Recent Cobourg political observations
Who the heck is Charles Wilson?
A couple of weeks ago Council approved the naming of one of the streets in the New Amhurst sub division to "The Charles Wilson Parkway". When it came up council watchers gasped, "Who's he?" relentless investigative journalism has revealed that the late Charles Wilson was once an owner of some of the land in that area. Just how well known an owner is in doubt as most old time Cobourgers call that piece of land "The Rogers' Farm" The problem for me is that a 'Parkway' denotes a higher municipal ranking than just a plain old road or street. For example we have the 'Paul Currelly Way' and 'DePalma Dr.' but past Mayors only get streets named after them. In this case we have elevated an unknown to the top of the naming game - strange.
More Harbour concessions?
This week at Council there will be a proposal to accept a building code agreement with the developer of the Harbourwalk condos. If you remember this guy got his limiting distance provisions and due diligence wrong when he designed the third phase of his condos on the lakefront. First he wanted to hang his balconies over the edge of the park, then he wants to use the Town parking lot and then he forgets about needing space on is property to park emergency trucks if needed. So what does he do? asks the Town for help so that he won't lose money. The Town will now grant an easement of 3 metres on the parkside so that he can meet the limiting distance provisions. I understand that there is money attached to this grant, but I bet it will be more advantageous to Mr Bowering than the Town. Let's see, 3 metres times the depth of the property times three storeys and one can see just how much money would have been lost if the Town had insisted that Mr Bowering do what any other private developer had to do - build on his own land. Oh I forgot to mention at the same meeting Mr Bowering will be getting an easement to overhang his balconies on the west side over the sidewalk - how much more money is he putting in his pocket with that one - 1.5 metres times the depth of the building times two storeys. I just hope that Elton John appreciates what the Town has done to help build his new home!
A couple of weeks ago Council approved the naming of one of the streets in the New Amhurst sub division to "The Charles Wilson Parkway". When it came up council watchers gasped, "Who's he?" relentless investigative journalism has revealed that the late Charles Wilson was once an owner of some of the land in that area. Just how well known an owner is in doubt as most old time Cobourgers call that piece of land "The Rogers' Farm" The problem for me is that a 'Parkway' denotes a higher municipal ranking than just a plain old road or street. For example we have the 'Paul Currelly Way' and 'DePalma Dr.' but past Mayors only get streets named after them. In this case we have elevated an unknown to the top of the naming game - strange.
More Harbour concessions?
This week at Council there will be a proposal to accept a building code agreement with the developer of the Harbourwalk condos. If you remember this guy got his limiting distance provisions and due diligence wrong when he designed the third phase of his condos on the lakefront. First he wanted to hang his balconies over the edge of the park, then he wants to use the Town parking lot and then he forgets about needing space on is property to park emergency trucks if needed. So what does he do? asks the Town for help so that he won't lose money. The Town will now grant an easement of 3 metres on the parkside so that he can meet the limiting distance provisions. I understand that there is money attached to this grant, but I bet it will be more advantageous to Mr Bowering than the Town. Let's see, 3 metres times the depth of the property times three storeys and one can see just how much money would have been lost if the Town had insisted that Mr Bowering do what any other private developer had to do - build on his own land. Oh I forgot to mention at the same meeting Mr Bowering will be getting an easement to overhang his balconies on the west side over the sidewalk - how much more money is he putting in his pocket with that one - 1.5 metres times the depth of the building times two storeys. I just hope that Elton John appreciates what the Town has done to help build his new home!
3 comments:
Yo Ben. I've tracked you down again via your blog. I've got one myself - http://harperduffy.blogspot.com. How's life? Still stirring, I see.
Regards
Michael
Thanks for the comment Mike, for the benefit of the readers this fine fellow went to school with me and now lives in Australia - the power of the Internet!!
Although it has been many years since this posting..
http://www.cobourghistory.ca/plane1.htm
According to the director at my grandmothers funeral.. he never saw a longer line in his entire career then at my grandfathers funeral. He did not just own the land he did many things for Cobourg, Port Hope and eventually Garden Hill.
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