CFN– Waterfront Committee member Roy Perkins (pictured above on right) has been caught lobbying hard for development of the city of Cornwall’s green space.
The question is how many people has he sent this email out to that we received this evening?
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
The meetings are scheduled Tuesday June 12, at 2 PM and then at 7 PM – moderated by one of the Mayor’s pals, Pat Finucan.
So what we have ladies & gents is a committee, hand picked by an elected municipal government; one that did not run on development of Lamoureux Park, and stacked with developers & stooges having a public consultation on a Tuesday to set the ball rolling on what they want; which according to Mr. Perkins letter states:
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.
Well who should have a say if not the tax payers of the city of Cornwall? While this committee is making its pitch for development where are presentations from those that maybe don’t have the same vision; or shock; even wish that no development occurs.
Hopefully by 9 AM Monday morning Mr. Perkins will have resigned from the committee.
This scribbler suggests that the meeting Tuesday be cancelled; that the committee be shut down and that a proper process and question be given to the public at the next Municipal election.
Something as important as the development of our green space should be an election issue.
You can post your comments below.
UPDATED 9:10 AM 11/06
I spoke with Lee Cassidy, Chair of the Committee who refused to give a comment for publication regarding Mr. Perkins letter.
Councilor Thibault; on the Waterfront Committee posted:
It’s time for all of you to voice your opinion on what we want for activities and development on our waterfront. The meeting is set for next Tuesday the 12th, from 2 -5pm and 7-9 pm and will set the tone for further discussion on how our City Council will manage our waterfront lands.
It’s time to find a balance and ensure that you, the younger as well as sen…ior generations have a say in what your waterfront should look like going forward…
Should the City 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”?
Should City create activity centers along the balance of our waterfront area?
Present and future taxpayers, it’s your waterfront Waterfront and getting your opinions is what will decide the future along the St Lawrence within this City. We ask you to provide Council with suggestions for improvements to the present waterfront plan.
As one of the members of Council, I need your advice……and it starts Tuesday June 12 from 2 – 5 pm and 6 – 9 pm
Salon B, Cornwall Civic Complex
100 Water StreetYou can get more info athttp://www.cornwall.ca/en/planningandpermits/waterfrontconsultation.asp and a survey on line will be available from the 13th to 29 of June at this site…
Hope you can make it to share your passion to help our City and Region continue to grow.
Note: Whether you are 14 or 94, we need your opinion. Please don’t let the few make the decisions for the many. It’s your Cornwall and Area…
Notice that Councilor Thibault did not offer the option of keeping the area as it is; ie; pushing the agenda of development?
(Comments and opinions of Editorials, Letters to the Editor, and comments from readers are purely their own and don’t necessarily reflect those of the owners of this site, their staff, or sponsors.)
Well i have to say this Roy perkins from experience because i worked for him years ago doing co-op at the store which he now owns is a low XXXX XXXXy sXXXXXg that doesnt care for anyone but himself all he wants to do is line his pockets with money thats y i make sure i buy all my lumber and stuff from homedepot. i would not give him my business. and i will certainly not give him the benefit of the doubt of letting him and the rest of that commitee destroy lamoureux park. Why doesnt the city just buy out all the dumps/welfare houses down near there all on water street through too belmont and develop all that. those dumps along water street are a freakin eye sore. if i ran this city i would have did that along time ago. (MODERATED FOR PROFANITY)
Mr.Magoo June 11, 2012 at 7:47 am
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Well, here we go, I always felt, this committee was only interested in one thing (condos) it appears that Mr. Perkins, owner of Perkins Home Care Centre is out to rally his buddies and force a major change in the Official Waterfront Plan.Under the letter of the LAW, they “must” old public consultations with the Public (unwashed) before they can start digging up the east parking lot of the Complex in Lamoureux Park, for their CONDO project . This is only step one !
Your last paragraph, Mr. Perkins is priceless “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.” Now, does the majority of people, just mean your buddies, or does it also include the normal folk, the unwashed ?
