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Results of May 2004 Internet Survey

Reunion Park Expansion

by Fred Kirby

Will it take provincial legislation to bring transparency to the Kincardine Council? It appears on their own, some members do not have sufficient moral character to do what is right.

 The Reunion Park deception continues as the real intent of Council’s original plans becomes clearer. A road was always on the agenda. Public meetings were a sham. Even the committee asked to look at alternatives either had limitations set for them and thus were not independent or simply had not much to offer. As I reminded them in an earlier letter, there are always alternatives; what is required is imagination.

 How Councillor Barry Schmidt knows the “majority of taxpayers will accept” a road is a mystery? Perhaps he bought a crystal ball with some of the money he takes out of BMTS. He has no evidence that the “majority of taxpayers” want a road, nor wish to spend their money on such an environmentally unsound project. Councillor Maureen Couture is of the opinion that the majority at public meetings supported the road. Whatever she is smoking, Maureen should give it up. There has never been support for Council’s plans at any public meeting as Councillor Ron Hewitt accurately testifies.

 Councillor Guy Anderson needs to decide whom he represents. It is one thing to listen to the point of view of some committee members and emergency personnel but they did not attend the public meetings of citizens who expressed their decided opposition to Council’s poorly thought out plans, plans that take us backward not forward. Throughout the Western world concerned citizens are reclaiming the land, working to repair the damage done over the years by thoughtless people. We have come to know the environment is a finely tuned delicate bubble in which we all live, on which our very survival depends. If we truly want a place for children to enjoy then we need to protect their future. Do not ruin it with needless roads and baubles.

 Sandy Donald said, “ We’re here to make a decision. Lets do it.” This is the man who, during the debate and vote on the elevator for the Arts Centre said he wasn’t going to vote to give the Summer Playhouse an elevator showing both outright prejudice and, to his own later admission, ignorance of the issue. He later changed his vote acknowledging he was not cognizant of the facts. So much for responsible and informed voting on important issues! Transparency has never been the Deputy Mayor’s style. Having depth of knowledge and insight would seem to be another quality lacking. Donald should learn more about the long-term implications of the issues before sounding off about decision-making.

 I make no comment on costs. Though the cost for such a travesty is considerable, I leave it to others to make that point. My concern is with the further degradation of our heritage, the total lack of transparency throughout, and the questionable manner by which some councillors and the deputy mayor arrived at their decision.

 Councillors should wake up to the future. Mayor Sutton and Councillor Hewitt are right. There should be no road. Let the butterflies multiply and all life be sustained.