CORNWALL Ontario – Sometimes in life you make a mistake. Sometimes you can even be right and make a mistake.
I don’t think too many are disputing the by laws of the City of Cornwall; but an awful lot of folks will be disputing the interpretation and application of those laws by supporting the Vincent family and their charming ice rink on Monaco Crescent in Cornwall (Yes other media outlet, that’s how you spell Monaco).
This writer feels that the Vincent family should be invited to the next Council meeting to sign the city book and be honoured for their contribution to the city. I know other people have family and community rinks, and others volunteer on city rinks, but to stand up to the utter ridiculousness of this situation surely deserves a nod in this day of cow towing to petty bureaucratic officials and strange neighbors with City Hall pull.
The rally, organized by supporters of the rink takes place at 1 PM at 6 Monaco Crescent. Bring some extra hot cocoa!
There have been a few facebook pages created for the event and of course you can still sign our petition and vote in our poll.
This has been one of the rare times that this community in its own funky way has pulled together. Yes there have been some notable exceptions, mostly from the old Kilger clique, but for the most part people have put aside most of their pettiness and worked together as can be noted by our goal of 1,000 signatures in our petition before Christmas being smashed in spite of other media not sharing it or seeing many community leaders sign it.
Frankly it’s time for calmer saner minds to prevail and for Mayor O’Shaughnessy and his council to do the right thing even if it means eating a little humble pie. (Which it does after the National embarrassment their actions have caused)
We don’t need replacement stakes or a replacement wall. We need to have a withdrawal of the work order and an investigation into the complaint, the by law, the interpretation of the by law, and exploration of this situation which should take us through the end of this winter. Also an appeal to the Committee of Adjustment should be in order and also result in enough time to finish the season. (Which I’m surprised nobody has mentioned previously)
I hope this rink is here to stay and will be back in the exact same spot next year, and for years after.
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CFN as part of our community support also do online petitions.
Please consider signing the one to keep the rink alive below.
(signatures appear after cache clears)
[emailpetition id=”13″]
[signaturelist id=”13″]
What a pickle….Jamie… this is not a matter for the committee of adjustment..as it’s not a zoning infraction. The rink is partially located on City lands, it doesn’t comply with the City’s streets by law, you cannot make an application to the committee of adjustment for these types of infractions.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
I agree with David.. as much as I singed the Petition I do not know how much good anyone can do as it is partially located on city property and that is why I think it is wrong..It is too bad I really wish the Vincent family would have thought it out thoroughly and got permission first not cry victim when they did not do that…
As they say “Ignorantia juris non excusat” or “ignorance of the law excuses no one.” While I’d like to see the rink stay I think they are in a tough spot.
The real bad people in all this is Mr. Houle and how he went about what he did, he called our past pathetic councillor Glen Grant who in turn contacted his buddy at City Hall. If Mr. Grant would for once, just once shut his trap….None of this was called for…I will never make another stop at the gas station on Vincent Massey Drive if my life depended on it and others should show Mr. Houle exactly what we mean by being upset and do the same.
Yesterday I brought up important points and Jamie didn’t post them. If someone gets hurt on the Vincent’s property they would be sued including to their underwear. Another thing is that the rink is partially on public land. You only have 10 feet or so from the foundation of your house that is in your name and the rest is city property. Yes you are responsible to cut the grass on that property and if you don’t the city will cut it and fine you for it. You have no rights at all like my friend George Carlin would say you are granted only privileges.
As for Aurèle Houle is concerned this man has privileges as well to come home and be quiet. Yes he and his wife may be the Gladys Cravitz of Monico Crescent but in a way you cannot blame them. I signed the petition and yes I am 100% behind kids having fun and good air and exercise and it is healthier than being in a polluted indoors and I wish that there were outdoor rinks maintained by the city.
Mayor Leslie inherited terrible debts and I said that before he came in as mayor that whoever gets in has to have their pencils well sharpened for vast cuts that will hurt the people. If we had a lot of snow this year God help everyone because there would not be enough money in the kitty to remove it. What then call in the army like what former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman did. The people of Cornwall brought it on themselves of letting that cursed albatross that they cannot afford The Benson Centre to be erected. Someone or some people are mighty brainless to the core. As for Glen Grant this man is something else and should be run out of town.
Jules…the Benson Centre is being paid for by interest earned by some of the city’s investments. It is far better to have the Benson Centre than to be paying for renovations and upkeep on the outdated Si Miller and Bob Turner arenas.
Hugger Cornwall’s interests – oh yes doesn’t Willie Wise come to mind about Cornwall’s interests about the money that he stole and purchased the Domtar property. That is Cornwall’s vast interest alright – theft, fraud and lies. I would never support something built on those things. I understand about fixing up the Si Miller and that was finished even when I was a teenager but the Bob Turner was not that old built in 59 and things could have been refurbished.
The Bob Turner arena was full of asbestos and in dire need of repairs that would have cost major $$ to bring it up to code due to years of neglect. The best thing was to tear it down.
Paris Holdings own the Domtar property, not William Wise, and is in the process of remediating the land.
Even though Paris Holdings was at one point owned (partially) by Trenholm Eric Healy, a friend of Willie Wise. I can’t seem to find who owns Paris Holdings now.