Mr. Perkins, do the honorable thing and resign, these Public meetings are now tainted IMO. Thank-you !
I can’t believe he’s that stupid. Perhaps tomorrow I will be able to deliver a “Holy Gilles Latour” in person. Perkins must resign! His cards have been shown.
He is now more tainted than he was before with his east end business associates. He bought controlling interest of his store from the previous owners for whom he worked as manager for years and who no doubt hold a mortgage on the property. One of these previous bosses happens to be on the Waterfront Committee and speaks french as well. And guess what he’s a builder. No french only hospital goons are gonna decide what to do with my parkland damnit. They will not put us towards that good night. They will not get off without a fight. Tuesday is our Independence Day. Now get off my fXXXXXg lawn!
MODERATED FOR PROFANITY
Listen, no matter how much people do not want this deveolped it’s going to happen anyway, far too many people are in this to make big bucks starting with the Mayor downwards. Perkins wants all this for his profit, where else will all the building material come from? Home Depot? I think not. Do you think he cares otherwise? He is all part of the Latour, Peters, Lecky, Kilger, Fitzpatrick click. Screw people over, lie cheat the taxpayer, their own family only for their own selfishness (and another photo opp of course). Council knows all full well this meeting was put together on a pointless basis. Perkins, not that it matters to you but you should be ashamed of yourself and people of Cornwall who do not want this done, teach this dick a lesson, shop at another store.
City BS I really think the core of this is process. It was not an election issue and something as major as this should be. Personally if there’s a ballot question and the taxpayers of Cornwall want development then that’s fine with me.
This let’s sneak a meeting on Tuesday and open Pandora’s box after playing funny monkeys with the committees kinda stinks. Some of these folks have to realize that they are there to serve the public;not abuse the public purse and it will take the public to put pressure on and make sure that happens.
I can not believe That Mr. Roy Perkins would be so dumb as to send that letter out outlining his business etc . I think his wife would be in order if she chose to give him a swift kick in the pants..
As a resident of Cornwall for the past 13 years, I have very much appreciated the beautiful waterfront of Lamoureux Park and the areas to the east and west of it.
Consequently, I will follow with keen interest the various proposals to “develop” the waterfront and plan to take time off from my self-employed work to attend the public hearings on June 12 from start to finish.
However, while I do have personal reservations about the impact of building a condominium on the city-owned car park to the east of the Aquatic Centre because, although it is physically a very small part of the overall economic equation, it would be a huge part of the aesthetic equation since it would block the beautiful view of the Saint Lawrence from the Aquatic Centre looking east (and this is the route I have been taking on foot to the waterfront for the last 10 years), I recognize that my interest in preserving this view is just a personal one, unless it is shared. At the same time, I also recognize that the development of some waterfront land, like the former Cotton Mills site, has enhanced the waterfront both economically and aesthetically.
On the other hand, as a former resident of Holmwood Avenue in Ottawa (next to Lansdowne Park), I have also been following with keen interest the protracted controversy over the development of that site that has cost literally millions of dollars in legal fees and generated community bitterness.
Similarly, for anyone who travels to Bermuda (which my wife and I did in 2009 and 2010), one of the countless beautiful sites on that island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is Hamilton Harbour. However, if you approach the harbour from the west these days, the view is blocked by a big office tower that was reportedly given an exemption from local land-use planning guidelines. Needless to say, there is nothing implicitly wrong with that, but the fact that the building is owned by a former Prime Minister did raise questions about the integrity of the process.
In the case of Cornwall, what I am most concerned about is the integrity of the waterfront development” process” and the community divisiveness it is already generating.
In Cornwall, as in other municipalities, it is important for the local government to earn the respect of the citizens for the integrity of its processes, not only for the sake of immediate concerns but also to restore people’s faith in the civil governance process. Unlike the federal and provincial levels of government, at the municipal level we vote for individuals and not for party members, even though some individual council members are clearly identified with political parties.
