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!

Another view on the terrorists

As usual the latest crisis has prompted the brain cells to form an opinion about it. So here it is: I think that the RCMP and CSIS have been trolling the chat rooms for too long. They came across a bunch of fundamentalist whackos and then proceeded to induce them to do something "illegal", like buying 3 tons of fertilizer (which is a legal product to buy). As Wesley Wark commented a day or so later about this thought "Wait until they get in court and let's see the evidence, if all they have is a transcript of a chat room it will be tough to prove intent!"
Meanwhile the right wing press are going nuts and want to hang them all, the Harpercrites are reaping political hay and civil libertarians are as mad as hell. Give it time and hopefully the courts will do the right thing: that is assume they are innocent until proven guilty and base their decisions on the law. Of course this will drive the right wingnuts into fits of anger.

World Cup 2006

"SInce when do you watch soccer?" asked the love of my life. "It's football and once every four years!"
The world cup has come around again and it's great fun. England's fans, long suffering optimists that they are, will hope against all odds that they can win, Italians will push their team ahead despite the lack of previous soccer success and the Brazilian fans will shout and squeal with unrestrained confidence, after all they are the world champions. But as usual there will be one team without a chance that will quickly become the fan favourite because everybody loves an underdog. I think we saw that team yesterday - the Trinidad and Tobago team. Great effort against Sweden even when losing their 'keeper and going down to ten men. The draw that was well deserved was as good as a win.

Is this our Pamela Jackson?

A letter to the Toronto Star, published on Saturday shows that a person called Pamela Jackson has an opinion about the TTC. If it is the same person who is a local councillor it is a much greater pity that she comments on a Toronto problem and says absolutely nothing about the biggest Cobourg issue to date - the Seniors Centre. TheStar.com - Miller must get TTC moving again

Are we all conspirators now?

If anybody thinks it was only a conspiracy theory, that the 2004 US election was stolen, they should read this Rolling Stone : Was the 2004 Election Stolen?

OK who else has heard this?

The rumour of the month (year, or decade) has to be the one about Elton John buying into the condos at the Cobourg harbour. Details are sketchy but it goes like this - he has purchased the whole of the third floor in phase three. Of course the people who push this rumour insist that EJ knows where Cobourg is because his partner's parents live in Port Hope and obviously he has been here!

Results of poll

As promised here is the result of the poll: Do you favour public financing of the Seniors Centre?

"It's not about the money!"

That was the comment hissed at me during a question and answer session of the meeting convened to discuss the "Seniors Community Centre" I beg to differ it is ALL about the money.

About 150 people sat through a presentation showing the proposed centre, given by Cllr. Brocanier, as he explained just what he and a committee of supporters had prepared for the general public. This presentation, that justified the spending of $2.14 million, was totally electronic and not a piece of paper was handed out. So we all sat and listened then were given the opportunity to ask questions. It was during my questions that the offending remark was hissed at me and obviously this person didn't want to hear this proposal was going to raise my taxes 4.5% for the next two years, if she did she certainly didn't seem to care that the some of the public objected to building a private playpen for two exclusive demographic groups. It wasn't until later when the venerable Ed Pursey got up to tell the crowd what he thought about his taxes going up to build a place he couldn't understand anyone would need because as a senior he has never found time to use such a place. As an aside, the person who said that we don't create this fuss when we build hockey rinks certainly got a lesson on Cobourg history as Ed replied that the Council of the day refused to pay for "Pad 2" and he and others raised the complete amount needed in three months in spite of Council's reticense.

Despite calls for such things the public have not seen a business plan or a financial projection based on a needs study showing just how many people would use such a place and how much revenue could be raised to cover the annual operating costs of $153,000.00. The major portion of the operating costs would be covered by charging a membership fee of $100.00 for each person. There are 418 people currently enrolled in the Cobourg Seniors Activity Group. It is hope by building this place that number would increase to 900. Without documentation Cllr Brocanier said he had calculated that his business plan (something that the public has not seen) needs 900 people to break even. However, the Soccer Club will pay rent, how much is unknown, and a nebulous creation called the "Sports and Active Living Council" will also pay rent. Events will take place and a kitchen will provide revenue even though the cost of running a kitchen haven't been factored in.

So am I convinced that this building will be multi-use - NO. Am I convinced that the building will be self-sustaining in two years time - NO. So what can we do?

How muddy the waters are!!

The muddy waters of the local policing debate have just got murkier and very confusing. Firstly the County of Northumberland established a process to examine a County-wide policing initiative, then the Police Services Board of Cobourg decided not to bid on the RFP that would give them the County-wide option whilst the Town of Cobourg decided to ask the OPP for a costing option, then Port Hope decided to do the same thing (decline to bid on the RFP) and in a bizarre move decided to build a new building for 2.7 million. Meanwhile most poeple who are watching the situation agree that the OPP is puffing themselves up and lowballing the price to get the RFP. It is also acknowledged that the OPP have the inside track because of the backgrounds of the consultants. At the same time the seven municipalities are agreed that the policing issue will not move forward one inch if it is going to cost them more money!

So here is a suggestion: because the problem of the high cost of urban policing as compared to rural policing is the lack of grants (the rurals get them and the urbans don't) and will be ameliorated by a County-wide system where the rural population will dominate and thus the urbans can get grants, establish a County-wide system policed by a succesful bidder; probably the OPP. However because the OPP will not have the manpower or the inclination to police urban West Northumberland create a West Northumberland subcontract that will allow the status quo in West Northumberland.

An old saw!

The subject of the "Seniors Centre" will be in the news again next week, as a public meeting is going to be held on Wednesday 17th. If readers click on the poll at the left of this panel and look at the results one will see that the readers of this fine 'zine have voted 77% as the idea being a terrible one. The poll is going to stay up until Thursday evening to allow for clear and open minds to vote after the meeting when all the evidence should be presented. The results will be available on Friday morning.