CFN – Councilor Bernadette Clement was the lone voice Monday night in supporting the city acquiring the former tourism and exchange bureau near the corner of 9th and Brookdale.
I’ve written about this ideal property. Yes it can be used as a great location for Seaway Tourism, but as it was used before it can also be leased out partially for other services. In the past it was used to exchange currency. In other words this prime location can create revenue to offset costs.
The city report; which frankly is an embarrassment and arguments made by councilor Syd Gardiner show a complete and utter lack of vision and understanding.
What the boys at ED put in their report show why we need a house cleaning in that department. Mark Boileau & Bob Peters in many people’s opinion, including this writer, are costing the city of Cornwall and its taxpayers money and its future by the consistently visionless decisions they bring to a council that seem to have the vision that ends up buying swamp land over the internet.
It’s almost as though if we shuttered their department we’d be ahead by not having to pay for non-results!
The choice piece of property has been valued at $439 K – far less than say was spent on the Kilger scandal to date and a far better investment. It also doesn’t mean that the province would charge the city that amount. If requested the Province could give the property to the City of Cornwall for $1. Why the reticence to grab this prime piece of Real Estate? Of course the city will not answer that question. Frankly it’s getting harder and harder to get a straight answer out of city hall and that’s something all of Cornwall should be concerned about.
While the report goes on about a loss of $13K per year in “potential” tax revenue it doesn’t mention possible rental revenue and the fact that as an asset it would go up in value. For councilor Gardiner to suggest renting space in the former Winners that had Mould issues instead of owning a choice location is …..well I’ll let you dear viewer fill in that adjective.
With the crisis in Inter City transportation in Cornwall and the need to develop Tourism; something Linda Grant and Seaway Tourism have truly failed to do in spite of their large budget; Ms Clement was the lone voice sadly from a group of 11 eleven elected officials.
This truly will be another lost opportunity to fill a need; much like in a few years people will be lamenting the loss of the Cornwall General site as a community asset. The former Tourism Bureau was a lovely building in good condition. It’s a huge opportunity to showcase and offer services promoting the city and a great potential Inner and Inter City transportation hub.
This writer is not sure if Ms Clement was just politicking with her statement at council knowing that 9 others would not support the action. I’d like to give her the benefit of the doubt. Taurus people can be mighty stubborn once they get a bone in their mouths. Now it’s time to see if Ms Clement can make some magic happen or if it was just an excuse to wave her hands in the air a lot.
Jamie Gilcig – Editor – CFN
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1. Sources of foreign exchange earnings
Tourism industry is the main influential type of industry in the world. Cornwall -Ontario has also taken tourism industry as its major sector of income in the fiscal year 2013/14.
2. Employment Opportunities
Tourism industry is also one of the influential sectors. It generates employment opportunities. It provides employment to unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled manpower. Guide, load man etc are the personal or labor required in Tourism industry.
3. Sources of public as well as private income
Tourism industry is the source of income for both public also well as private sector government charges tax, sales tax, service tax etc. which is known as government revenue is the income of public. And handicraft, arts etc are the things that attract tourist and most of them buy them and the seller makers some profit which is called private income.
4. Cultural Exchange
Tourism industry facilities cultural exchange tourist carry over various cultural concepts of other city’s where they visit. Local people can learn their, art, skill, culture etc and vice versa.
5. Publicity of nation
Cornwall is a small city, difficult to be located in the world map. Tourism helps to publicize the city in different parts in the Canada and world. It helps to publicize, Cornwall art, skills tradition, cultural beauty and hospitality to the world.
6. Contributes to the Quality of Life
Concerts, sporting events, festivals and other special events all rely on visitors as well as residents to attend their events. Everyone receives an improved quality of life when visitor attendance helps bring bigger groups and better entertainment to our world-class facilities.
7. Is Critical to Cornwall’s Future Economic Vitality
In the 21st century, eight out of ten jobs will be in the service industry, which is why we focus on creating a vibrant economic machine that will help support this dynamic industry.
I didn’t know that the exchange building is empty and that building should be there for exchange and tourism. Like I have always said in the blogs that Bare Ass is only there for what goes into feathering his pocket and doesn’t give a rat’s behind for anything else.
Bare Ass and his filthy gang will bankrupt Cornwall at a blink of an eye and he doesn’t care at all about anybody. Bare Ass has to go including all the council that is there now. None of these {MODEDRATED} have any vision at all. Syd Gardner only knows how to destroy property and {MODERATED} before leaving. The same with the rest of them.
Jules…..shut the f— up!
They missed the bus on this one – so to speak. It would have been an ideal hub for the commuter buses, inter city buses and city buses.
Sorry but my tax dollars have been spent on more then enough for the next 10 years. All the building would have been was another hide out for employees to have hidden affairs, just like to old ethanol plant was on 10th street, right Fitzpatrick and Donna D?
Speaking of which I’ve been offered a photo of Mayor Kilger, Courtney May dining in Ottawa with Mr. Fitzpatrick & Donna.
And to think the good Mayor did not know a thing or try too cover anything up.
Geez, Admin. I hope you took the person up on their offer. You could not only post it, you could forward it to representing lawyers, the infamous Judith Allen who firmly believes that anyone who looked like Donna would not have anything to do with the chubby little man if she was in her right mind. Come on Jamie, help them out.
Pizoli it’s a bit like the infamous Rob Ford video. At first I was asked how much I’d pay for the photo and when I agreed to talk about dollars I was told that they would hold back as it was an “insurance policy” for them.
No Nuggett I will not shut the “f-up” – not at all. I voice my opinion just like the rest. Free Speech.
Keep going on Jules. He/she is just hyperventilating…..free speech….though somewhat crass.
Yes, Tourist Booth like before, along with an exchange house…perhaps Western Union Office and also can have an addition for bus services. All three would be viable and possible especially once the bridge is open as well as with industry or some types on the 9th Street and Cumberland property before Woodland Cemetery ‘enc-roaches’.
Thing is, the downtown mayor and councils strengths are just there, downtown. They want ALL traffic to flow ‘downtown’ not to 9th AND BROOKDALE DON’T YA KNOW. They are short sighted here.
Not a strong fan of liberal Clement, however, I think the city can gain tremendous value out of this site.
Gee, maybe one day a person will be able to buy toll-gate pass’s here too…as well as city bus passes, lottery tickets and a coke with a bag of chip. My, my my, the sky is the limit.
And all those taxes, whee whee whee all the way to the coffers.
Diddlyscwat I was in that area of Cornwall so many times and I never noticed about the exchange building no longer in use. That is something that should have remained if they want a bridge in Cornwall.
Brookdale is a lot more alive than the downtown and most people shop at Wal Mart and other stores nowadays. I sure do like what they did to Brookdale and many stores went up. The downtown core died and hasn’t been alive in many years like the 60’s and 70’s era and then no more. It is very sad to see that.
Bare Ass and is gang have no vision and that is the problem. A high rise building that they want to put in the downtown would be so noisy if they don’t put in something that is sound proof. With no balconies to the place it would be depressing – all shut in like a jail. Bare Ass only cares for what feathers his pockets and that is all he wants.
There is a computer store on Pitt Street at Second and the owner and his staff are nice people. We went there the odd time when we were in Cornwall.
When I was a child mom used to shop at Riley’s Bakery and I think that store is still there but of course not the same owners at all. I remember the old doughnut machine in the front making doughnuts and we would go in and purchase.
So many businesses that used to exist are gone now and all I have are the good memories.