However, assuming that all these individuals have been elected by an honest voting process, the citizens should accept them as their fairly elected administrators and support their decisions, once duly arrived at. At the same time, the elected council members are assumed to act for the “common good,” and should therefore avoid any actions that might be interpreted as catering to their personal interests. And the same requirements would appear to apply the members of council committees.
In the case of waterfront development, it is important for all Cornwall residents to be adequately informed so that they can follow the “process” in as well informed a manner as possible so that in the end, we can all accept the outcome – as we do in any sports match that has been correctly refereed.
One thing that would be most helpful in the case of Cornwall waterfront development would be scale models and architect’s drawings of the various possibilities.
Neil Macmillan
It’s all about greed! Dirty, filthy greed! His wife’s kick should not be restricted to his hind area…..
Mr. MacMilllan who is formerly of Ottawa and myself know the problems with Holmwood Avenue and the people are mighty upset with the city of Ottawa about what they want to construct in that area. Cornwall has a beautiful waterfront indeed and these money grabbers just want to feather their pockets and destroy the beauty along the river. The park is for the people and not for condos. If you want condos build in the good taste like what Mr. Markell built on Water Street and build them there by taking down those ugly and delapidated houses and the welfare houses and build those things to your heart’s content.
As for high rise apartment buildings they are dangerous for elderly and for children. You build low rise which is a great deal safer. I live in a high rise and up here I hardly ever go out on the balcony – it is way too scary. These high rises are not healthy (thank God I just rent) and what a rent it is as well. These buildings destroy the view and put down the value of people’s homes. There are single homes below me (very nice ones) as well as town houses and this building along with others puts down the value, the view and privacy. YUCK! We lived here years ago and came back looking at nothing but places going up and blocking the views. Stop making Cornwall look like an eyesore. Thank you.
You’ll also note that Roy Perkins begged for the worst possible “improvement” plan for the Marleau and McConnell intersection in Cornwall, which will be wider, just as unnavigable, with an even more crazy S-turn, thanks to RONA hardware’s owners demanding to have vehicle traffic continue past their front door — and to accommodate a new commercial strip mall at the intersection of 9th and McConnell.
Just imagine the 14th St, Brookdale Avenue and Vincent Massey “fuster cluck” and that’s what we’re getting again.
Instead of going north of Marleau and linking up with 10th Street, or the old rail line, or even Oliver Lane — routes that by the way would not add to cogestion, or reduce pedestrian and bicycle lanes, or mean ripping down good housing, or take hospital land, or pave over the Hotel Dieu burial ground — yes instead of going the sensible route we are paying millions to serve our mayor’s “Friends and Family” plan.
why only one day of presentation and during a work day!..why not a Saturday also….gives a better balance to the at large opinions ..2 days of open meetings is not to much to ask for something as important as this…. leave the park alone.. don`t block off the natural light to the Aquatic centre at least..
Mr. Editor,
The purpose of this meeting, is for “Public Consultation” on the lands east of the Complex (parking lot) . The new & improved Waterfront Com., must perform this task, as the Waterfront Plan so stipulates. At any time, the Committee or the City changes anything that deviates from the Plan, they must hold this process. In two or three weeks from now, who is the responsible individual, that will be finalizing the results from these sessions ? Apparently, surveys are being passed out, questionnaires, people voicing their opinions etc, etc..! So, who, what group has been tasked with tabulating these results ? Surely, being it’s the Waterfront Com., that brought forward this ridiculous option (IMO), they hopefully will not be asked, to submit the final report & recommendations to Council . Transparency on this issue must be maintained, as the City’s credibillity is at stake .
Resign !
Holy Gilles Latour! I wonder if it was disclosed that the vice chair is the landlord of another committee members business?
Roy Perkins’ response will be “that’s okay, that’s okay” which really means, let them say what they want, I plan on getting my own way by hook or by crook!
