept or idea of activity in LAMOUREUX PARK revolves around condos ?

    ——————————————————————————–

    From: “Roy & Muriel Perkins”

    Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2012 08:26:53 -0400

    To: Roy Perkins \(Work\)

    Subject: City of Cornwall Waterfront Development Meeting Tuesday June 12, Cornwall Civic Complex

    http://www.cornwall.ca/en/planningandpermits/waterfrontconsultation.asp

    The link for the meeting information is above……

    Invitation to attend

    Hello to all, it’s time for all of us to voice our opinion on what we want for activities and development on our waterfront. The meeting set to next Tuesday the 12th, at 2 pm and 7 pm will set the tone for further discussion on how our City Council will decide on how to manage our waterfront land.

    To me it’s time to find a balance, keep Lamoureux Park west of the Civic Complex and east of the Rotary Eco Garden (app 40 Acres) as it is “Green Space, Public Space” and create activity centers with rest of our waterfront area. Activities like, housing, retail space, water activities, a hub of activity for all of us to enjoy and help our City and Region get to the next level.

    Although the meeting Tuesday night will have a strong focus on land east of the Civic Complex, it’s step one in getting the Waterfront opportunities front and center.

    To me it’s time for some real change on the Waterfront. A new direction needs to be taken on our biggest asset……and it starts Tuesday June 12.

    Hope you can make it to share your passion on helping our City grow.

    Note: You can be sure the people who want to keep the waterfront as it is will be in attendance, to me it’s time for the

    majority of people who want more activity on the waterfront to have a say.

    Roy

    _________________________________
    Roy Perkins, Owner/Manager
    Perkins Home Centre Ltd.
    Operating as: RONA (Cornwall), and Kitchen & Bath Studio
    1100 Marleau Ave, Suite 100, Cornwall, ON, K6H2W8
    Tel: 613-938-3300…..Cell 613-551-0524
    Direct Line: 613-938-3349, x102, Fax: 613-938-9693

  8. There now you have it , they destroyed the east end so there buddies could walk in and buy it up cheap . They still want it on the waterfront just in the east end , how convient these gifts for there friends .You should do an article on the new condos on McConnell see how happy they are being there. Ask them if they walk around at night on the beautiful downtown area. Condos are Gifts!

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