This Perkins/Menard incestuous relationship should call for the entire committee and council to resign. Show up angry tomorrow night folks. I’m wearing a Benedictine Monk’s hair shirt to get ready.
Having just spent the last hour or so downloading the background information that can be accessed by clicking on the links shown in this article to the City of Cornwall Planning Division’s webpages. I feel that the Division should be warmly commended for providing for such transparent, comprehensive and generally helpful materials. I now feel much better prepared to attend tomorrow’s public consultation on waterfront development.
Well im glad someone agrees with me to tear down all the welfare houses along water street and the other areas house down near the water front
Coun. Glen Grant wanted to build the Benson Centre atop the Legion Park baseball diamonds. Guy Menard and Roy Perkins are employed in the development industry. And then there’s Coun. Thibault. Others have Le Village business interests. How did this fine group of environmentalists get on the waterfront committee in the first place? Our mayor needs to speak up as eight members of the former waterfront committee were kicked off on his watch.
Previous groups of this ilk have have tried to trick the Dominion Command of the Legion into over-riding the local interests in the baseball diamonds in midnight negotiations. I think the family that tried it last time, with assistance of beholden city council and staff, had a last name that begins with K. Like the Kaneb toxin dump the Committee is trying to build over.
They are trying to place the land in a position where development is it’s highest and best use. Its their highest and best use because they all make money from it somehow.
Or who makes money on it….and who pays….always follow the money.
Neil, I did what you have suggested .. my concerns are the “language” used in the city`s presentation of the waterfront.. the vocabulary is so vague and confusing . It does not appear to clarify the actual intentions of this “develepment” and clearly the Federally owned property is out of their reach!! the only swatch they have ownership of is the small spot of parking lot just east of Complex and south west of Curling CLub.. Its almost like the “Development” committee is intentionnally fogging the issue with niceties…
Mr. Perkins why are you not so vocal now?
Neil please do not be taken in by the city keep an open mind some of the city info is B S .
That “tax mahal” aka Benson Centre was illegally built since it was built on highly polluted land that was not cleaned up at all and this “tax eating structure” went up anyway with stolen money from Willy. I would never step one foot anywhere on that property under any circumstance. The mayor was talking about building on the former Courthaulds land for private homes and land that is polluted to the hilt. What kind of intelligence is that? The mayor should resign for good as well as this Perkins fellow and many others.
There is this nice elderly gentleman Pat Finnerty who said everything so well about Cornwall and about those who run the town. I think that it is about time that people got up and stood up for their rights and don’t be intimidated by any of these people. I have seen very powerful and influential people and not one of them are any better than anyone else – they just push their pocket book around that is all – otherwise they are as dumb and stupid as they come.
Those condos belong on Water Street and those streets inside that are an eyesore and a place of drugs and illegal cigarettes. That has to be all cleaned up including all of Cornwall. Here in Ottawa anybody wanting illegal cigs just go down to Cornwall as their first stop. Clean up Cornwall for heavens sake. I can’t wait to see the “drones” that the US is going to use all over the borders and yes including here in Canada.
Keep the waterfront beautiful. I am not a boater but I like to see the boats and the water and the plants since I love nature. We walk in a park everyday here in Ottawa whether rain, shine or snow we are out there walking and enjoy the beautiful nature.
People wake up and stand up for your rights. The mayor and his gang of thieves are destroying you all financially. You won’t be able to afford Cornwall if this keeps up and then where are you going to live? Think about it and go to the meetings and raise hell over their stupidities.
I was thinking of something funny and rediculous just now. If Perkins has too much lumber he can give it to the beavers to build another dam out of it. The beavers have a great deal more brains than any of these people and I can assure you all that it is the whole truth. Wake up people.
Hi, did anybody attend the afternoon session? I agree having one day of discussions is not enough. They are opening for more input starting on the 13th.
Some of the members are not the sharpest tools in the shed but i think their heart is in the right place.
I am fine with some development but I think it should be confined to around Bingley Steel. There should be no development east of the complex, don’t touch Marina 200.
I agree with people that commented saying the area just north of the waterfront needs to be cleaned up. Some of the people walking around look like Zombies. They are spaced out on something.
Like I said earlier, limit the development to around old Bingley Steel. Keep the building height to say four stories high so it doesn’t cast a huge shadow on surrounding area. Has anybody seen the 19 storey building that is going up on the waterfront in downtown Brockville. Way out of line for the city. Nothing wrong with some condos that will increase the tax base but don’t get too greedy. And keep the f****** e-bikes off the bike path. Nothing but a danger.
Jamie Great Job IN covering w/f meeting comments from st. Aubin sure upset Glen Grant isn’t that to bad I won’t be able to sleep tonight
Cornwall FREE NEWS, you are so dead on, I can’t believe that you have been in Cornwall for such little time and have unfold the Cornwall clickers….For those of you who do not know…..Well let’s start, Mayor Kilger, friends with Guy Menard and Family along with, Roy Perkins worked for years for the Menard’s and later purchases Family Business and becomes Rona’s. Roy Perkins good friends with Denis Thibault, who is good friends with Chielf Parkinson, Ron Chenier developer and Dick Markell from Bourgon Construction, . Gilles Latour a want to be and Bob Peters are Bob the Builder brown noses. Leigh Cassidy wonderful lady, excellent Rotarian, friends of all…..and could be easily manipulated Pat Finucan, other little pal. But wait, Terry Landon and Jamie Cameron, will they sell the land, buy the land, more of the circle of friends….Oh maybe we should hire a consultant for Fitzpatrick, to come up with a solution…Oh no that’s right they already know what is going to happen…..Sorry Cornwall, as long as we have Kilger, Fitzpatrick, Thibault, Carr, Samson, Clement at the helm we are in trouble…….and nothing will ever come that makes any sense….instead it will cost us many cents…… The worse thing that ever happened to Cornwall was to elect BOB KILGER….by the way, do you really know where our dear mayor lives most of the time…..yes OTTAWA, ON. He rents an apartment in Cornwall as he needs a Cornwall address in order to be mayor……
Yesterdays DEVOLOPMENT whops Water Front meetings MY O MY DID Susan Porier & others from that Base Ball group ever give the public & especially that devolopment whops (again) WATER Front Com an excellent talk to & if by chance that didn’t sink in I can only suggest that Roy & his friends are even thicker than many of us thought them to be It was a pleasure to see very responsible parents with the youngsters (our next generation) out clearly explaining them selves & leaving the clear message KEEP OFF OUR BALL FIELDS
What an excellent evening session it was, espeacially if you enjoy the lush greenery of our beloved Lamoureux Park ! The presence of the ball-players at the session, showed the importance of the LEGION PARK, to not only them, but to we adults. Actually, I must also add , they were extremely well behaved & polite, very nice to see.
In my humble opinion, the night belonged to Monsieu Etien. Saint-Aubin, for giving an incredible impassionate speech, where he very eloquently asked the Committe to resign ! OMG, the place erupted ! WOW……..
Time will tell, if they will resign, as IMO they have lost all credibility and are now, a lame duck committee !
As a previous writer stated, thank-you, Cornwall Free News
as you were the only media in Cornwall, to cover the meetings in their entirety. Maybe, the other medias, had to cover an important event, like a ribbon cutting, “dunno” ?
We cannot, let our guard down for two minutes on this issue, as they will be back !
Tonights Water front meeting no doubt will have many long faces after being very strongly rejected at two public meetings will any of them understand & perhaps resign? Conflict of interest was brought up to his credit by Dr. Dubec & it seems very clear that he got an ear full about that. Yet this group including two city councilors missed the point that conflict of interest includes into the future & yet they at public expense could have (Perhaps should have gotten a legal opinion ) on what constitutes a conflict of interest & if one exists re Roy perkins & Guy menard? Many persons in this city seem to believe one does exist.